Do I owe you something for this?

This evening we had a patient to the house. Earlier doc informed me that I would be putting into practice all the things I learned a few days ago. I felt resistance make waves in my stomach, but nodded and said ¨Deal, but I´m telling you I think it´d be a severe misjudgment if you have me draw a blood sample today¨ He laughed and agreed with me, thank God.

It was Mynor´s 63 yr old father, Reftaly. He´s suffering from cirrhosis of the liver due to 41 yrs of alcoholism and on top of that diabetes. He came today because he´s experiencing severe pain due to liquid that is collecting in his abdomen. He´s come to Doc and I for a prescription to relieve the pain. He´s a very faint, tiny man who´s voice is a mere whisper reminiscent of the Godfather, however his liver and stomach are so swollen with liquid its the largest part of him.

He arrived with an entourage; His wife, middle aged daughter and 2 grandchildren about 16 and 11. They all walked him in doc´s office and waited until he was finished. I cant help but laugh at the thought of the entire family gathering to accompany grandpa to a routine Dr appointment in America. It´s the perfect example of how much of a clan mentality they have with family here. It helps me understand why Doc is always talking about the loneliness he suffers. To be honest I thought he was being kind of a baby about it, a lot of people live by themselves, and anyway he has his Aunt, Santos and Martine. Now I understand that a typical Central American home is overflowing with family, children, noise and they do everything together.
The doc´s exams are painfully thorough. He pretty much had the patient and his wife tell his medical life story up until this point for the 1st 45 mins before even taking his blood pressure. I tried and tried over and over to focus and try to translate, but my mind kept running away thinking mostly about Heather.
Finally the exam began and Dr. Fitzsimmons measured his blood pressure. I wrapped the velcro around as tight as I could but it still hung loose on his tiny arm. All went well, except that I forgot to tighten the valve before I pumped the little air balloon. Once I realized my mistake and the old man giggled at me, I´m wondering does he think I´m nervous or just a shitty doctor? Dr. Fitzsimmons would like to justify her ignorance and explain that in the U.S. we have machines that do this for us now, only I couldn't begin to say that in Spanish and it´s bullshit anyway. Then I listen to his heartbeat with the stethoscope. The Doc has pointed out that his liver has swollen to reach all the way to his clavicle, he can tell by what he hears in the stethoscope-gruesome. Last I take his blood sugar level. The poor man is so weak and small that his hands are ice. I try to prick his finger 3 times to draw enough blood for the glucometer but there is so little blood circulation to his extremities that the doc has to assist me. Better luck next time Dr. Fitzsimmons, but at least she didn´t kill him, my expectations of the rookie Dr. weren´t very high for her first patient.
After another hour of explanation and medical dissertation in Espanol by Dr. Lopez, he finally gives him a prescription, the whole family hugs and kisses us and he´s off, entourage and all. Talk about 1st class treatment, I wasn't sure if that nearly 3 hour appointment was a medical exam, psychological evaluation or group therapy.
When they leave the doc turns to me and doubles over with laughter, he can hardly catch his breath to fill me in. When they were leaving the patient´s daughter, Mynor´s wife, took Dr. Lopez aside and asked ¨Do I owe you something for this?¨ asking as a polite gesture. Laughter burst out of him again ¨ No no no punta I´m fecking Santa Claus and I run a fecking red cross out of my house¨ We crack up and he keeps going ¨No no no this is just a little hobbie of mine, I enjoy it, really¨ ¨lets go out to dinner and on de way out ask de waitress, do I owe you something for this?¨ We cant stop laughing and the variations of ¨do I owe you something for this¨ go on for the rest of the night.
That night Marta, Lady and I went for a late night drive to see the tree lighting and Christmas decorations around Zona 10. She is such a sweet woman, neurotic and a little ¨Fecking crasy¨ (as the doc put it) yes, but so sweet. I think she´s trying to sell me the city, she keeps asking if I´d consider moving here. I joke that would just for Lady, as I twirl her blond curls while she sits on my lap and looks up at me with her full moon eyes.