MainelyStina
Chronic Overpacker
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Camino Frances from SJPP Starting Aug 21, 2023
Greetings from Tardajos!
About 3 days ago I developed symptoms of an internal infection. We had just left Grañon. A couple hours later, a friend and fellow pilgrim, offered the appropriate antibiotics for my condition (girls stick together!) I walked over 70km while trying to fight off the infection. I arrived in Burgos yesterday, a Sunday, only to find pretty much everything closed.
This morning, I arrived at the Centro de Salud at opening. They sent me away, and I was told to go to the private hospital. After a somewhat frustrating check-in process thanks to the jackhammers pounding away outside the open door, and my mediocre Spanish skills, I was sent to the waiting room. I waited probably less than ten minutes until the Dr came out. I went back to the room, he did a quick test, and I had a prescription for stronger antibiotics within 5 minutes. I walked from the hospital to the pharmacy - arriving just moments before they opened. I presented my prescription and within about 90 seconds had it in hand.
I’m just astounded at how unlike the American system this is. I was truly scared of how things might have gone - and instead it was fairly easy and mostly painless. Makes me wish our system back was even remotely as streamlined as this!
Twenty-five years ago while traveling, I had to have emergency surgery in a small island hospital deep in the South Pacific Ocean. I think that experience left me somewhat fearful about what I might encounter today? Past experiences have a way of sneaking up on you when you don’t expect them.
So, I just wanted to post this to encourage other pilgrims to not be afraid, or reluctant, or hesitant to seek the care they need to continue their pilgrimage. I’m, hopefully, on the road to recovery, and will be ship-shape within a few days!
Good health everyone - and Buen Camino!
Stina
PS: I did pay in advance, and I’ll try to bill that back to my travel insurance. But if that doesn’t work, the visit cost half of what I would’ve been charged just as a copay to visit an emergency room at home…
About 3 days ago I developed symptoms of an internal infection. We had just left Grañon. A couple hours later, a friend and fellow pilgrim, offered the appropriate antibiotics for my condition (girls stick together!) I walked over 70km while trying to fight off the infection. I arrived in Burgos yesterday, a Sunday, only to find pretty much everything closed.
This morning, I arrived at the Centro de Salud at opening. They sent me away, and I was told to go to the private hospital. After a somewhat frustrating check-in process thanks to the jackhammers pounding away outside the open door, and my mediocre Spanish skills, I was sent to the waiting room. I waited probably less than ten minutes until the Dr came out. I went back to the room, he did a quick test, and I had a prescription for stronger antibiotics within 5 minutes. I walked from the hospital to the pharmacy - arriving just moments before they opened. I presented my prescription and within about 90 seconds had it in hand.
I’m just astounded at how unlike the American system this is. I was truly scared of how things might have gone - and instead it was fairly easy and mostly painless. Makes me wish our system back was even remotely as streamlined as this!
Twenty-five years ago while traveling, I had to have emergency surgery in a small island hospital deep in the South Pacific Ocean. I think that experience left me somewhat fearful about what I might encounter today? Past experiences have a way of sneaking up on you when you don’t expect them.
So, I just wanted to post this to encourage other pilgrims to not be afraid, or reluctant, or hesitant to seek the care they need to continue their pilgrimage. I’m, hopefully, on the road to recovery, and will be ship-shape within a few days!
Good health everyone - and Buen Camino!
Stina
PS: I did pay in advance, and I’ll try to bill that back to my travel insurance. But if that doesn’t work, the visit cost half of what I would’ve been charged just as a copay to visit an emergency room at home…