Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
I realize that it's just the nurses' way of establishing their authority initially. Once you
demonstrate that you respect the rules that they must enforce to assure your health and
well-being, their tone and manner softens considerably. Over time you begin to appreciate
both their professionalism and the humanity that they bring to their work. When someone
presses a buzzer that signals the need for a nurse in the room, a nurse appears within a few
seconds. Seconds, mind you, not minutes.
Breakfast arrives shortly before 9 am; it's dry melba toast with little jelly packets, along
with a “caffe-latte”. I give it a try. The coffee is horrible. Before this moment, I've never
had a bad cup of coffee in Italy. Leave it to a hospital to find a way to ruin even coffee. The
guy next to me sees my face and laughs.
“It's Orzo. It's not real coffee. But there's a machine just outside ward by the elevators
where you can get some decent coffee if you want.”
EveryoneelseseemscontentwithhisOrzo,butIsetoffinsearchofthecoffeemachine.It's
right where he said it was. For forty cents, the machine actually spits out a steaming, deli-
cious cappuccino in a plastic cup. And the machine next to it has a selection of breakfast
pastries that are not bad at all. Okay, it's not like a cappuccino and fresh baked pastry at the
bar in San Cosimo, but I can get by well enough with this. Breakfast won't be a problem.
Later in the morning, the doctors make their rounds. My primary physician, Dr. Furiozzi, is
the doctor to whom I was introduced by my doctor-friend, Giuseppe, when I first arrived.
He makes the rounds of the ward every morning, from one bed to the next, in the company
of an assisting physician and a small group of student doctors. His daily round requires that
he keep abreast of about fifty patients and their case histories. Some leave, new ones arrive
every day.As the days pass and Iwatch him engage his patients, my respect and admiration
for his skills continues to grow. I wonder if his students realize how fortunate they are to
have him as a teacher. If he is able to replicate himself, even in part, the culture of medical
practice in this part of the world will be immeasurably enriched. Having him as my doctor
is a blessing.
My newest roommate is a fellow from Puglia, the heel of the boot, who's come all the way
up to Siena. He has had multiple surgeries and recently had a recurrence of symptoms. He
has begun to have doubts about his local hospital's assessment and treatment. Furiozzi in-
terviews him for the first time. He speaks in a strong, direct voice that asserts presence.
“You, Fantini. You came here last night. (Pause.) Why are you here?”
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