An American in Provence

I had a small procedure done on Friday, which required a day hospital visit here in Marseille. I had to meet with the anesthesiologist beforehand, so I had to take Monday afternoon off from work, find the hospital, check in, and then wait a good hour for my appointment. I have found that you can count on an average wait of 1 hour after your scheduled time. I don't see why doctors don't just take this into consideration when scheduling appointments, but NO.

Anyway, Friday morning I checked in and was placed in my shared room and waited for my turn. At around 12:30 I was wheeled over to the operating area and hooked up. My doctor was there with another trainee doctor I guess, because my doctor was asking the other doctor questions, one of which I knew the answer to but the trainee doctor didn't. The anesthesiologist came in put the mask on my face saying "this is just oxygen" Yeah sure doc, just oxygen.... Out.

When I came to, I was being wheeled to the recovery room. I found it quite necessary to inform the people wheeling me to the recovery room "When I was in High School, I wanted to be an anesthesiologist."
Don't know why I felt the need to share that. I guess they are used to the strange things people say when coming off of drugs. Though it was probably the first time a Loopy American informed them quite seriously of what she wanted to be when she grew up.

Spent some time in the recovery room (felt absolutely fine, thank goodness no nausea like last time) then got carted back down to my room. The orderlies taking me to my room started asking where I am from, why in France, the usual. I got a "You are very pretty" which is not something I am sure I really want to hear while looking like a scatterbrained mess after surgery but oh well. It always amazes me when people figure out I am a foreigner when all I have said is "Bonjour" "Oui" and "Non".

Waited around a few more hours, ate my hospital meal (same as last time- slice of ham, bread, and applesauce.) Finally got released around 5:30 and took a taxi home. The taxi driver was quite pleased to have someone English-speaking in his taxi and told me all about his plans to go to Vegas. Not to gamble mind you, but to see the sights.
All in all, feel pretty good. The French healthcare system is really quite good. They even (get this) will REIMBURSE me for my taxi ride home from the hospital. I have never heard of that happening in the US.