Saturday, March 21, 2009

Helpful tips for visiting Apollo Hospital


Where do I start? Neysa and I went out shopping yesterday and we had a driver who's car kept dying. He would just laugh as Neysa gave him a hard time about his car working. We asked to go to the market but then we realized we didn't have much time to make it there and back. So we got dropped of at some "Americanized" stores like ESPRIT and LEVIS and a ton of shoe stores. We didn't find much because we were expecting prices to be a little less, but our mission was to find dad some slippers. We went to a shoe store and found the perfect ones and they guy charged my credit card and THEN put the shoes in my bag. I pulled them out and looked at the size and it said "10". We asked for 8.5. He said "oh that's the right size, it's only size of bottom". Neysa put them on and they looked big, but we proceeded out of the store. The man said we could bring them back if they don't fit. So, they didn't fit. Neysa is bringing them back this morning. On the way back traffic was stuck and so our driver got out and cussed the person out who was stopping traffic and then got back in the car. These people drive 6 wide on a 3 lane highway! It's insane how they zig zag through traffic. They also use their horns to talk to each other. Which reminds me...
We got moved to a nicer room and I will say after taking a shower this morning I am convinced that it is nicer. The old shower used to pierce my skin. However, we got moved from the side where there's a beautiful park to the side of a busy street. Now we don't hear beeping in the hallway, we hear horns and exhaust pipes and teeter teeter's through horns.

So, if anyone plans on visiting Apollo Hospital in New Dehli then we should probably give you some tips. 1. When you order food they always bring what you ordered and another tray with stuff you didn't order. They say it's "complimentary". So I finally figured it out and I'm not wasting as much food. I ordered fruit and coffee today and they brought this and another tray which they always bring in the morning with 2 boiled eggs, 3 pieces of white toast jam, butter and tea. My belly is full. They do the same thing to dad sometimes. I haven't quite figured that out yet. 2. If you are a donor and you have to go get testing done you will need to get the order from the doctors and then go downstairs to gate 4 (outside of the main entrance of the hospital, near the coffee shop) and pay for your test. Then you go and get the test done. You are also responsible for picking up your own test results. 3. If it doesn't change you will know which people do what by what they wear. Housekeeping wears (men) orange and (ladies) purple, Maintenance wears grey or dark brown, Nurses wear pink, Cafeteria workers wear white with a green hair cap, doctors wear slacks and shirts and sometimes scrubs. There's a lady who does guest relations and her office is in the presidential suite on the ground floor next to the hospital entrance. Her name is Aarti. She is the one with Wouter in the WorldMed Assist (http://www.worldmedassist.com/) video on Youtube. She has helped Neysa get anything she needs from a place to stay to a driver. Rides back and forth from her hotel to the hospital are complimentary when Aarti calls a driver for her. She is staying at a place called "Swiss Palm". 4. Don't assume your driver knows where he is going- you need an address to give him (and sometimes that's not even good enough). 5. Always wear mosquito repellant. 6. Lastly, get a Skype account to communicate with people back home. It's very inexpensive to call from computer to LAN line and free to video call. We've enjoyed being able to have conversations with family at home.

8 comments:

  1. I am totally eating up your posts Renee! The car ride sounds terrifying. Are the people kind to Americans? Have you had any Indian food?

    Off to Flatirons now and Emerald call tonight. Shall I allow your picture an air brush tan? he he

    Keep your spirits up and keep posting I LOVE it!

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  2. Your updates are fascinating, Renee. You're painting a canvas that gives us here at home a vivid picture of your odyssey. We've taken some of the information that you've passed on and made it even more informative for ourselves. For example, you mentioned the 90+ temperatures...I went to Google Earth
    and zoomed in on Delhi, and more specifically Apollo Hospital. I was able to ascertain that the hospital is at 28 degrees North latitude which is the same as Orlando, Florida or half way up the Baja California peninsula from Cabo San Lucas. The Delhi temperatures you mentioned made more sense then!! Also, by looking at Apollo Hospital from Google Earth, we were able to see the park which you mentioned on one side and the busy thoroughfare on the other that you mentioned. We also zoomed in on the Airport and have a better concept of the ride you described from the airport to the hospital. Kinda fun stuff!! Incidently, it doesn't look that far from Delhi to Katmandu. Can you see the white peaks of the Himalayas, or Mount Everest for that matter?

    Switching gears, how is the testing and pre-op itinerary going? Any chance the April 1st target date for the surgery might be moved up? Let us know how everything is going on that front. All three of you are in our thoughts and prayers constantly.

    Our love, Uncle Al & Aunt Sandy

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  3. oooh, I'm going to do the google earth thing too and show the kids so that we may have an education while we are at it. I put in a prayer card for you both today and also put the blog, just in case they want to come check out the journey. Hope that was ok.

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  4. Kelly, I'm not sure if they are "nice" to Americans... They stare at us because we look different than them. The nurses (or "sisters" as they call themselves) and hospital staff smile to acknowledge you, but most of the people don't do that here. It's iteresting too that nobody yields for anyone. Men don't hold open doors and if you're in line you need to be on heels of the person in front of you or people will cut. The hospital staff think it's wierd dad won't wear hospital pants. All men cover their legs here. When they take him out of the room they ask him to put pants on. He loves wearing shorts but everyone looks at him like he's naked.
    I have had Indian food here. It's on the hospital menu and my cousin's friend (Kelly and Amy) who live here invited Neysa and I to dinner the other night. Their "servants" cooked a wonderful Indian meal. On the plane on the way here I had some delicious Indian flatbread.

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  5. Tomorrow is spray tanning day, it seems so vain and trivial after reading what you all are going through! Love and prayers your way!

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  6. Wrote comment butfailed transmission; but the "test" took..2nd try! Learned how to make tandoori chicken on a TV cooking show this am! can't wait to try it!Man, that's what I'd be checkin' out! The food! Can you bring back spices? How much is Saffron?! and Patchouli oil? Love you guys, this is first time on the blog, nice Skyping you though!XOMuch Love,Aunt Rita.

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