Ella to the ER
So, Ella injured her leg in ballet and it swelled to the point and was hurting so we were not sure if she had dislocated her ankle so off we went at 8:30 one evening to the Institute for Mother and Child, which is the children’s ER for New Belgrade. It is only a short drive from the condo, but then we had to find the entrance and how to get in. Once we found that Tana and Ella got out and I had to go try and find a place to park. Parking is at a premium the later in the evening as everyone has come home and there are more people that parking sports, but after driving back and forth a few times I found on only a block away.
It is a bit shocking when you first walk in. There must be 200 plus people waiting in the queue and you immediately imagine this is like the county hospital in the US and you will be there until 4:00 in the morning. Also, it is mosquito season in Belgrade because of all the rain. While they are not very aggressive, they luck upon a subject now and then and with the doors open for air in the hospital, there were several of them flying around.
I am still not sure what all the people were waiting for there. Perhaps they had more serious issues that required more intervention than Ella, but about 20 minutes of waiting we saw the Doctor who ordered X-rays of her ankle. It was a short push in the wheelchair across the hospital to the x-ray department. They handle those in batches of about five or six so you and in and out quickly and then wait 10 minutes or so for your x-rays. You then go back to the doctor’s office and after a short wait, he reads the x-ray and provides his diagnosis and treatment.
Another surprising moment came as someone came out of an office as we were walking back and there was a horrible whiff of cigarette smoke. We were a bit shocked but then my wife kept walking back to find the source and eventually it was this office. Seems they are still smoking in the hospital in some rooms. I have said before this is going to be an ongoing problem in Serbia. I have heard that once again they are going to try and ban smoking in all indoor public places soon, but they have tried that before to no avail
The good news and bad news was that it was just a sprain, but they want her to stay off it for 8 days. She has her ballet recital in 6 days so it will be nip and tuck if she can go by then. She also is upset she can not go to school for the rest of the week as she will miss her best friend and all the activities. All in all, it ended up that we were back at the condo in about an hour and a half and Ella had a not serious issue. Not bad!
Interesting at check out you get the form with your diagnosis and the treatment plus you take home the x-ray. I guess it is suitable for framing. I will update you if she can make it to her ballet recital.