Well, I think we're almost out of the woods folks. Though still not tip-top, Maggie's back to her energetic self and eager to get out of the damn hospital. With Day Four behind us now, we're hoping that the doctor will allow her to come home tomorrow.
These last few days have blurred together like the letters of the last line on an eye chart. I had to count three times how many days I've been doing this back and forth to the hospital bit. It, admittedly, was not the funnest way to spend my days off, but I'm sure Maggie's thinking the same. Actually she's more concerned about having a job at all, as she might lose it for being off so long (she'll be resting at home for about another week or so).
A lot like when you continuously hear love songs that "speak to you" after breaking up with someone, I am in this weird dimension where I continually run into stories about Chinese hospitals. In particular, the Duck cued me to the story about riots in Sichuan because a boy died at a hospital after swallowing pesticide in a pop bottle. The rioters seem to think that the doctors stood there while the boy died because his grandfather couldn't provide the hospital fees. A more likely version is that the boy died because he drank pesticide despite the help of doctors, and the grandfather couldn't provide the money for those fees.
I say "more likely", but really it's hard to say. In this country, both are quite probable.
I also ran across the rather harrowing tale from DB's blog, Crouching Tiger – Ambling Sheep, about his friend/colleague that was hit by a bus. Now, I thought having to decide if Maggie would stay at a cheap hospital or go to a deluxe laowai one was tough – having to decide if they should cut open a buddy's skull… now that's a rough China day.
Well, I wish I had more energy to post something insightful, but to be honest… I'm exhausted.
