sv evi

On the Tuesday of Carnaval, when everything was closed and everyone spends time with their family, Luz’ fever hit 103.5 degrees. Now, she had had a fever off and on for 10 days at this point, and I had been giving her infant ibuprofen when it got to around 101 degrees, but finally I was like, alright, we have to go to the doctor. Of course, all the doctors’ offices were closed.

My friend Fabiola told me to try the Public Health Center. It was closed. So then I walked half a block to Pumapungo Ave along the river, and tried to hail a cab to take me to the Hospital Regional (which is government-run, and free). Except the cabbies were also at home with their families. So I called our friend Walther, a Cuencano who owns a cafe that we often frequent for breakfast.

Walther & Veronica at their café

We had talked about meeting up at the park to play, so I knew he was semi-available. I asked him if he could come get me & take me to the hospital. About 5 minutes later, he was there. Yay!

Walther suggested that we check how long the wait would be, because it could be hours, and if it was too long, that we should go to Monte Sinai, a private hospital. The receptionist at the Hospital Regional wouldn’t give us a time estimate, but we surveyed the waiting room and concluded it would be too long. So he drove Luz and I to Monte Sinai. There we walked right into the emergency department, where they told us it would cost $112 to have the pediatrician come in to look at Luz (all doctors were at home with their families). And then about another $100 for blood work. I was feeling rather desperate at this point, not wanting to wait hour or pay that much money, but knowing Luz needed care. Then the nurse suggested we go to the Clínica Humanitaria, on the other side of town. He said it would be much cheaper there and that their emergency department was open today.

So Walther drove us over there. The gate was closed and locked, but Walther suggested we walk around to check for another entrance. He was right. We walked in, and found the consultation would cost us $13. We were seen immediately, by a nice doc who checked her ears, and throat, and listened to her heart. He ruled out ear infection, strep throat, and respiratory infection, and asked me to have a urine sample done to see if it was a urinary tract infection. He said that was the most common infection in young girls. He prescribed us some acetaminophen and pedialyte, and sent us on our way. I was one relieved mama!

We stopped at the pharmacy and picked up the prescriptions and the urine sample cup, then Walther came in for a cafecito and some chicken chow mein.

Luckily Luz is very good at using the potty, so we were able to collect the urine sample a few hours later and Riki biked it in to the lab that’s open 24 hours. We got the results that night, and I took them in at 6 am the following morning—yes, she has a UTI, said the same doctor who had worked all night. He prescribed me antibiotics, and Luz started them at 7 am. And she is better. Still has 2 more days of her antibiotic course.

I’m annoyed at myself for not figuring out it was a UTI, since Jade had one back in October. I kept thinking perhaps it had to do with teething? And Luz didn’t cry when she peed or anything. I feel bad for having waited so long to see the doctor.

And I am oh so grateful to Walther—I would never have found the Clínica Humanitaria without his help. I probably would have just waited it out at the Hospital Regional. It makes a real difference to have friends who are locals, who know how things work, who happen to have cars! 🙂