התמלול המלא של EP 99: The Hilarious Methodology of Spanish Medical Treatments and the Insanity of a Spanish Emergency Room

in there. 00:04:45.759 --> 00:04:48.738 And um, and I was just like,"I'll just eat leftovers. 00:04:48.738 --> 00:04:49.119 I don't care. 00:04:49.119 --> 00:05:04.019 I just don't like, don't even wanna deal with dinner." So I go to, I put the chorizo in the pan on the stove and we have an induction stove and induction stoves are amazing. 00:05:04.108 --> 00:05:05.129 I maintain this. 00:05:05.168 --> 00:05:07.788 Induction sto- induction stoves are fantastic. 00:05:08.259 --> 00:05:10.069 Um, but I had turned it on like 00:05:10.108 --> 00:05:14.139 Wanna explain what that is for people who may not know it, and, or, or shall I? 00:05:14.754 --> 00:05:19.014 I think you should,'cause I don't really know any more than I know how light bulbs work. 00:05:20.488 --> 00:05:24.559 Okay, so just briefly, you got three kinds of stove tops. 00:05:24.579 --> 00:05:28.538 You kind, you have the kind that electricity heats up a coil and makes it hot. 00:05:29.269 --> 00:05:34.538 You've got the gas stove, right, where you literally use fire to make your stuff hot. 00:05:35.428 --> 00:05:42.629 Induction is using magnetism, and so it requires a certain, uh, metal content in your pans. 00:05:42.928 --> 00:05:49.949 But it's using magnetism to heat things up, and it's known for heating liquid up, boiling water really, really, really fast. 00:05:50.928 --> 00:05:56.389 And Damian was not sure about it when we were moving here because, you know, he's a chef aspiring. 00:05:56.668 --> 00:06:04.598 It turns out it works really, really well and everybody in Paris uses this in France because, um, there's r- restrictions on gas, natural gas. 00:06:05.369 --> 00:06:08.988 And of course, electric stoves suck butt, so those are terrible. 00:06:08.999 --> 00:06:10.238 So induction works really well. 00:06:10.928 --> 00:06:15.158 What's cool about them is when you put the pot on, it heats things up. 00:06:15.499 --> 00:06:18.548 When you take the pot off, that surface is actually cool. 00:06:18.728 --> 00:06:22.788 You could touch it, as long as there's not that metal surface. 00:06:23.019 --> 00:06:25.569 Which leads us back to Aimee's story 00:06:27.240 --> 00:06:31.401 So I put the pan with the chorizo on the induction stove and I put it up on medium. 00:06:31.841 --> 00:06:36.261 And it's taking its sweet-ass time, and I'm like,"Ah, fuck it." You know, I just... 00:06:36.271 --> 00:06:36.860 Pardon my language. 00:06:36.990 --> 00:06:40.560 Fu- Yeah, I just really wanna, like, I wanna get this done, so I turn the heat up to nine. 00:06:41.300 --> 00:06:48.940 And then the doorbell rings, and it is, it's correos, it's the mailman with a package. 00:06:49.261 --> 00:07:01.990 So I go grab my keys, go downstairs, and here in, um, in Spain when you get a package you have to give, like, give them your ID number, signature, right? 00:07:01.990 --> 00:07:09.880 It's basically the same as if you were needing to present your driver's license every time you get a package in the

mail that you need to sign for, right? 00:07:10.471 --> 00:07:13.170 Um, and so I did all that. 00:07:13.170 --> 00:07:17.100 I got back upstairs, and the chorizo is smoking. 00:07:17.100 --> 00:07:22.701 Like, I had a lid on it, but it was smoking, and I was like,"Oh, crap." You know, I left it on high. 00:07:22.711 --> 00:07:23.850 I know better than that. 00:07:24.271 --> 00:07:29.120 So I pick up the pan, I put it in the sink, and I'm like,"Well, shoot. 00:07:29.211 --> 00:07:29.730 What I'm... 00:07:30.110 --> 00:07:30.430 Forget it. 00:07:30.430 --> 00:07:38.201 I'll just take this salmon that I have in the fridge and I'll cook it up, and the boy will just have to deal with salmon as a protein,"'cause he doesn't really like salmon. 00:07:39.550 --> 00:07:44.190 So I grab a baking sheet and I put it on the stove, and then I go to prepare the salmon. 00:07:44.190 --> 00:07:49.380 And I turn over and the baking sheet had been warped, and I was like,"What is... 00:07:50.240 --> 00:07:54.180 When did this happen?" Because this is a good quality baking sheet. 00:07:54.180 --> 00:07:58.250 I intentionally replaced what w- came with the house with a really nice quality baking sheet. 00:07:58.940 --> 00:08:01.261 W- when did this happen and how did I not notice it? 00:08:01.480 --> 00:08:10.721 And so I took my hand and I pushed down the bubble, not realizing it was warping because it was sitting on an induction stove, which I had not turned off. 00:08:10.750 --> 00:08:21.870 And so when the baking sheet went on the induction stove, it started heating up at maximum temperature, and I stuck my hand directly on that with force, pushing it down. 00:08:21.920 --> 00:08:31.740 Oh So now when we last were together, and of course nobody knew about this at the time, we didn't record about it, but you had... 00:08:31.761 --> 00:08:35.490 Your hand was all bandaged, so it, you had, you went to urgent care. 00:08:36.206 --> 00:08:53.807 Well, before I went to urgent care, because I am an American, there was a lengthy conversation that I had with myself, and then that I had with my kid, and then my kid was like,"Well, let's talk to ChatGPT," which I have a lot of thoughts about. 00:08:54.746 --> 00:09:02.647 We consulted ChatGPT, who was very concerned about me and very reassuring of my son, and said,"Gosh, I hope your mom is okay. 00:09:02.976 --> 00:09:08.407 Good on you for coming and asking, but this really should be evaluated by a medical provider. 00:09:08.517 --> 00:09:11.886 I do recommend you go to urgent care right away. 00:09:12.057 --> 00:09:15.937 And gosh, I hope your mom gets better soon." Thanks, Chat. 00:09:16.856 --> 00:09:20.376 I mean, I'm glad it at least directed you to proper medical care 00:09:21.345 --> 00:09:29.293 I think it's because it's the newest version So it's not trying a DIY approach of like essential oils and beeswax? 00:09:31.126 --> 00:09:32.486 Okay, so what happens next? 00:09:33.339 --> 00:09:41.119 So, uh, so I asked my

kid to come with me because, you know, I'm frazzled obviously, right? 00:09:41.139 --> 00:09:47.578 And he does speak Catalan, and I, you know, have my Spanish and my English, and you just, like, you just don't... 00:09:47.619 --> 00:09:48.899 I don't, I don't know what I'm gonna get. 00:09:48.948 --> 00:09:50.078 I haven't been to the ER. 00:09:50.078 --> 00:09:52.989 This dude's been to the ER three times since we've lived here. 00:09:53.629 --> 00:10:01.479 He always waited until I was out of town, so I don't actually have that lived experience of going to the emergency room either for myself or with a loved one. 00:10:04.149 --> 00:10:08.089 So I had him accompany me, and there was a line of about three people. 00:10:08.349 --> 00:10:10.359 Yeah, we were the third people in line. 00:10:10.719 --> 00:10:16.788 Uh, first person, you know, at the check-in went through the double doors to the back where the ER is. 00:10:16.798 --> 00:10:19.759 The second person, she was like,"My kid is vomiting. 00:10:19.769 --> 00:10:24.969 He doesn't feel good." I don't know what the lady at reception said, but they left and went somewhere else. 00:10:25.519 --> 00:10:29.948 And then I came up, and she's like, uh,"How can I help you?" And I'm like... 00:10:30.019 --> 00:10:37.408 I lift my hand up, and I'm like,"I burned my hand." And she's like,"Okay." And she sends us through the double doors in the back. 00:10:37.698 --> 00:10:44.099 And I go and I sit down, and this guy walks by, and he's like,"Ayme," which is how they say my name here, Ayme. 00:10:45.149 --> 00:10:49.668 And then, and I'm like,"Oh, yeah?" And he motions me over to go and get roomed. 00:10:49.668 --> 00:10:51.818 I was like, whoa, that's quick. 00:10:51.889 --> 00:10:53.259 That's astonishingly quick. 00:10:53.259 --> 00:10:57.198 Like, my butt barely touched the seat, and I'm already being summoned into the back room. 00:10:58.359 --> 00:11:01.198 And so I say,"Wow, tan, tan rápido," right? 00:11:01.198 --> 00:11:01.958 That was really quick. 00:11:01.958 --> 00:11:06.928 And his, and his response was basically like,"Well, yeah, it's really quick to get you roomed. 00:11:06.928 --> 00:11:24.599 It's checkout that takes time." And I was like,"Well, yeah, yeah, that makes sense." So, um, we kind of tried to explain what happened without really having good vocabulary for, like, stove top and pan and, you know, stuff like that, uh, but kinda got the gist across. 00:11:25.058 --> 00:11:30.548 And, um, and he's like,"Well, it's a, it's gr- grado uno. 00:11:30.548 --> 00:11:35.288 It's a stage one burn." And I did not believe him. 00:11:36.278 --> 00:11:45.009 Like because when I lifted my hand from the pan immediately all the skin was white and 00:11:45.485 --> 00:11:49.745 Like quick-cooked chicken basically Uh-huh 00:11:49.746 --> 00:11:50.736 could, we could call it that. 00:11:50.746 --> 00:11:53.116 Like, the skin immediately turned white. 00:11:53.297 --> 00:11:58.826 Um, my fingerprints are embedded on the cookie sheet. 00:11:58.836 --> 00:12:04.226 Like, I can see my handprint still on the cookie sheet from where... 00:12:05.496 --> 00:12:11.017 I don't know, something about the heat that was there discoloring the metal, and then the pr- the, I don't know. 00:12:11.047 --> 00:12:11.376 I don't know. 00:12:11.376 --> 00:12:12.456 My handprint, it- 00:12:12.972 --> 00:12:15.072 I feel like, this episode should come with a warning. 00:12:18.105 --> 00:12:21.445 I might, if I think to do that I'll, I'll put a trigger warning at the start. 00:12:24.613 --> 00:12:24.673 Okay, so 00:12:24.684 --> 00:12:33.014 And, and I'm thinking, and you know, I had, I emerged while we were ChatGPTing and I was deciding whether or not I even wanted to attempt urgent care. 00:12:33.014 --> 00:12:43.904 I did have it in a, you know, a big pot of water with ice cubes to cool it off quickly, and I kept it submerged until we walked to the emergency room. 00:12:44.054 --> 00:12:49.715 Which incidentally, because I live in Europe, in the center of town is a 10-minute walk to the ER. 00:12:50.235 --> 00:12:51.575 Uh, fabulous. 00:12:51.625 --> 00:12:55.335 It's probably quicker to get to the ER on foot than by ambulance, 00:12:55.490 --> 00:12:58.701 Well, and plus I think that's really reassuring to people listening. 00:12:59.571 --> 00:13:06.311 I, I haven't had to explore this in Menton, but Girona is not Paris, it's not Madrid, it's not a big city 00:13:06.702 --> 00:13:09.753 There is 100,000 people residing in this city 00:13:09.976 --> 00:13:13.726 So to know that it's so accessible, I think it's wonderful 00:13:15.576 --> 00:13:17.996 It's inc- Europe is incredibly accessible. 00:13:18.027 --> 00:13:34.386 And again, I think it comes down to the fact that a lot of the cities and towns and villages here predate vehicles and were built for people, not for vehicles, and that wasn't where all the growth happened in the US, you know? 00:13:34.407 --> 00:13:37.116 So yeah, it's fantastic. 00:13:37.756 --> 00:13:38.407 So I was... 00:13:38.427 --> 00:13:39.866 You know, and I'm thinking, I don't... 00:13:40.376 --> 00:13:53.037 On the way there, the wind, the pressure of the wind blowing hurt my hand, and then when we got into the ER, the absence of the wind to cool it down made the burning sensation come back. 00:13:53.037 --> 00:13:58.216 So I was like,"I don't believe this guy that this is, like, you know, a stage one burn. 00:13:58.216 --> 00:13:59.187 A first-degree burn. 00:13:59.187 --> 00:14:01.677 I think it's, uh I think it's... 00:14:01.736 --> 00:14:03.006 I, I don't believe him. 00:14:03.157 --> 00:14:08.116 Um, maybe in Spain it's the opposite, where first is third and third is one, you know? 00:14:08.136 --> 00:14:10.346 I don't know, but this can't be right." 00:14:10.787 --> 00:14:11.407 Possible though 00:14:12.456 --> 00:14:13.777 I didn't wanna argue with him. 00:14:13.797 --> 00:14:16.486 I didn't really have the vocabulary to state my

case. 00:14:16.527 --> 00:14:35.167 Um, he, basically what he did is he put an antibiotic cream on my hand and bandaged it up, and then said,"Come back." He says,"Come back in two days for the cure." You know? 00:14:35.226 --> 00:14:38.667 Um, and I'm like,"Excuse me?" And he's like,"The cure, yes. 00:14:38.687 --> 00:14:40.456 Come back in two days for the cure. 00:14:40.466 --> 00:14:45.756 You can make your appointment at the, at the front desk, you know, where you checked in." So I was like, 00:14:45.890 --> 00:14:47.360 what is bike here? 00:14:48.177 --> 00:14:48.606 Yeah, 00:14:48.971 --> 00:14:50.760 Okay, okay, so that's the question. 00:14:51.317 --> 00:14:52.767 That's the right question. 00:14:54.126 --> 00:15:01.427 So I go to the front desk, and she sets me up with an appointment to come back to urgent care in two days. 00:15:01.787 --> 00:15:09.716 Um, but there's, like, this other side of urgent care that is, I guess, for follow-up or something where you don't have... 00:15:09.886 --> 00:15:14.096 It's not the emergency, but it's also not you not seeing your regular doctor, right? 00:15:15.927 --> 00:15:23.067 So,, two days later I come back and in this time I did determine, no, the dude was right. 00:15:23.067 --> 00:15:24.767 It's a, it's, it was a first-degree burn. 00:15:24.767 --> 00:15:42.726 Miraculously it's a first-degree burn because I took some Tylenol that night for the pain, and the next morning the pain was mostly gone except for the, um, pad of my thumb, which had put the, had the most pressure, um, when I pressed it down, and was blistering. 00:15:43.346 --> 00:15:46.356 but the rest of my hand did not have any pain. 00:15:46.466 --> 00:15:57.956 I was super, super, super excited about that, and by the time I went back for the cure, um, it was feeling really good, really good overall. 00:15:58.907 --> 00:16:05.636 So I walk in to the reception area and I go to the front desk and I tell... 00:16:05.636 --> 00:16:08.177 This is a Saturday afternoon, okay? 00:16:08.576 --> 00:16:10.027 The place is empty. 00:16:10.307 --> 00:16:15.486 I am the only person there It was 5:00 PM on a Saturday. 00:16:16.356 --> 00:16:17.006 Um- 00:16:17.249 --> 00:16:17.908 5:00 PM. 00:16:17.918 --> 00:16:19.418 Are they, how, are they open late? 00:16:20.538 --> 00:16:21.219 I don't know. 00:16:21.219 --> 00:16:22.259 I'm not sure what their normal 00:16:22.500 --> 00:16:22.971 Okay. 00:16:23.188 --> 00:16:29.599 but that was the appointment I got, was come back, come back at 5:00 on Saturday, uh, for the cure. 00:16:30.009 --> 00:16:47.219 So I walk in and I said, you know,"I have an appointment for 5:00." And he, he says,"La cura?" And I was like,"Yes, the cure." He says, you know,"Momento," and, and I give him my insurance card, right? 00:16:47.229 --> 00:16:49.859 And he puts it in, uh, and gives it back to me. 00:16:49.958 --> 00:16:53.849 And then he picks up the phone and he goes, uh... 00:16:54.009 --> 00:16:59.068 He picks up the phone for, I guess, like, the back, and he goes,"Hola. 00:16:59.408 --> 00:17:00.188 Buenas. 00:17:00.448 --> 00:17:02.009 Una cura. 00:17:02.009 --> 00:17:03.499 Si." And then he hangs up. 00:17:04.936 --> 00:17:05.406 The heck? 00:17:05.499 --> 00:17:07.949 And he tells me to go in the waiting room 00:17:09.595 --> 00:17:13.704 Like right now I am picturing everything from an enema to the fountain of youth. 00:17:13.755 --> 00:17:15.565 I have no idea what's about to come 00:17:16.156 --> 00:17:18.707 w- where, what kind of witchcraft is gonna be going on here? 00:17:18.957 --> 00:17:20.846 What is this cure? 00:17:21.987 --> 00:17:30.836 So I go into the waiting room and I sit down, and again, I'm not there for but two minutes and the doctor comes out to get me. 00:17:31.777 --> 00:17:33.946 And he had a very, very thick accent. 00:17:34.406 --> 00:17:46.267 Uh, and I can't tell if he's from Andalusia, because they're known for being very difficult to understand and having a very different accent, or if he's from Argentina. 00:17:46.767 --> 00:17:55.987 Either could be possible,'cause I'm not well-versed enough in regional accents or international accents to, to determine, right? 00:17:55.987 --> 00:18:05.616 But his accent was super thick and I was like,"Oh, you're a foreigner just like me." Um, but he, he was super, super sweet. 00:18:05.626 --> 00:18:09.067 Just absolutely adorable and wonderful. 00:18:09.596 --> 00:18:29.527 And so he takes me into the back, into the, basically the same emergency room that I was in before, unwraps the, bandage, sprays it with an antibiotic spray, puts on a silver-based cream, wraps it back up, and that is my cure 00:18:31.308 --> 00:18:33.778 Good for both vampires and burns 00:18:34.878 --> 00:18:44.509 Evidently, yes And I say, you know, I ask him, I was like,"Okay, well, uh, when can I, be without the bandage? 00:18:44.509 --> 00:18:58.278 When is it okay to take the bandage off?" And he says,"Oh, well, when, the worst part of your burn looks like the best part of your burn," basically,"is, uh, then you can take it off and, and you'll be good." And I was like,"Great, thank you." And, um, sent me on my way. 00:18:58.298 --> 00:18:59.828 It, I was in... 00:18:59.868 --> 00:19:03.138 My follow-up appointment was maybe a total of 30 minutes. 00:19:03.588 --> 00:19:06.538 My time in the ER was less than an hour. 00:19:06.962 --> 00:19:07.603 That's insane 00:19:08.199 --> 00:19:09.739 I will never see a bill. 00:19:10.108 --> 00:19:17.499 I received a text saying, you know, basically like,"Please let us know how your service was," from my insurance company 00:19:19.143 --> 00:19:19.633 Wow 00:19:19.717 --> 00:19:32.807 Uh, it puts the care into healthcare in a way that we as Americans cannot even conceptualize anymore 00:19:33.144 --> 00:19:33.605 Mm-mm. 00:19:35.474 --> 00:19:35.994 Wow. 00:19:36.035 --> 00:19:41.085 Well, I'm so happy that you had such a great experience after such a dumbass move.

00:19:41.557 --> 00:19:42.757 Yeah, yeah, me too. 00:19:42.807 --> 00:19:47.047 I, I will say, I will say that my gyno exam was a little bit different. 00:19:47.086 --> 00:19:56.037 Ironically, I was in the ER at the same clinic, at the same hospital two hours after I had left 00:19:56.994 --> 00:19:58.244 Oh my gosh, that's funny. 00:19:58.255 --> 00:20:00.474 Do you wanna share what 00:20:00.673 --> 00:20:01.042 yeah. 00:20:01.042 --> 00:20:06.492 So gyno, gyno was, you know, I, I made an appointment for gynecology. 00:20:06.492 --> 00:20:10.212 It was, like, about a month before that could be done. 00:20:10.653 --> 00:20:11.022 And this was 00:20:11.163 --> 00:20:11.653 I went in. 00:20:11.682 --> 00:20:12.923 for a visit, nothing specific 00:20:13.323 --> 00:20:24.413 Yeah, it's like, you know, let me get, let me get stuff taken care of before I go back to the States where, and actually use the private insurance that we've purchased, you know, without being penalized for actually using the thing that we paid for. 00:20:25.002 --> 00:20:31.343 Um, so I, I went and I was like,"You know, I haven't had an exam for several years. 00:20:31.343 --> 00:20:56.853 I also would like to get a mammogram." And she asked about, you know, my family health history, and then did a very quick exam, and was like, gave me a slip for radiology, and she's like,"Go downstairs and, you can make an appointment for radiology come back, uh, make an appointment for a follow-up when, when you, when it's done." So I go downstairs to radiology and I ask for an appointment, and they're like,"Oh, we don't have any appointments today. 00:20:56.853 --> 00:21:01.333 Come back next week and you can make an appointment." And I'm like... 00:21:01.653 --> 00:21:09.904 Or, or, or they're like,"Call this number." And I, I don't want to call I don't wanna call to make an appointment. 00:21:09.934 --> 00:21:16.234 Like, you people don't understand how hard that is to do 00:21:16.346 --> 00:21:18.987 So I'm assuming all of this is taking place in Spanish? 00:21:19.076 --> 00:21:19.686 Correct. 00:21:19.747 --> 00:21:20.217 Yes. 00:21:20.267 --> 00:21:20.807 Yes. 00:21:21.146 --> 00:21:24.297 So I was like,"Okay," because at that point 00:21:24.336 --> 00:21:25.277 so let me, let me get this right. 00:21:25.346 --> 00:21:36.237 So you're standing there asking to make an appointment, but because they can't see you today, they won't make an appointment for next week with you standing there? 00:21:37.517 --> 00:21:45.277 Ah, that is, that is my understanding of how that went down, and she wrote down a phone number on top of the paper and was like,"Call them next week." 00:21:46.085 --> 00:21:50.694 And, and that is a key point here because if you're like me, it's like I think this is what happened, 00:21:51.105 --> 00:21:51.765 Yeah. 00:21:51.815 --> 00:21:52.744 100% sure. 00:21:53.115 --> 00:21:53.765 Right. 00:21:53.964 --> 00:22:01.634 As a non-native speaker unfamiliar with the system,

I think this is what happened, but I'm not entirely sure. 00:22:02.575 --> 00:22:05.204 And I'm like,"I'm not gonna make a freaking phone call. 00:22:05.214 --> 00:22:07.194 I can't stand making a freaking phone call. 00:22:07.204 --> 00:22:13.775 I'll go back." And, you know, I went back yesterday, so I sat on that for a full week. 00:22:14.204 --> 00:22:14.765 Okay? 00:22:15.068 --> 00:22:15.259 Yeah 00:22:16.404 --> 00:22:19.994 I go back yesterday, clack, clack, clack on the computer. 00:22:20.005 --> 00:22:21.265 "We don't have any appointments. 00:22:21.265 --> 00:22:23.734 Come back next week." And I'm like... 00:22:24.214 --> 00:22:50.744 Or,"You can call this number." And I'm like,"No, no." And I told this girl, I was like,"Listen, it's really, really hard for me to do phone calls because I don't understand anything." And what is wonderful about Spanish is the saying for that is me cuesta mucho, which is basically,"It costs me a lot to make this phone call," is how the literal translation 00:22:51.131 --> 00:22:52.080 So accurate 00:22:52.694 --> 00:22:53.244 Right? 00:22:56.204 --> 00:23:14.515 Um, and she's like,"Well, would email be better?" And I was like,"Yes, I can write better than, you know, receiving a phone call." So she- then she wrote an email address for me and was like,"Email them, and you may be able to get an appointment that way." And I'm like,"Why can't you just make it here? 00:23:14.545 --> 00:23:15.515 Why can't this just... 00:23:15.515 --> 00:23:23.634 Like, why?" And so I'm thinking, you know, at this point, it's maybe 43 days until we leave. 00:23:24.494 --> 00:23:43.265 The chances of me getting into mammography, getting the mammogram, the results getting to the doctor, and me getting to the doctor within that timeframe is slim enough that I just kind of am like,"Forget it." I'm under the age anyway. 00:23:43.275 --> 00:23:47.714 There is zero family history of breast cancer in my family. 00:23:48.108 --> 00:23:48.298 And you 00:23:48.305 --> 00:23:48.805 This was 00:23:48.858 --> 00:23:49.019 your 00:23:49.424 --> 00:23:49.755 a... 00:23:50.055 --> 00:23:51.595 Yeah, and I just like... 00:23:52.775 --> 00:23:56.295 Life is really hard again right now because I don't wanna be packing. 00:23:56.295 --> 00:23:58.234 I don't wanna be sorting through all my junk. 00:23:58.234 --> 00:23:59.904 I don't wanna be doing this. 00:24:00.875 --> 00:24:04.964 I wanna be focusing on living here and passing my Spanish class. 00:24:06.800 --> 00:24:07.211 Yeah 00:24:07.835 --> 00:24:11.515 So I think I'm just gonna, like, let that go. 00:24:11.654 --> 00:24:15.224 And, uh, you know, maybe I'll go to Mexico. 00:24:15.295 --> 00:24:21.005 Uh, most of my family gets their healthcare done in Mexico, so maybe I'll just establish care down there 00:24:21.404 --> 00:24:25.625 I was curious, I'm sure we've talked about this before, but you mentioned private insurance. 00:24:25.734 --> 00:24:29.305 Can you remind us all about that? 00:24:29.404 --> 00:24:30.535 Like, why did you... 00:24:30.545 --> 00:24:31.434 Is it normal? 00:24:31.434 --> 00:24:32.505 What if you didn't have it? 00:24:33.605 --> 00:24:41.974 So because we are on the digital nomad visa, we pay into the Spanish Social Security system. 00:24:42.115 --> 00:24:46.224 However, we are not permitted to make use of the public healthcare system. 00:24:46.805 --> 00:24:53.585 So we have to purchase private insurance as part of our meeting the qualifications for the visa. 00:24:54.125 --> 00:25:07.454 That said, insurance for a family of three in Spain without significant preexisting conditions is 3,000 euro a year 00:25:08.646 --> 00:25:08.896 Awesome. 00:25:09.196 --> 00:25:14.386 And you, it, and that you kind of alluded to there's like not a, a deductible or anything. 00:25:14.386 --> 00:25:16.616 Like, once you pay insurance, everything's just covered? 00:25:17.313 --> 00:25:17.752 Yeah. 00:25:18.173 --> 00:25:23.712 That's been our experience through, you know, several child ER visits and, 00:25:24.076 --> 00:25:24.747 And one mom 00:25:25.403 --> 00:25:26.423 and one mom, yeah 00:25:27.393 --> 00:25:28.143 That's awesome. 00:25:28.363 --> 00:25:28.732 That's awesome. 00:25:28.732 --> 00:25:29.972 And that would only change... 00:25:29.982 --> 00:25:34.823 You would have to have a literally a different visa type for that to not be true 00:25:36.540 --> 00:25:37.111 Yes. 00:25:37.490 --> 00:25:39.090 Or, or be residents, right? 00:25:39.090 --> 00:25:48.590 I think once, you know, we hit that five-year mark and applied for permanent residency, then I think we might be eligible for the public system, but it wouldn't be until then at the earliest 00:25:49.441 --> 00:25:52.942 Got it I get it. 00:25:53.042 --> 00:25:55.553 I get it about choosing the battles, you know? 00:25:55.782 --> 00:25:59.613 Damian will say something to me like,"We should get this done," and I'm like,"It's not on the top of the list. 00:25:59.752 --> 00:26:03.923 I don't have the emotional bandwidth to handle whatever that thing is. 00:26:03.942 --> 00:26:04.893 It's not there yet." 00:26:05.792 --> 00:26:06.133 Yeah 00:26:06.613 --> 00:26:06.962 Yeah. 00:26:08.923 --> 00:26:16.432 But I mean, it does make, it does make it feel like an honest to God miracle when you, like, go to the bank and something happens in one visit. 00:26:16.873 --> 00:26:19.982 And, and I think everything's 00:26:20.143 --> 00:26:20.423 so 00:26:20.603 --> 00:26:26.663 heightened by being an expat because everything, as you say, comes at a cost. 00:26:26.673 --> 00:26:31.422 But then when you pay it and then it cha-chings, you're like, I won the lotto today. 00:26:31.855 --> 00:26:32.935 Absolutely. 00:26:32.945 --> 00:26:52.036 Like last year when I had my very first doctor's visit, um, w- with endocrinology and, you know, seeing about medication options in Spain and then getting some lab work done, doing all of that and having it work out so well was amazing.

00:26:52.155 --> 00:26:54.086 That was absolutely amazing 00:26:55.215 --> 00:27:05.036 Well, obviously I'm hoping that your future healthcare experiences, which will be taking place in Alaska, aren't... 00:27:05.038 --> 00:27:05.948 Or Mexico 00:27:06.276 --> 00:27:07.496 Or Mexico, right? 00:27:07.635 --> 00:27:11.596 That might literally be cheaper and easier and better. 00:27:12.455 --> 00:27:13.726 I hate to say those words 00:27:14.973 --> 00:27:16.094 It is what it is 00:27:16.551 --> 00:27:17.912 It is what it is. 00:27:18.422 --> 00:27:19.501 Well, how was your burn? 00:27:19.511 --> 00:27:19.932 How was your hand? 00:27:21.054 --> 00:27:23.394 Yeah, it's, it's doing pretty well. 00:27:23.403 --> 00:27:30.923 the blistery bits have like dried up and that's kind of like, you know, s- peeling off, the dead skin is peeling off. 00:27:31.523 --> 00:27:37.544 So, it's got that tenderness that new raw skin does, but, but it's in, it's in pretty good shape. 00:27:38.023 --> 00:27:45.223 I'm quite pleased because that day I was thinking, you know, I just paid for a month of like my fitness classes. 00:27:45.233 --> 00:27:46.693 How am I gonna lift weights? 00:27:46.703 --> 00:27:49.233 How am I gonna do my handstand practice? 00:27:49.584 --> 00:27:56.134 How am I going to have enough time to write the written essay part of my Spanish exams? 00:27:56.523 --> 00:27:56.534 Aw. 00:27:57.153 --> 00:27:59.604 Yeah,'cause it's your dominant hand too 00:27:59.763 --> 00:28:00.284 It is. 00:28:00.324 --> 00:28:01.824 It is, of course, yeah. 00:28:03.084 --> 00:28:04.304 'Cause I wouldn't make it easy. 00:28:06.509 --> 00:28:17.140 Oh, well, I don't know that there's any advice for people here, but that is really good insight into what the experience would be if they do something unfortunate 00:28:18.152 --> 00:28:20.162 The Spanish medical system has the cure. 00:28:20.192 --> 00:28:26.051 That's all you need to know They have the cure for what ails you folks 00:28:27.342 --> 00:28:28.511 I will say about... 00:28:28.662 --> 00:28:35.382 One thing I've discovered in France, um, and it's proving to be true, there is, there are these delays, there are waits. 00:28:35.382 --> 00:28:36.642 You stand in long lines. 00:28:37.281 --> 00:28:47.061 But, and I think we've talked about this on the show before, once you get to the front of the line, it is your turn, and they will take the time they need to with you. 00:28:48.011 --> 00:28:50.582 Doesn't matter how many people are standing in line behind you. 00:28:51.291 --> 00:28:51.832 And so... 00:28:52.332 --> 00:29:00.112 And that comes up to me today because when I finally pushed the door open and went in to talk to the people, um, I... 00:29:01.172 --> 00:29:06.112 It was, it was a, it was a mess because these people do not speak any English. 00:29:06.132 --> 00:29:06.852 They don't need to. 00:29:06.852 --> 00:29:08.321 It's the medical world, right? 00:29:09.461 --> 00:29:14.981 And I had f- I had come in

in the morning,'cause it is a pee test. 00:29:14.991 --> 00:29:20.352 So the way it works here is you go in and they give you the flacon, the fla- I say flacon, flacon. 00:29:20.372 --> 00:29:20.842 Don't remember. 00:29:21.192 --> 00:29:23.221 But the little urine cup. 00:29:23.902 --> 00:29:25.701 And they say,"Bring this back. 00:29:25.701 --> 00:29:30.231 You have to pee in it within an hour of bringing it back." So you don't have to do it in the moment. 00:29:30.271 --> 00:29:30.971 No pressure. 00:29:32.501 --> 00:29:41.692 Um, but I had, I had gotten it, and then I had left, and then I had come back with my little pee cup on the holiday yesterday, right? 00:29:41.721 --> 00:29:42.971 So I was like, shoot. 00:29:44.612 --> 00:29:45.632 But then I had no pee cup. 00:29:45.811 --> 00:29:46.942 So now I'm like, well, shoot. 00:29:46.951 --> 00:29:53.142 Now I have to explain myself why I am coming back for another vial. 00:29:54.162 --> 00:29:58.821 And so I, you know, I was kinda nervous this morning when I went back, and I got my little vial and I left. 00:29:59.571 --> 00:30:05.382 And I came back within a couple of hours, and th- she l- I hand her... 00:30:05.632 --> 00:30:11.332 I'm like,"I have my urine sample," and I hand her my little green carte Vitale, and she's like,"Okay, where's your ordonnance? 00:30:11.521 --> 00:30:14.372 Where's the prescription?" And I just draw a blank. 00:30:14.592 --> 00:30:17.951 And I'm like, I haven't been anywhere. 00:30:17.981 --> 00:30:18.942 Like, I haven't gone home. 00:30:18.942 --> 00:30:20.311 I didn't put my stuff away. 00:30:21.071 --> 00:30:21.821 Where is it? 00:30:21.862 --> 00:30:24.551 I'm like, did I, did I leave it with the lady? 00:30:25.051 --> 00:30:25.342 And I'm... 00:30:25.392 --> 00:30:30.021 And again, this is in French, and I, I don't have the French words, and I'm trying to say,"I don't... 00:30:30.221 --> 00:30:30.852 Do I have it? 00:30:30.991 --> 00:30:37.662 Did I leave it with you?" And she's like,"We don't keep them." And I'm like,"But where is it?" And I, and I'm, and I'm nervous. 00:30:37.662 --> 00:30:40.332 And when you're nervous, you aren't thinking straight. 00:30:40.362 --> 00:30:41.001 Everything is 00:30:41.008 --> 00:30:45.057 And you lose your ability to s- to use the few words you have 00:30:45.582 --> 00:30:46.122 Exactly. 00:30:46.531 --> 00:30:53.001 But the lady who had helped me that morning, only two hours earlier, was there, and she uses her six words she has in English. 00:30:53.001 --> 00:31:10.311 She's like,"We do not keep the prescriptions." I'm like,"Okay, that means it must be in my bag." And I take a breath and I'm like,"Take your time, Rebecca." And I squat down on the bag, and I'm taking everything out of my bag, and I did find the piece of paper. 00:31:10.311 --> 00:31:19.430 And I'm a very American person, and I'm like sh- I'm way too expressive about it, and I'm sure they're rolling their eyes. 00:31:20.220 --> 00:31:24.670 But I'm like,"I have my prescription," and I hand it to her, and the rest went just fine. 00:31:25.630 --> 00:31:30.440 But God, it's just, it's such an ordeal. 00:31:30.450 --> 00:31:38.380 But the, what I'm trying to express here to anybody who finds themself in this situation in France is do take a beat. 00:31:38.849 --> 00:31:39.950 It is your turn. 00:31:39.960 --> 00:31:41.950 They are not gonna rush you. 00:31:42.099 --> 00:31:46.769 They might not look like they're thrilled about you being an idiot 00:31:47.405 --> 00:31:50.435 But they never look thrilled no matter what. 00:31:50.445 --> 00:31:56.145 The French never look thrilled for anything, so don't take it personally 00:31:56.306 --> 00:31:57.105 That's the thing. 00:31:57.105 --> 00:31:59.506 That face has nothing to do with you. 00:32:01.506 --> 00:32:07.576 So take a breath, figure it out, use the words you have, use your Google Translate. 00:32:08.016 --> 00:32:09.435 You will figure it out. 00:32:09.465 --> 00:32:10.816 It is all figureoutable. 00:32:12.238 --> 00:32:12.637 Mm-hmm. 00:32:13.526 --> 00:32:15.536 And then go take a nap afterwards 00:32:17.092 --> 00:32:18.192 Amen to that. 00:32:18.642 --> 00:32:20.041 Those naps are earned 00:32:21.314 --> 00:32:21.963 Truly. 00:32:22.624 --> 00:32:22.824 And 00:32:23.048 --> 00:32:32.708 why, this is why humans nap from birth to like age four, because you are learning so much stuff and it is so overwhelming. 00:32:33.087 --> 00:32:37.067 And then on top of that, they have these bodies that are growing like crazy. 00:32:37.357 --> 00:32:38.847 So no wonder they need naps. 00:32:38.847 --> 00:32:50.667 I am a huge fan, if at all possible, of taking the naps when you are in these intensive times of your life where it's just all a bit much 00:32:50.865 --> 00:32:51.185 Yeah. 00:32:51.615 --> 00:32:54.076 And seek out familiarity when you need it. 00:32:54.115 --> 00:33:05.236 My mom was laughing the other day'cause she was saying that when I went to Florida in February, she expected me to be like,"Oh my God, America's so gross," and, you know,"The food was terrible," and whatever. 00:33:05.986 --> 00:33:08.276 And she's like,"That wasn't your response at all. 00:33:08.276 --> 00:33:13.086 Y- your response was, it was everything was so easy. 00:33:13.096 --> 00:33:17.425 Everything was so familiar." And I was reflecting back on that, and I was like,"Yes. 00:33:18.125 --> 00:33:33.256 It's not that the food was great, but I didn't have to think about which language I was supposed to use or how you call a taxi or anything," and it was like a mental vacation. 00:33:34.685 --> 00:33:47.046 So seek that out when you can if you're an expat, and don't worry about the fact that you're like you just wanna go hang out with your English-speaking friends, because your brain can't always be on 00:33:47.836 --> 00:33:48.465 Yeah, it's so true. 00:33:48.465 --> 00:33:49.036 It's so true. 00:33:49.036 --> 00:33:52.355 In the early days for us, there was,

it was a lot of Netflix. 00:33:52.496 --> 00:34:03.115 It was a lot of American TV because it was the only familiar thing in an unfamiliar town with unfamiliar foods and unfamiliar language. 00:34:03.516 --> 00:34:06.276 And like the f- the f- couch is unfamiliar. 00:34:06.276 --> 00:34:08.445 It's not a couch I would've chosen for myself. 00:34:08.445 --> 00:34:16.226 It's not a couch I like, but it's the couch that we have, and nothing was homey, um, except for Netflix 00:34:16.626 --> 00:34:17.545 Exactly. 00:34:17.576 --> 00:34:21.635 And we did, we have gone down a lot of nostalgic rabbit holes on Netflix. 00:34:21.706 --> 00:34:25.815 We, we find ourselves going back to shows from the'80s and'90s. 00:34:25.826 --> 00:34:29.746 Like, that's We need nostalgic nourishment 00:34:30.461 --> 00:34:31.001 Totally. 00:34:31.302 --> 00:34:31.922 Totally. 00:34:32.121 --> 00:34:32.512 Yeah 00:34:32.516 --> 00:34:34.516 Don't beat yourself up if you're doing that. 00:34:34.516 --> 00:34:40.346 Yes, you quote,"Should be watching shows in French or Spanish or whatever." Fuck that. 00:34:40.900 --> 00:34:41.980 There's time. 00:34:43.380 --> 00:34:45.119 There's time for that, right? 00:34:45.119 --> 00:34:54.050 If you're serious about this and your intention is to be out, is to integrate into this culture, you have years to do it. 00:34:54.059 --> 00:34:55.699 You have time. 00:34:56.659 --> 00:34:57.559 And as soon as 00:34:57.702 --> 00:34:58.621 you try to, you 00:34:58.840 --> 00:35:00.099 It's true, you can't. 00:35:00.110 --> 00:35:17.050 The brain can only do so much, and the reality is, is that in a new place, especially if you're in a place that is accustomed to a lot of tourists, in time, the places that you go regularly will recognize that you are not just another tourist. 00:35:17.690 --> 00:35:22.329 And even if you don't have the language mastered, they will start treating you like a local 00:35:23.949 --> 00:35:33.659 I have to say that's actually one of the things I'm enjoying about living in a tourist town for, because these shopkeepers see millions of faces, but they're always changing. 00:35:34.230 --> 00:35:47.789 But it's still a small town, and so it is possible to become a local much easier here than it ever would have been for me in Paris, and I'm actually enjoying that 00:35:48.188 --> 00:35:49.257 Yeah, yeah. 00:35:49.318 --> 00:35:50.398 It is really nice. 00:35:50.688 --> 00:35:56.018 I will say that the downside of that is every time a shop closes down, it really hurts. 00:35:56.577 --> 00:35:58.677 It just is gutting. 00:35:58.728 --> 00:35:59.838 It guts you. 00:36:00.847 --> 00:36:01.268 Yeah 00:36:02.235 --> 00:36:02.485 Yeah. 00:36:03.936 --> 00:36:05.255 Anything else we should share today? 00:36:06.585 --> 00:36:07.576 I don't think so. 00:36:07.576 --> 00:36:12.806 I think that's a pretty good, uh, recap of medical 00:36:14.655 --> 00:36:17.465 Let's hope we don't have to bring too much more of that to our listeners. 00:36:18.297 --> 00:36:18.907 indeed 00:36:19.376 --> 00:36:22.576 All right, well then, dear friends, à la prochaine fois 00:36:23.748 --> 00:36:24.507 Hasta la cura 00:36:26.398 --> 00:36:28.677 We hope you enjoyed this episode of Banla. 00:36:28.858 --> 00:36:33.358 If you did, the best thing you can do is share it with another person, brave enough to move abroad. 00:36:33.628 --> 00:36:34.648 See you next time.