14 “Contaminado”

I was then wheeled up the ramp of San Paolo Hospital, and a surgeon, after a quick examination, explained in Spanish that it was a bad break and needed to be operated on as soon as possible, adding that it was “contaminado”.

Now with my less-than-perfect knowledge of the Spanish language, I interpreted this term “contaminado” as “infected”, a word that has the power to conjure up frightening thoughts of gangrene, losing a leg and all sorts of other unpleasant images.

Meanwhile, I inquired of the doctor as to what was the maximum amount of time before we’d have to go ahead with surgery. Since I also had no health insurance in Peru, and figured that the amount of money that I could produce for an operation would be the maximum limit on my credit card, I tried to find out information as to how much this operation was going to cost me in this facility.

Now while I may be describing my thought process here as a relatively clear and methodical one, the reality is that at the time I was still fading in and out of consciousness and in so much pain when I was conscious that my ability to think clearly was questionable. Nevertheless, during my more lucid and comprehensive moments, I did try to reflect on the pragmatic.

next chapter