Today I finally experienced 3rd world medicine first hand. I fell on my ankle this morning and twisted it while playing soccer. I had to be carried off the court and after resting for an hour and my ankle tripling in size, I had to be carried back to the house as well. In general I hate going to the doctor but I've never had a leg injury, couldn't even hop on one foot and my ankle looked pretty scary, so I gave in and went.

Highlights of the Peruvian Medical System:

• It's a la carte. You tell them if you need an x-ray, what kind of doctor you need and if you want the cast now.
• Pay as you go. X-ray, doctor visit, materials, cast - each paid for seperately throughout the process.
• Go with the least common denominator. I'm not really sure I needed a cast and the doctor didn't examine me for more than 10 seconds. He touched my ankle till it hurt, said it was broken, looked at the x-ray and said it wasn't broken but that I "compromised the ligament" which I'm not real sure what that means. But there's no harm in a cast so why not go for it.
• Multitask whenever possible. While Hannah was buying the cast and materials (including the doctor's rubber gloves) another patient entered the room with a needle and medicine, took off his shirt and the doctor administered a shot right in front of me.

The cost of medical care:

• x-ray $3
• doctor visit $5 (I think we paid for this twice by accident)
• putting on the cast $8
• cast and materials $7
• prescription medicine $2.50

The whole time I felt I was in the DMV getting my licensed renewed and in the end, the process took only 45 min and cost a little over $25. We still have to rent/buy crutches which are only available at one particular hospital. I'm not in much pain and I'm improving my hopping skills by the minute. I have to wear the cast for 15-20 days and can either take it off myself or return for another $5 doctor visit.

3 comments

1. Anonymous on February 9, 2008 at 11:30 PM

   A la carte . . . how marvelous! I'm really so, so pleased to find your experience was cheap, efficient, and self-directed. The last adjective makes me really gleeful. I wonder how a surgery would go . . .
   
   I tried out medical care in Dublin and found it to be efficient, personal, and moderately priced, for a place where gas is $7.00 a gallon. It was not an a la carte service, though.
   
   Looking forward to plastered, part II.
   
   Tara

    
2. The Masseys from Charlottesville. on February 10, 2008 at 7:55 PM

   Bubba's jealous! He said he'd love for this to happen to him?!?!!!!! Go figure. Glad you're okay, Tim. Thanks for the great story :)

    
3. Anonymous on February 21, 2008 at 9:20 AM

   crazy! hope you heal quickly!