ospedale
Posted by Drew | Filed under General
I found myself yesterday in the ospedale. the hospital. My first experience with the Italian socialized health care. I’m guessing mine was much better than average. Saturday afternoon around 5 during the month of August when most Italians are still on vacation at the beach is probably the ideal time to be in need of a doctor. Well, except most doctors are on vacation too.
Anyway, I know most of you read hospital and are more concerned with WHY I was there than how my experience was. To ease your concern, it was nothing serious at all. I’m not sick, it wasn’t an emergency. I just have a small injury. From running. Well, not from running so much as from falling.
I’ve been running for a long time, and I don’t remember ever falling while running. Well, there was one time… during a race.. but this is a better story.
In June, I registered for the Florence Marathon which takes place Nov. 30. That’s 14 weeks away. I know that because my training schedule starts 18 weeks before the race date. Unfortunately this training schedule started without me. So I jumped right into the long run of week 4 of the training which happens to be an 11 miler. But I planned to do it slow, so I was optimistic that I could do it. Turns out endurance shouldn’t have been my concern as much as coordination.
I have never run with an ipod or any kind of music or entertainment in general. Generally when you’re running in places like Florence you’re not lacking for scenery, and running isn’t so boring. Apparently yesterday at 6 am, I was in need of more entertainment. Just shy of 6 miles into the run, I convinced myself I need a little variety in my workout. At this point I was beginning to climb up the hill towards Piazzale Michelangelo, which if you’ve been to Florence you know is the large open area overlooking the entire city, possibly the most beautiful views available of the city.
And I was in need of variety.
The road up to the Piazzale is lined on both sides with walking/jogging paths. Parts of the path are asphalt, parts are cobblestone. I always stick to the asphalt, because it’s better for the legs. As it turns out, also on the asphalt section on my side of the hill is a hotel with several driving entrances. These entrances are marked simply with a series of chains connected by two posts each, hanging roughly 2 feet off the ground, situated perpendicular to the path, marking either side of each entrance. I would estimate there are about 12 to 15 altogether. It was exactly what I needed to add a little ‘variety’ to my run. It did not disappoint. My run completely changed after I made the decision to attempt these obstacles. I got way more variety than I needed.
In reality, it’s a little misleading to suggest that I attempted these (pl) obstacles (pl). I didn’t even make it over the first one. It occurs to me now, that it’s likely that making jumps when my legs are fresh requires significantly less effort than when my legs have been running for 45 minutes. But I almost made it. If my shoe were a half size smaller, I wouldn’t be telling this story. And you wouldn’t be laughing at my expense. Maybe I should have waited to include the detail about my injury being small.
I didn’t realize what was happening until my left hand was squarely planted on the ground and I had instinctively tucked my shoulder to roll through the fall, immediately hopped back up as if nothing had happened, and continued jogging, though slightly dazed. I THINK there was a car driving by that stopped for a closer look… and no doubt a laugh. I couldn’t pretend nothing had happened, but I didn’t have to look at them. I knew my hand hurt, but the pain wasn’t too bad. I wasn’t going to stop. But after another 100 yards or so, I realized that blood was running down my hand and leaving dark red dots on my mostly white running shoes. I knew I was at least 4 miles from home, possibly more, I had no desire to quit my run early, but I had to do something. A man on a bike who may or may not have seen the incident stopped to ask if I needed anything. He shared some water to rinse off my hand, and I decided my shirt would be the best option for covering the wound. This wasn’t a simple decision because I never see Italians running without shirts. Running in spandex.. I see that all the time, but shirtless would seem inappropriate. But it was my best option, so I wrapped my shirt (also white) around my hand and kept going.
But I had a long way to go. I had never run this route before, and wasn’t sure how long it would take me to get back. My hope was that it would be 5 miles or less so I could finish my 11 miles and be done. Unfortunately, the road past the piazza was longer than I remembered, and I wasn’t sure about the way back to my apartment from the other side I got to the end of the road at mile 9.5. The only roads I knew that would take me back fastest went right through the middle of town, past the Ponte Vecchio, the Pitti Palace, Piazza della Republica, the Duomo, Piazza San Marco… An American running through italy with his shirt wrapped around his hand dripping in sweat, weaving through the crowds… thankfully there were only a few people out at 7 a.m, and very few of them were Italian.
But I made it back, cleaned myself up the best I could. My biggest concern was that dirt or small pebbles got into the wound, and I couldn’t get them out. I waited most of the day, but decided at the end to see the doctor to make sure it was clean. He aggressively removed all doubt, gave me some medicine, a fresh tetanus shot, and a smile. I do love the element of socialized medicine that makes all that free.
The best part of the story.. well for me, anyway - everyone else probably enjoys the falling part, was that the doctor was a believer. He goes to a church that I’ve attended several times, and he’s familiar with Agape. That NEVER happens.
One Response to “ospedale”
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Sarah Says:
August 24th, 2008 at 10:47 pmOhmigosh!!
I am laughing out loud.
Only because you are okay, of course.And I am amazed at the doctor!
What a fantastic ending to a hilarious story.
