I made my first real trip out into the world today, as I had a doctor’s appointment at a hospital near Taksim Square. I took the Metro which was, happily, not too crowded (though on the escalator at Taksim someone kept crowding against me, and I felt too feeble to walk up to begin with, until I just did). The hospital itself is I think in Tarlabasi, on the side of a hill, so has dramatic views down the steep slope and up the steep slope of the next hill. The hospital itself was clearly used to foreigners as it had a system whereby the nurses etc would just phone a translation team to explain whatever needed to be said, so there was no worry about misunderstanding. In any case, it was a largely successful excursion. I consulted a doctor of internal medicine (a specialism that remains somewhat fuzzy to me), got a few tests, was told to do another test, was prescribed some pills, and then returned. This time on foot, through Istiklal St, and while the shops and people on the street itself have little interest for me, it was still nice to see it all open and bustling. I got back, quite shattered, the GF made some dinner, and I took the first of a really large stash of tablets and capsules. But hopefully it will do the trick, as the last week or more has not been easy. The doctor did advise me not to take any painkillers unless I absolutely had to, so I could keep track of whether the medicines are working or not. I am rather dreading that, as I think they were why I got any sleep last night and did any work at all yesterday, but he is right of course.
Health insurance covered part of this. Its workings are completely opaque to me, having always been in places where you pay for everything (Pakistan) or nothing (the UK, as well as at university in the US and the insurance through the GF’s work in Malaysia).