So, today we were scheduled to take the city tour with Rafa. However, our plans have unexpectedly changed. Ed has been dealing with what the Ship’s doctor has diagnosed as a torn intercostal muscle (the muscle that runs between the ribs) since a bad coughing attack on November 27. It’s been painful, but he’s been a trooper, dealing with the pain as best as he can with ice compresses (that we make in zip lock bags from the ice bucket in the room – or simply holding a cold can of coke or beer to his side) and hot tub visits (horrors!), but as the days progress, the pain is still there and he has begun to bruise extensively. The doctor is confident this is all a side effect of the muscle tear, but because the bruising is severe, today is the day to get a 2nd opinion on-shore while we are in a large city with good medical care.
Thus – our unexpected medical tour of Manaus!
The ship organizes everything for us seamlessly. We arrive at the gangway at 10 and we have a driver/translator who will take us to the hospital and accompany us throughout the day. The sweet nurse meets us at the gangway, hands us our referral papers and we are off to see the surgeon. Makell, our translator, is a doll. He works for the port authority and is very well spoken, and used to shepherding folks like us through the Brazilian medical systems, not to mention well- versed in the city’s culture and history as well. He gives us a little semi-tour, pointing out some of the more well-known buildings – like the Opera house which at one time was surrounded by streets paved in rubber so as not to disturb patrons with the noise from horses hoofs and carriage wheels as they rode past the building. (Manaus was a pretty over the top town back in the day – its residents, all European immigrants – spent tons of money on glitzy architecture, clothing, and just about anything else that could be used to show off their wealth.)
At any rate, Makell keeps up the conversation, talking about Manaus and his home town (not here), until we reach the hospital, which turns out to be a Maternity hospital. Well, what can we say? This particular hospital is one of the best in the city, and has an agreement with the port authority to see ship passengers quickly, which is of utmost importance to us since we are sailing at 4pm today. And see us quickly they do! We have no sooner signed paperwork and paid our 150 Brazilian Real ($39.95 USD) fee, then we are in with the doctor explaining the situation and showing off Ed’s bruised torso. He orders bloodwork (only $43 USD), getting the results in under 1 hour, which results in a prescription for Amoxicillin and Prednisone, and a clean bill of health to continue sailing back to Miami.
Phew! Huge relief! So, next stop is the pharmacy where we get the pills (all pre-packaged in boxes and bubble packs), a tube of Ben-Guey (correct Portuguese spelling!) and off we go back to the ship with plenty of time before all aboard. We couldn’t have asked for better care from our ship’s doctor and nurses to Makell to the Brazilian surgeon. If something like this had to happen, we are glad it happened here, because it was truly an excellent experience.
And that, as they say, is that! We spend the rest of the day hanging about, relaxing, and feeding Ed antibiotics and Aleve!
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