and to Hospital one more time...

I just can't stay away from the hospital, apparently.

We rent a motorbike every Sunday so we can go to church. Since we have the bike for the entire day, Sunday afternoons have become our time to tour around the island. We went to Keramas surf spot and up to the beautiful rice fields in the countryside. That evening on our way home it started to rain hard. We had no jackets and I was still in my church dress so JP was hurrying to our apartment. About 5 minutes away, as we were weaving our way through the traffic-jammed cars, he came a little too close to some parked motorbikes and my toes scraped against a motorbike's fender. It cut 4 of my toes on the left foot, 3 of them pretty badly. By the time we got to the apartment my sandel was covered in blood. We went inside and washed off my foot to get a closer look at the cuts. It looked as though stitches might be necessary. So I hobbled back downstairs and onto the motorbike to ride to the hospital...for the 2nd time in a week.

The doctor was amazing. He seemed to have the skill and precision of a brain surgeon who, since no brain surgeries were needed at the moment, was glad to practice his expertise on my poor little toes. After painstakingly disinfecting and examining my toes he declared that stitches would NOT be needed. Whew! I was in so much pain that I didn't want even more inflicted upon me. He then proceeded to bandage up my toes with such carefulness and skill as I've never seen in a Kaiser ER. Seriously, both JP and I were quite amazed at the talent, thoughtfulness, patience and care this doctor was taking on just plain 'ol cut toes. We could tell how much pride and joy he took in his work.

The whole visit was over less than an hour later. They gave us an itemized bill and it was so refreshing to see that weren't charged $10 per cottonball and other such nonsense that can be found on Emergency Room bills sometimes. It all added up to $200, including 2 more prescriptions for pain and antibiotics, in addition to the antibiotics I'm already taking for the parasite.

JP had asked me earlier this week what I wanted to take back with me to the US as souveniours of our trip. Considering we've spent almost $300 on hospital bills, I'd say that my parasite and bandages will be plenty. :)