"10.000 reasons for thankfulness" - (Dutch translation of) a well-known Christian song that maybe pops into your mind when you see this title. And it is quite applicable to yesterday's joyful blog. But actually, I came across a totally different use of 10.000 yesterday at the hospital. I was laying on the operation table before getting punctured, my metal head rest was adjusted and the surgeon told me, 'Yeah it's a new head rest we have here, it cost the hospital 10.000 euro". 10.000 euro for a simple metal head rest!! The cost of medical equipment is HUGE, I can't even begin to fathom this. One operation probably costs several 1000 euro and I've had seven. But I can't prevent myself from thinking that SO many hospitals in third world countries could make a whole lot better use of 10.000 euro than by buying a head rest. And I know the question of the difference between our riches and others' is complicated and quite difficult. I know "the answer" isn't simply for us to ship money over that way, that's been done so much already. But I do know that 10.000 euro for a head rest compared to total lack of any medical care in other parts of the world is thought-provoking.
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Just a quick newsflash! Although it's high time for more information and a longer post, here just a short tidbit of news. Today I went to the hospital yet again. This time I had an angiogram done, pictures were made of the brain. Don't ask me what the difference is between this and MRI or CT, I don't know. What I do know is that this time, it was a lot tougher than it was when I had the MRI and CT scans done. With the angiogram, I was rolled into a full-fledged operation room with tiny operation bed, saw the full-fledged surgeon who had already operated me a few times, had full-fledged syringes squirting (contrastive) fluid into my body. And afterwards had to lay on a bed for a full-fledged six hours to allow my body to recover from the syringes. The surgeon implied this would be the last time; my brains now looked good. I'm so very thankful. So thankful that I don't have to go again and can now stop writing this blog (just kidding). So thankful for all the amazing technique and hygiene in hospitals in Holland. So thankful that all the suffering of the past 3.5 years is reaching some kind of closure. Thanks, God!
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Mattanja OosterhuisHaving grown up in diverse places on earth, I suppose I've learned to make the best of what comes my way. Such as a hemorrhage. After this bleeding in my head occurred in dec. 2010, my life has come to look different. On my blog I write about some of this. Archives
March 2018
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