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Traffic on Pan-Americana Highway after huge explosion, I wrote before, was restored and I decided not to go through the head hunters (head shrinkers) territory. They probably have never seen a folding bicyclist and may have a temptation to shrink my head as a souvenir. Instead I started long bus ride to Lima, Peru. However, before I will continue let me finish with Ecuador.

Travel to South America (part II)

Alex Mumzhiu
2006-03-22 14:07:41

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Alex Mumzhiu
Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Jan 18 2003 2pm

THIS IS MY LAST REPORT FROM THIS TRIP!
GOOD BYE.

My dear readers.

As you may remember I had a kidney cancer operation scheduled before my South American trip started. A laparoscopic operation of a partial nefrectomy was done on Jan 29. I was at home on Feb 1 completely OK. The biopsy had shown that, indeed, it was a cancer, but kind of a lazy, not very aggressive one.

In order to get to the hospital you have to answer a few formal questions, like before getting on an airplane. At the airport they ask you "if you packed your luggage yourself?". In the hospital they asked "Do you have a living will?" If you start to mumble, they help you. "You do not have it with you, but you have it at home right, right, yes?" In order to leave the hospital you have to answer "yes" to the question, "Did you have your bowel movement this morning?"

As I learned, the hospital is one of the most dangerous place to travel, much more dangerous than the Amazon jungle... I survived only because my friend S.E. who recently returned from the hospital told me his sad story. His penis is broken and does not perform any of its functions. He told me that they gave him a laxative after the operation and when he had the urge to go to the restroom, he forget about the bladder catheters, tied to his bed. He rushed to the restroom and almost tore off his penis. I was in a similar situation, but I remembered his experience every minute. I also had three catheters, one to the kidney, another to the bladder and one more to suck liquid from the operation area inside my belly and in addition, I had an IV machine (kapelnitsa) plugged into electricity. I also was given a laxative after the operation. When I had my urge, I pressed the button to call the nurse to ask her to disconnect the IV machine from the outlet. Nobody ...