You never appreciate what you have until it is gone. That sentiment is never more appropriate than being in another country when you consider the things you take for granted in America.
We take for granted the 24/7 availability of water, but in the city of Bilhorod, water is limited from approximately 6 am - 11 am and from 6 pm until about 10 pm. The same is true of our current location of Druzhkovka. Our relatives here have water all of the time, but the same may not be true for those living just a few miles away. We all have indoor plumbing in the US, but there are still many places here that do not. Even in the matter of drinking water, it is best if you buy bottled water and avoid drinking water from the tap.
To make the matter more personal, you don't fully appreciate the true advantages of our health care system than when you truly need it far away from home. This past Monday afternoon, I was able to appreciate the differences first hand. After experiencing some severe constipation, I developed an extreme pain in my left side that refused to go away. My first thought was appendicitis, but I was reminded that the appendix is on the right side. We had considered driving to Donetsk, a larger city 75 minutes away, but I am not sure I could have handled a longer trip. We ended up going to the local facility and as soon as we got in the car, the pain seemed to calm down quite a bit. However, after we pulled in to the hospital, the pain again became unbearable. We waited about 10-15 minutes for a doctor to see me, but with the diagnosis of a kidney stone, it seemed like an eternity.
Now, when you think of hospitals, you think of modern facilities with the latest technology. In this city, you might totally miss the hospital, even if you drove right by it. The facility itself seems as if it had not been upgraded in probably 40-50 years. The check in location was a cold, cramped, and dank room only large enough for two workers. The toilet facilities were not much better than a gas station restroom. The people, however, were top notch, given what they had available to work with. Many of them were fascinated that I was the first American to visit their hospital and remarked that they wouldn't be surprised if the visit made the local newspaper. A couple of workers wanted to ask Diana about life in America.
I didn't realize it at the time, but they gave me the best room in the hospital. There were 2 wooden beds in the room with a mattress similar to ones found in the states. Unremarkable at first until you notice other rooms had 4 metal beds/cots, with mattresses maybe a 1/3 of the same size. One of the other things is that the hospital does not supply the medications. You have to go out and purchase the drugs needed to treat you. So, Monday afternoon, they gave me an IV, several shots, and I rested in the hospital until Diana and her sister came to pick me up around 6 pm. I had to come back the next morning for the 2nd IV treatment that would hopefully reduce the size of any remaining stones.
I feel fortunate and blessed that I have not had a re-occurrence since, but I will definitely will want to follow up when I return home. It is also a good thing that it didn't happen on the flight over here, the trip from Kiev to Bilhorod or on the 15 hour train trip from Bilhorod to Druzhkovka where I would have been unable to get medical treatment easily.
We take for granted the 24/7 availability of water, but in the city of Bilhorod, water is limited from approximately 6 am - 11 am and from 6 pm until about 10 pm. The same is true of our current location of Druzhkovka. Our relatives here have water all of the time, but the same may not be true for those living just a few miles away. We all have indoor plumbing in the US, but there are still many places here that do not. Even in the matter of drinking water, it is best if you buy bottled water and avoid drinking water from the tap.
To make the matter more personal, you don't fully appreciate the true advantages of our health care system than when you truly need it far away from home. This past Monday afternoon, I was able to appreciate the differences first hand. After experiencing some severe constipation, I developed an extreme pain in my left side that refused to go away. My first thought was appendicitis, but I was reminded that the appendix is on the right side. We had considered driving to Donetsk, a larger city 75 minutes away, but I am not sure I could have handled a longer trip. We ended up going to the local facility and as soon as we got in the car, the pain seemed to calm down quite a bit. However, after we pulled in to the hospital, the pain again became unbearable. We waited about 10-15 minutes for a doctor to see me, but with the diagnosis of a kidney stone, it seemed like an eternity.
Now, when you think of hospitals, you think of modern facilities with the latest technology. In this city, you might totally miss the hospital, even if you drove right by it. The facility itself seems as if it had not been upgraded in probably 40-50 years. The check in location was a cold, cramped, and dank room only large enough for two workers. The toilet facilities were not much better than a gas station restroom. The people, however, were top notch, given what they had available to work with. Many of them were fascinated that I was the first American to visit their hospital and remarked that they wouldn't be surprised if the visit made the local newspaper. A couple of workers wanted to ask Diana about life in America.
I didn't realize it at the time, but they gave me the best room in the hospital. There were 2 wooden beds in the room with a mattress similar to ones found in the states. Unremarkable at first until you notice other rooms had 4 metal beds/cots, with mattresses maybe a 1/3 of the same size. One of the other things is that the hospital does not supply the medications. You have to go out and purchase the drugs needed to treat you. So, Monday afternoon, they gave me an IV, several shots, and I rested in the hospital until Diana and her sister came to pick me up around 6 pm. I had to come back the next morning for the 2nd IV treatment that would hopefully reduce the size of any remaining stones.
I feel fortunate and blessed that I have not had a re-occurrence since, but I will definitely will want to follow up when I return home. It is also a good thing that it didn't happen on the flight over here, the trip from Kiev to Bilhorod or on the 15 hour train trip from Bilhorod to Druzhkovka where I would have been unable to get medical treatment easily.
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