Sunday, October 16, 2016
An Open Letter to Kids On Exchange
This is going to be an extremely short post, but I thought it would be really great for the upcoming outbounds to read this. After, my surgery I was "housebound" for the week (I still managed to sneak out for a bit). If any of you students ever have this happen to someone you know while on exchange please visit them if possible. It means the world to them and gives them something to do, so they aren't bored out of their mind. It also makes them fell better because they aren't thinking about how the are "wasting" days of their exchange and any pain they might be in. You don't have to do much it could be as simple as watching the Olympics with them or making them sit in a store while you are shopping. Also, you never know you may gain a friend that will have your back no matter what.
Appendicitis and Swedish Healthcare (Warning photo of bloody bandage/ scar) (Aug 18/19)
The night before my first day of school I had what I felt was a stomach ache. I however shrugged it off and thought it was just some Swedish food not agreeing with my digestive tract. That night I had a hard time sleeping because of the slight discomfort and being excitement for school in the morning. In the morning I met my classmates for the first time they were quite nice, but not extremely sociable. The school day of school flew by and I finally ended up at home exhausted. The pain had steadily been creeping up little by little during the day. The combination of the two made me want to sleep, so I ended up sleeping until my host parents came home around six.
At the point when my host parents woke me up, the pain on a scale from 1-10 was most likely a 7. My host parents at this point were concerned, mostly my host father. He had me do a couple of stretches and movements that the doctors made my host brother do a couple of years ago when his appendix had to be removed. After the stretches, he didn't seem optimistic about my situation, but we still decided to try eating dinner hoping that it was just my stomach being hungry. I barely could force down half of a European portion of food. At this point, we decided to go to the hospital. However, before we could go, we had to find my insurance info.
After finding the insurance info and contacting the insurance company, we headed to Danderyd's Sjukhus (Danderyd's Sick House). The journey there was extremely painful because of how Swedish laws and roads are constructed. This is because of Swedish law the speed limit can't be below a certain number. This forces the road planners to add large amounts of speed bumps and curvatures to control the speed of drivers. That doesn't mix well however well when you have appendicitis. The jarring motions cause you great amounts of pain.
When we finally we made it to the hospital I had to wait for my host father to find a parking spot. Once, that was done we had to climb two flights of stairs which wasn't and easy feat for me. When we entered the E.R., we had to get a ticket and wait for our turn to be screened. While waiting with pain (which at this point was a 9) on a chair, I got to listen to a women tell the screener about how she had a little pain in the right knee and a LITTLE pain in her left knee. All I could think about that she couldn't have waited for a scheduled appointment for this. Finally, after her and a couple of others were done I finally got to shuffle over to the screening area. After a quick discussion, it was decided, I would be emitted to the E.R. However since I was not an EU citizen it was going to take more work. Eventually, after some exchange of information, I was presented with an EU medical number.
I wasn't going to be emitted to the E.R. straight away. This meant I had to lay back down on the chairs in the E.R. I, unfortunately, made the mistake of sitting too close to the screening area and was subjected to having the pleasure of overhearing a young lady talk to the screener about how she thought she was having some lady problems. After they had an EXTENSIVE discussion about it the lady was told she couldn't be helped in the E.R., and she had to go to the other side of the hospital. I felt bad for her as her friend had to help her walk to the stairs.
About 30 minutes later they finally called my name and emitted me to the E.R. I was taken back where they asked me a few questions and then drugged me up on morphine. After waiting for a couple hours, probably around twelve now, I get to see the doctor. After, talking with her for a little while with her she confirmed what we thought and said her best guess was my appendix had decided to misbehave. This now meant I had to have a rectal examine (...) to check to see if the infection had spread to my intestines. I have to say that the stigma BEHIND these exams have merit. It was was one of the most uncomfortable things I have ever had to do in my life. The exam found nothing, so that was a plus however I then had to wait two more hours to get an ultrasound. At this point, I was completely exhausted, but couldn't sleep.
The ultrasound which was supposed to be quick scan to find my appendix, but my appendix decided it wanted to play hid in seek. I ended up have to be scanned, poked, and prodded for an hour and a half until the technician was able to locate my appendix. After, this I was carted to a room where I would have to shower, disinfect, and sleep before my surgery in the morning.
Around six o'clock I awoke to have to go to the operation room. Once there I had to choke down this medication for my stomach. This was because we had decided for me to eat and my stomach wasn't empty. I then waited for about five minutes until the doctor came in and I was asleep within ten seconds of the assistants applying the amnestic. Next thing I knew I was waking up in the recovery room. The rest of the day went quickly I was moved back to my room, had lunch, and was released the same day. I was able to walk without many problems which impressed all of the Swedes ;). In total, I stayed in the hospital less than 24 hours from arriving in the E.R. to being discharged.
To the displeasure of a certain Rotarian... (not going to name names all the outbounds know who you are ;) ) I don't have any photos or videos of the surgery, but I do have some photos of when i removed the bandages, so if you wouldn't like to seem them don't.
After finding the insurance info and contacting the insurance company, we headed to Danderyd's Sjukhus (Danderyd's Sick House). The journey there was extremely painful because of how Swedish laws and roads are constructed. This is because of Swedish law the speed limit can't be below a certain number. This forces the road planners to add large amounts of speed bumps and curvatures to control the speed of drivers. That doesn't mix well however well when you have appendicitis. The jarring motions cause you great amounts of pain.
When we finally we made it to the hospital I had to wait for my host father to find a parking spot. Once, that was done we had to climb two flights of stairs which wasn't and easy feat for me. When we entered the E.R., we had to get a ticket and wait for our turn to be screened. While waiting with pain (which at this point was a 9) on a chair, I got to listen to a women tell the screener about how she had a little pain in the right knee and a LITTLE pain in her left knee. All I could think about that she couldn't have waited for a scheduled appointment for this. Finally, after her and a couple of others were done I finally got to shuffle over to the screening area. After a quick discussion, it was decided, I would be emitted to the E.R. However since I was not an EU citizen it was going to take more work. Eventually, after some exchange of information, I was presented with an EU medical number.
I wasn't going to be emitted to the E.R. straight away. This meant I had to lay back down on the chairs in the E.R. I, unfortunately, made the mistake of sitting too close to the screening area and was subjected to having the pleasure of overhearing a young lady talk to the screener about how she thought she was having some lady problems. After they had an EXTENSIVE discussion about it the lady was told she couldn't be helped in the E.R., and she had to go to the other side of the hospital. I felt bad for her as her friend had to help her walk to the stairs.
About 30 minutes later they finally called my name and emitted me to the E.R. I was taken back where they asked me a few questions and then drugged me up on morphine. After waiting for a couple hours, probably around twelve now, I get to see the doctor. After, talking with her for a little while with her she confirmed what we thought and said her best guess was my appendix had decided to misbehave. This now meant I had to have a rectal examine (...) to check to see if the infection had spread to my intestines. I have to say that the stigma BEHIND these exams have merit. It was was one of the most uncomfortable things I have ever had to do in my life. The exam found nothing, so that was a plus however I then had to wait two more hours to get an ultrasound. At this point, I was completely exhausted, but couldn't sleep.
The ultrasound which was supposed to be quick scan to find my appendix, but my appendix decided it wanted to play hid in seek. I ended up have to be scanned, poked, and prodded for an hour and a half until the technician was able to locate my appendix. After, this I was carted to a room where I would have to shower, disinfect, and sleep before my surgery in the morning.
Around six o'clock I awoke to have to go to the operation room. Once there I had to choke down this medication for my stomach. This was because we had decided for me to eat and my stomach wasn't empty. I then waited for about five minutes until the doctor came in and I was asleep within ten seconds of the assistants applying the amnestic. Next thing I knew I was waking up in the recovery room. The rest of the day went quickly I was moved back to my room, had lunch, and was released the same day. I was able to walk without many problems which impressed all of the Swedes ;). In total, I stayed in the hospital less than 24 hours from arriving in the E.R. to being discharged.
To the displeasure of a certain Rotarian... (not going to name names all the outbounds know who you are ;) ) I don't have any photos or videos of the surgery, but I do have some photos of when i removed the bandages, so if you wouldn't like to seem them don't.
Monday, October 10, 2016
First Day In My Second Family (Aug 17)
I first saw my new home when my first family dropped me off before they took Sofia to the airport. The new house was much bigger, and I had a yard now. My room is situated on the first floor. When I finally catch up on some blog posts, I might do a tour of it. Since I only had a couple of days till school started, I needed to go shopping for some things. Luckily for me, it's a short 20min bus ride from home or a two block walk from school to the second largest mall in Stockholm.I had a fun time exploring the mall, which in my opinion isn't very big. The mall itself has over five coffee shops that I know of (3 Expresso Houses/ 2 Starbucks).
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| Finding a book about hipsters is always a plus |
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| An "American" food store |
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| My host brother said I had to get a photo in front of the Swedish liquor store. |
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| Bad photo, but on of the coolest Expresso Houses I have found |
Saturday, October 8, 2016
Trip Down "South"/Last Days With My First Host Fam (Aug 15/16)
Since everyone in my host family was going to be busy for the day before my host sister's going away party. I decided I would go and visit some students in Tullinge, near the south of the Stockholm Public Transport. There I met Val and Katie at Val´s house. The visit consisted of me meeting her incredibly nice host family, lunch, and chatting about the withdraw from not being around the other exchange student after language camp. I also got to try on an authentic Mexican Sombrero.
On the day of my host sister party, the house was crazy. Furniture had to be moved/ set up, dishes prepared/ made pretty, and last minute cleaning were all part of the agenda. Once the party was about to commence, I noticed that my host parents and brother had left and I soon knew why. The house was packed wth Sofia's friends it was a crazy, loud, and fun party.
The next day I packed my bags and was dropped off at my new host families house. Sofia left the country that for her year abroad.
Thursday, October 6, 2016
Meeting for Host Sister for the First Time (Aug 13)
When I got back from language camp, the first thing that happened was my host mom and host sister picked me up. This was the first time I met them because the two of them had been stuck in Alaska because my host sister, Sofia, had been too sick to fly home from there. The next day my host sister and I went exploring Central Stockholm/ Gamla Stan (Stockholm Old Town) because she would be leaving in the next couple of days. We, of course, had to go to the touristy place of Gamla Stan to make fun of all the tourists and try on all the hats.
After that, she showed me around some of her favorite places in the city. We also visited her favorite place for glass (ice cream), since it would be her last time being able to get it (before she went to Canada). We also got some good photos that were unfortunately ruined by a smudge on my lens.
After that, she showed me around some of her favorite places in the city. We also visited her favorite place for glass (ice cream), since it would be her last time being able to get it (before she went to Canada). We also got some good photos that were unfortunately ruined by a smudge on my lens.
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