I have issues...and I'm working on it (Written August 4th 2021)
Accidentally stabbed myself with a paring knife in his sisters kitchen trying to open a plastic package like an idiot… almost fainted and continue to feel that way any time she changes the bandaids….really need to get my anxiety under control. In these moments I worry about if something serious happened to me living here. I am not good with medial emergencies, and hospitals are my worst nightmare…..I will give you an example of how bad my medical anxiety is. The paediatrician I had growing up is a dear friend of my family. Luckily he knows me so well and to help me cope when I need blood work done I will go to his peds office and he takes it there for me. The most recent time went like this; full of Ativan my auntie drove me to his office, where kids playing with trucks in the waiting room and the nurses looked at me with a level of confusion that only can stem from a 28 year old asking for an appointment at a paediatricians office. He took me into a room where Spiderman pictures hung on the wall, told me to lay down and relax and within 2 minutes of hyperventilating the ordeal of getting my blood taken was over. I left the office with a barbie bandaid on my forearm and a sprinkled doughnut in hand. GOD BLESS this man for continuing to help me through my medical journey way longer than he should have to.
Suck It Up
I have been told that doctors and nurses here are not focused on any type of bedside manners which worries me should I have to go to the doctors. I worry they will be beyond annoyed that firstly I am a foreigner so they have to speak English and secondly dealing with a worked up fainting foreigner they will just leave me there and not treat me. Tell me to find someone else to help me. Now this is partially my anxiety talking obviously, but if this is the case I will not last here very long.
If anyone is reading this and knows of a good medical clinic in Athens or knows a great nurse or doctor here with an abundant level of caring, please send me a message.
photo credit: rawpixel
Comments