Publication in Russian on the Zen blog
https://dzen.ru/a/Z6xHKjrdAynFAwv8
You've probably come across something that happens at the most inopportune moment in your life. So, I want to tell you how the youngest gave us a surprise and thundered into the emergence.
I don't think there are any people in Russia who haven't heard that medical care in the United States is very expensive and difficult to access, and I've heard this more than once, and it scared me a lot. So, our youngest suddenly started having pains in her side, the pain was growing and all our hopes that everything would be all right were disappearing by the second. I'm terrified, the child is screaming, my English wants to leave the best, I don't know what to do at all, I have only vague ideas. We saw that there was a hospital nearby (for adults, by the way) and we knew that every hospital had an emergency room (like an emergency room). It's already night, we're taking the baby and going to this emergence room. There's an open room, the doors are open, people are sitting in need of help, a security guard and a girl at the reception. I explain in my broken English what's wrong with the baby. A doctor comes (maybe not a doctor, in short, a medical professional who sees patients). He listens to my "perfect English". For a second, I imagined that I was going to the first hospital in Russia, there was no boom in Russian, we all had an Asian face... Oh, I'm already scared... By the way, I'll tell you how sick I felt at work in St. Petersburg when I was there with my youngest, she was only 5 years old, they called an ambulance, so the doctor said he wouldn't go into the store, and it wasn't in the slums, but on Leninsky Prospekt, I had to hobble Before the ambulance, the doctor kicked my 5-year-old daughter out of the car, right into the street, saying that she wasn't supposed to... When I remember, rage boils up. Well, forget it, Anya... So they immediately take us to the department, put on an IV, take all the tests, do x-ray (such as ultrasound of internal organs), while we are waiting, they put painkillers on the child, when the child freezes, they bring a hot, damn, hot sheet and then, after learning that I am also frozen, they bring the same to me. It's such a thrill, I'll tell you... I still hope that this is some kind of attack related to the gallbladder, but she already had such problems, I think that now they will medically remove everything and then we will undergo therapy, at least, I thought it was appendicitis... But it turned out to be much scarier... It was already early in the morning, at 4 a.m., and we arrived at the emergence around 12 a.m., the doctor came. I'm already starting to think about how we will understand each other, but they bring a giant tablet on wheels, contact a translator, a translator who works from home, online, is connected there, by the way, how many jobs have been created for this, they have this translation method in all hospitals and clinics... And the doctor talks about the results of all the tests, after which I start to shake and all my thoughts get confused... You know, after covid, I had a change in my perception of events and information, I can't worry now, I understand in my head what is dangerous, what is exciting, but I don't feel strong emotions of excitement. So, I'm completely calm, there are no thoughts in my head, everything has flown away and my whole body is just shaking... What a stupid reaction, I don't understand...
So (apparently, this is my phrase parasite), so the doctor says that my girl has a giant cyst the size of a pear on her ovary and appendicitis in addition, and all this must be removed along with the ovary urgently otherwise... otherwise, you know what... My baby is only 12 years old... She's a girl, and she needs to have her ovary removed now...
The doctor told me, "Do you have any questions?" And I'm so numb, the wind is blowing in my head, I'm shaking. I can't formulate a single question, except how will I pay for it, if we don't have enough money, what will happen to my baby?
I'll make one digression, there is medical insurance here, it is provided to everyone who does not earn enough, does not work, children and people over 50, and now they have started to do it to everyone, I am far from 50 and I also have this insurance approved in full. So, I had one question, would she cover all the expenses for the operation. And the doctor said, "Of course, don't even worry. We have now ordered transportation to the best children's hospital, a car will come for you, wait...
All this time, my husband was waiting in the car and when I couldn't collect my thoughts, they called our dad and we were given all this time, until the car arrived, to be together.
There is one more nuance, the doctor explains everything to the child in detail, I do not know how many years this has been happening, we were 12 at that time. The doctor explains to him what is happening to him now and that he needs to undergo surgery and what complications there may be. And you know, she accepted it quite calmly, without tears or tantrums, but on the contrary, she became calmer. Whether this is right or wrong, whether you take it as a plus or a minus, I do not know. I took it positively. The doctor asked her if she had any questions. And she said in Russian, "Well, it's cool, awesome. The doctor didn't understand, and she said, "That's sarcasm." And he laughed.: - Oh sarcasm, I got it.
A car came for us, and these are not the same cars as in the Russian Federation, but a Fire Department car. It's the fire department cars that come to all 911 calls here, and there are huge guys who do everything.: they remove the kitten from the tree, provide first aid and intensive care, extinguish fires and arrive first in case of accidents. They rush around the city with a terribly screaming siren, everyone gives way to them instantly, they arrive at any call in 5-10 minutes. Such a car came for us, my girl was strapped to a cot for safety, but it was difficult for her to lie flat while we were driving, she moaned in pain as soon as she could, and I couldn't stand it, I started crying and praying... the road seemed endless.
At the hospital, we were immediately brought to the ward, which is a huge ward for 2 families with giant curtains on the ceiling to divide the space. We were already registered lying in the ward. At one point, the nurse told my daughter: - I'm going to ask you personal questions now. Do you want your mom to be present or do you want to be alone with me? My daughter said: "I want to go with my mom." And she started asking questions like does she have an intimate relationship and what gender she considers herself to be, while the nurse hesitated and was embarrassed herself. Mine replied, "What?" I don't understand what it is. This concludes the survey. It's a minus for you or a plus, decide for yourself.
There was a place for me in the ward, I could stay with the child without any problems, and also our dad and any relatives and friends had access to the ward throughout the day. The ward had a huge toilet with a shower, pots and various hygiene products, everything was equipped for a person with physical limitations. There is a special bed for the patient with a table, a TV, a remote control for calling a nurse, ordering food, controlling the bed, and what else I don't know.… I will omit all the details regarding examinations, tests, ultrasounds, and consultations on how and when to perform surgery. The doctors described in detail how the operation would be performed, what complications there might be, and the child fully participated in this process as an adult.
At some point, the pain reached its peak, she was given morphine, which made her feel sick, I began to cry and pray because I couldn't bear to look at her pain, as she lay curled up in semi-oblivion… Then the pain subsided a little, books were brought to her from the library, and a puppy was brought. It turns out that there is a whole service, animals for sick children, communication with them helps children to endure pain and suffering. She had the operation on the same day, I had the opportunity to be with her at all the ultrasounds and right up to the operation, right up to the preoperative room, there were no closed doors for me anywhere. Everyone helped me, everyone was friendly, not a single irritated face. Although the hospital is huge, there are a lot of responsibilities and tasks, but everything is very organized. It is so big that a helicopter landed on the roof and brought children from remote places or from the places of some accidents and accidents.
The most interesting thing is that each floor bore the name of a company and had its own logo, which meant that these well-known companies sponsored this floor, this branch. There are a lot of portraits of famous stars, company presidents and other famous people who sponsor this hospital in the lobby. And they also visit the children personally in the wards, for example, there were photos of Ed Sheeran and others, how they talk to children, sing to them, and so on. Children treated there have free meals, and they can order their own menus from the remote control at their bedside. For the rest of the visitors or those who are lying with a child, there is a huge food court where you can buy food for every taste, there are cafes of famous fast food brands. The children feel free, one little girl in a hospital gown, wearing a helmet, was riding a scooter. When my baby was taken away for surgery, she was already cheerful, making eyes at the anesthesiologist, who turned out to be a handsome young Korean and said: - I'm not afraid of anything, cut it out faster! Anyway, I was escorted to a special room and given a pager that should ring at the end of the operation. Then I will have to go to this room and the surgeon who operated will come and tell me everything, how everything went. After an hour, I started to worry, because they gave me the surgery time as about an hour. But an hour passed, and the pager didn't ring. I went to the employee of this room and told him my feelings. To which, without irritation, he immediately dialed a number and found out everything for me. I needlessly worried for another 10 minutes and my pager started beeping. The surgeon came and told me through an interpreter that the OVARY HAD BEEN PRESERVED, AND THERE WAS NO APPENDICITIS. THE CYST IS FULL OF FLUID, IT WAS GIVEN FOR A BIOPSY, BUT MOST LIKELY THERE IS NOTHING TERRIBLE THERE!!! Which was later confirmed. OH, THANK GOD!!!
I was taken to the same place, to the preoperative room, where we parted with my chickadee. And what do you think, she was already lying cheerful and ordering dinner for herself. Because before that, since yesterday, I hadn't eaten anything because of the pain and on the eve of the operation. The next day, we were discharged, and like in a movie, we were taken in a wheelchair to the car itself. Despite the stressful situation, I was left with the impression that I had a rest in a five-star hotel and it was completely free, with Medical insurance, which is like compulsory medical insurance. Plus, even before the operation, we were called to the payments department or I don't know what it's called. In general, they provided us with the insurance of the hospital itself and told us that if our Medical company did not cover any expenses, the hospital insurance would cover the rest. I'm not embellishing anything, I'm telling my personal experience. If you're interested, I can tell you how we go to the pediatrician here, it's all completely different than in the Russian Federation. After this incident, if I'm unhappy with something here, I remember this hospital, and this situation covers all the disadvantages that I might have noticed.…
In Russia, it's like the moon. And most likely it will never be. When my neighbor had to be taken to the hospital, an ambulance paramedic ran outside to look for passersby who would help with a stretcher. There is no one to take out the sick if there are no men in the family.
Another friend was in neurosurgery. They brought this woman in after intensive care, and the hernia was removed. She asked to go to the bathroom. Two healthy aunts of the nurse said, get up and go by yourself.
It's better not to get sick in Russia. In addition, often the most expensive of all possible treatments is prescribed. Even if you can do without medications, they offer surgery because the result is the same and the price is different. And even if you pay, it's still not a guarantee of a good attitude, conditions and good treatment... Many of you are familiar with all Russian realities, aren't you?
Once I wrote a post about the terrible state of the wards and corridors, a woman attacked me in the comments and said that I was lying because she had looked on the Internet - there are no such hospitals in Russia. I had a very terrible experience in the 9th maternity hospital in St. Petersburg, and when I wrote a bad review, the moms attacked me, like a lie... I'll never understand this nature, when people rush to defend what really humiliates them, it's some kind of Stockholm syndrome.
People with disabilities are generally a mess in the country. Complete. But the TV box says that everything is covered in chocolate. Pensioners and people with disabilities spend their pensions on necessary medications, examinations, and consultations. Through the looking glass, not the country.
In Russia, as in the USA, there is insurance, but factually it is one name, and medicine has lagged behind the countries of the "enemy" by years... Optimization has completely killed medicine! Many who have compulsory medical insurance most often go for a fee. Except that children are taken on compulsory medical insurance, because school certificates and vaccinations, and even then most of them have to be paid for...
This is not the "decaying west" where the Constitution works. Human rights, and especially children's rights, come first. You're kind and calm here because you don't have to rush out and defend your rights on any issue. You're reminded of them everywhere. You have the right to an interpreter, you have the right to complain about any discrimination, and they tell you about your rights everywhere... And here every day there is a struggle for rights, and you are reminded that there are no rights, go to court... Even orphans, people with many children, and people with disabilities go through the courts. There is no struggle here, complete disenfranchisement and impotence, bullying and disregard in all instances. As it is, yes... they are completely "rotting" in the USA... not like in Russia. That's the answer to those people who talk about medicine - "what do you want, like in America"! That's why officials only go there to be treated and have their children.
A huge advantage of the United States is that they do not collect money by SMS for the treatment of a child, but treat it. It will be sorted out later whether there is insurance, covers or not. If it doesn't cover it, they will issue an invoice, then cut it and coordinate it, if the amount is large, they will ask how much you can pay when there is no money at all.
I admire the attitude of American doctors towards patients, both children and adults. I wish you all good health!
God has given man freedom of choice. And no other person has the right to take it away from you. I remain free and wish you all the same, to be free!
Life in America by Anna Kim
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