Hospitalization - Turning Tuscan: A Step-by-Step Guide to Going Native - page 179

the universal Italian belief that drafts are the source of all illness. Even our college-edu-
cated Italian friends, whenever they catch cold, try to think back carefully to identify the
moment when they dropped their guard and were momentarily exposed to a draft. “It must
have been the other night when we went out to eat, and I sat near an open window!”
The next day, fortunately, I have a visit at the hospital from my former neighbor, Lou, the
guy who pushed us to buy our house in Italy ten years ago. He is now retired from his med-
ical practice and is taking a vacation in Italy. He has called Pam out of the blue to arrange a
time when we could all get together.Pam tells him Iwas just admitted to the Siena hospital.
A couple hours later Pam and Lou show up during the afternoon visiting hours. We chat for
a few minutes and then I have to ask the burning question.
“Lou, they're telling me that they think I contracted endocarditis from getting my teeth
cleaned. Are they crazy?”
Lou assures me that while he was still in practice, this was considered the most likely
source of endocardial infection. In fact, antibiotics were widely prescribed as a prophy-
lactic measure. Now, apparently, it's no longer an axiomatic belief. No, the Italian doctors
are not crazy; they're just not always in sync with the latest revised opinion issued by the
AMA.
Okay, I decide that I'm not going to run away or get on the next plane to California. I take
a deep breath and try to settle in for the long haul.
***
At 5:30 am in the morning a nurse wakes me up to tell me that she's here to make a “with-
drawal”. I have no clue what she wants. I know the word prelievo from using the Italian
ATM machines. After she rubs my arm with alcohol and ties off my upper arm, I get the
connection. They will be trying to culture and identify the bacteria that have been estab-
lishing a community on my turf, so that the antibiotics can be specifically targeted to do
maximum damage to the invaders.
ThateveningduringvisitinghoursPamshowsupwiththegirls.Theygettheirfirstglimpse
of their dad in a hospital bed with an intravenous drip in his arm. They are dismayed, in-
trigued and especially affectionate all at the same time. Friends and loved ones of the other
occupants fill the room. My roommate, Luigi, who is diagonally across from me, takes an
interest in the girls and starts chatting with them. First the little one:
Come ti chiami? (What's your name?)