Hospital Mexico

Hospital San Rafael

 

 

 

 

Entry number three regarding my 'stay' at Hospital San Rafael in Alajuela and my visits to Hospital Mexico in San Jose. At least I got out with all my fingers and toes still attached. Please sit back and allow me to enlighten you about my 2+ weeks at these Costa Rica hospitals.

 

It all began on the evening of October 29, 2019, which brought on a phone call and I was told that I had 2 hours to report to the hospital or lose the room I had been waiting on to have testing started on cancer that I had been diagnosed with earlier in the month.

 

We started jumping around to collect the items needed for the beginning of my stay. We know from experience that when they say jump you do it or if you are late you stand the very real chance of losing the room and another won't become available for 1-2 months at least!

 

So we get there in our allotted time period and we sat for 4 hours before the bed is ready. You see in this country they have 3 speeds: SLOW, SLOWER, and SLOWEST. That is unless they are waiting for you. Then it's what are YOU waiting on. 

 

First day: Blood test. They knew that due to cancer my mouth was extremely sore and liquids were all I take in, chewing was out of the question. So what was I served for lunch? Partially cooked carrots and potatoes and an unidentifiable vegetable that was also partially cooked. When a complaint was registered I was told they would do better in the future. So for dinner, I received a bowl of cold brown soup that smelled late dirty socks and a glass of an unknown liquid that was white in color and had a bland taste. Going forward there is no need to describe additional meals, they were each similar even after repeated complaints to various doctors when I was told we will do better. That ship my friend NEVER SAILED. *I lost 12 pounds while there

Second day: Chest X-ray. Several doctors stopped in to ask how I was doing. With each one, I ask "What is your specialty"? Two said general medicine. One said he was a pain doctor. I said great you are the one that can help me with this pain I have in my mouth. His response, no, not right now. I see you are already taking 5 medications. Oh, so true doctor but they are not relieving the pain. His response, more tests are needed. So in the meantime, I just lay here and suffer. I was told they would fix that ASAP. That night I was given 1/2 of the prescribed medication. When I ask why the next morning I was told that was a mistake. It won't happen again. Guess what.........IT DID!! Repeatedly.

 

Third day: I was transported via ambulance to Hospital Mexico to talk to an oncologist. He examined me and concurred, yep, you have cancer all right. He said he had a colleague I needed to talk to. She said, yep, you have cancer in your tonsils. We need to have some teeth pulled that will interfere with the Radiotherapy and Chemo that you will have to have. We also need more x-rays. You also have anemia and we have to find out where that's coming from. I asked isn't that a depletion of iron? Yes, but not always.

 

Fourth and fifth day: It was the weekend and doctors, as a rule, don't work weekends. There are NO tests done on the weekend. So you sit in the room for 2 days with 5 other guys with various illnesses and they don't speak English and there is NO TV either.

 

 

 

 

Sixth day:  Off to Hospital Mexico to talk with a doctor and see the dentist. One to discuss the treatment procedure itself and the other to be told that 4 teeth would have to go but they would need x-rays of the mouth to decide which ones. That was odd because every time in the past the dentist would get x-rays first. Anyway, I had to return twice and they pulled 8 teeth in total.

The other tests during my stay included having a mesh mask made that must conform to my face without any space, fit like a glove as it were. This must be worn during each treatment to keep from damaging my skin permanently. A couple more CT scans and since a spot was found on one of my lungs they did a biopsy to determine if it is malignant or benign. 

It was determined that my anima is from an iron deficiency. They have to put a PEG in my stomach for me to be fed through during my treatments.

The primary doctor released me until the treatment begins in a few weeks. I will receive 32 sessions of 2 hours each 5 days a week.

 

     

YOU MUST LIE PERFECTLY STILL 

(THEIR WORDS NOT MINE) 

                              DURING THE ENTIRE 2 HOUR PROCEDURE