Weekend in Gleneagles Hospital, as a visitor.

J. began taking an antibiotic over two weeks ago. The condition it was intended to treat was not relieved and in addition she began to break out in an itchy rash and experience painful ulcers. Both spread--the ulcers spread even to the inside of her throat making speaking and eating next to impossible. On friday she went to the hospital, sat in a hospital bed receiving a saline drip and then asked to go home. Friday night she attempted to eat mashed potatoes but was unable. The condition worsened. Saturday morning I told her she needed to go back to the hospital as we both understood by now that her condition was most likely an allergic reaction to her medication. We arrived at Gleneagles hospital at roughly 10am. She is still there, feeling much better, but has no idea when she will be released. She has been receiving injections for pain and infection, and been on a glucose drip for more than two days. The rash burned her skin and she has red marks and a very swollen upper lip. She can, however, talk and has expressed a desire to partake in Dionysian feast as soon as eating solid food is not akin to eating glass.

The hospital is considered the best in Medan. It has the feel of an old high school or for those familiar with The State Hospital of Fergus Falls, it's kind of like that. Plaster walls and cold marble tiles and it looks as if it could be several decades old when it, in fact, was constructed less than 10 years ago. I will pester her to blog when she's healthy. She has agreed and it should be a nice change of pace as Jamison is right about her on both accounts.

On saturday we communicated via notebook, that is she would write what she wanted to say. For some reason I began to write back instead of speaking. Today she is bored and alone. Saturday and Sunday I spent at the hospital with her. My back still aches from sitting in that chair.

Her maid, now also my maid, came to visit yesterday and was impressed by the size and facilities of the hospital I described briefly above. She would not have been able to afford such a place. I wonder what her clinic looks like.

Last Friday was Teacher's Day here at the school. The parents organized a lunch and musicians and so forth. There is no conception amongst the kids or parents at this school that one should be quiet and respectful when another is speaking whether the speaker is a teacher teaching a class or another student presenting, or the school director trying to welcome everyone to the celebration. I have deemed teacher's day "The Festival of Bad Manners." The culture of entitlement that one sees at more prosperous suburban American schools exists here, although in a slightly different strain, in spades. There is apathy amongst some students that seems to result from an understanding that no matter what their performance at school, they will continue to live like kings. The stereotype of the respectful Asian student does not apply. They are easily intimidated and raising a voice will quiet them down. They are not about to storm out of the room or hit a teacher, but they will return to chatting away mindlessly the minute you''ve finished reprimanding them. Thus, the teacher's day celebration was chaotic with one student performer after another playing to a completely uninterested audience of students and parents. No one could be heard.

There was some good food, but the lines were long, and again, there was no conception amongst students or parents that one should not butt in ahead of another. Bizarre, it was. The best bit of food was the omellette like thing with pepper and onion and chilis and chicken and curry sauce.

I still have not my work visa but do have my passport back which means I can travel soon. Yeay!