Mark is slowly coming to terms with the vagaries of the New Zealand healthcare system. Since he works in a public hospital (i.e. paid for by taxpayers), they are very protective of the utilization of expensive procedures like CT scans. In order to get a "stat" CT (or any CT for that matter), the ED doctor must fill out a form detailing why he thinks a patient needs one, hand-carry it to the radiology department, explain the case to the radiologist, get him to sign off on it, then carry the form down the hall to the CT scheduling department and sweet-talk the secretary into bumping the ED patient ahead of all the outpatient scans. Only then is the patient given an "appointment" for a scan at some point later in the day. The CT scanner only operates during banker's hours, as opposed to the US where it's usually available 24/7. And you can forget about getting an MRI in this lifetime.
The Kiwis do have an enlightened and quite broad view of "accidents," however, whether it's a motor vehicle crash, medical malpractice, an assault, an overdose, a fall, or even an "accidental" bee sting. Their government department called the ACC pays for all future medical care related to the accident, courtesy of Kiwi taxpayers, on the condition that they don't sue anyone for damages.
Some of the quirks of the hospital are amusing, though. Whereas in America, a nurse's first questions to a patient might be about their chief complaint, medications or allergies, in NZ it's "would you like a cup of tea?" In fact, the "tea room" (i.e. break room) has a tap on the wall for boiling water, with an assortment of tea bags close by, and more mugs than you've ever seen outside a Pottery Barn. Of course, they all take milk in it here, which we're slowly getting used to.
The camaraderie among the ED staff is very informal, and all the nurses and doctors are on a first-name basis. In fact, it's considered pretentious if you even introduce yourself as "Dr. So-And-So" to a patient. So, Mark's taken to just introducing himself as "Mark, one of the doctors" to differentiate himself from the nurses, since they all wear the same navy scrubs.
Meanwhile, Sherry and Ro went to Mount Drury today, just inland from the "Marine Parade" (i.e. the beach on the seaward side of Mount Maunganui). This ancient Maori burial ground had a playground at the bottom which Ro enjoyed. Sherry had warned him not to take his toy planes with him, and sure enough, he forgot them there. Halfway home, he piped up, "where are my planes?" Soft-hearted as she is, Sherry did a 360 in the traffic circle and went back to the park. A friendly Kiwi lady helped her round up all the toys from the kids who had begun playing with them, and all was right in Ro's world again.
Ro relaxing on Mount Drury. Moturiki Island in background
Sherry & Ro on Mount Drury. Tauranga harbor in background
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