Free Hug

I've talked a decent amount about Brazilian families and their part in marriages, your roles within them, and how they work.

Well, I've had a different view of the Brazilian family these past couple of days.  It's a family I've always known but have never had the need to experience.

It's your extended Brazilian family.  Aka. Everyone you interact with on a daily basis.

So we are the gossip of the neighborhood because our youngest is in the hospital. Everyone knows via talk from everyone else.  But it's not just gossip, it's real concern.

The first morning after my little one was hospitalized, I got a call from his school.  They wanted to know how they could help. The school psychologist called and she said "We are not doctors. I know we can't help that way but we want to say that we are here if you need anything. Anything at all.  And we want to know how he is doing? blah blah our conversation blah Please keep us updated!"  They have checked in daily.


I have spoken with our building manager and our doorman.  My Mother-in-law has spoken with the doorman at our kid's school, the teachers, the coordinator, and the head of the pre-school area. 

My pediatrician has called me daily, if not twice daily, to ask me how I think he's doing and what the doctors told me.  He then tells me everything they told him as he called them first so that he could clarify anything I didn't understand.

Mr. Rant's Mother, Brother, and Brother's wife have picked my oldest up from school the past couple of days, taking him out, and treating him so this time would be one of excess as opposed to lacking.

I've had visits from friends and family.  And hospital even lets my son is visit, even though he's under 5.

And my Mother-in-law has been at my beck and call regardless of the fact that she has been dealing with everything going on with her mother.  Her mother, who we now fear may be brain-dead.  And with all that, she is picking up my son, playing his silly 4 year old games, and asking me how she can help me.

On top of it all, my husband is only working part time because he is taking care of our oldest when he's not in school.  This is the husband who comes home from a long stressful meeting and deals with a phone call from a crying wife who lays into him basically because her nerves are fried.  Listening to you kid, who is on a drip, scream in pain every time he pees will do that to you.  There was nothing I could do. Thankfully, after about 12 hrs, it passed and he's feeling much better.

Anyway, the husband who took that bad treatment and understood where it came from.  He came to alleviate me from the hospital with a smile on his face and a hug for me.  No need to discuss, no need for an apology.  And I gave him more shit for being late. Yeah, I suck ass.  And he had all the patience and understanding in the world.  He told me he couldn't have handled the first two nights there but now, because it's easier, he could give me a break.  Wow! A man who can handle the world and then admits when he can't.  The balance of the world, my world.  I must give good head or something.


The thing is, this culture can be judgmental, overly intrusive, and sometimes a bit in your face.  But when you need some compassion, real compassion, and a get out of jail free card when things are tough, they give it to you before you even ask.  It's as if they have the important parts of humanity down.

The world would be a much better place if they would just learn from the Brazilians.

Copa D'Or from the inside

We are prisoners inside, well, inside one of the nicer hospitals of Rio de Janeiro. And, dare I say, the best in Zona Sul.  That's what people say anyway.  So I figure, hell, I'll give it a little review.

And guess what, I'm one of them! I'm agreeing with what they say.  And no, it's not to suck up! 

We have gotten some seriously great care here!  For starters, I can already see a new little muffin top forming at the top of my comfy jeans.  The food is good people, for the non-patient anyway. It's ok for the kiddies.  Regardless, they are trying fatten up my boy to be the Christmas ham or something. Of course, he's not eating it so I am, I hate to waste food.  Add in my 3 meals my insurance covers (we're talking carne assada stuffed with sausage, rice and beans, corn sufle, a salad, pudim, and fresh squeezed OJ for example) and you have got yourself a Thanksgiving Rachel Turkey stuffed and ready to go. 

We also have a governess.  I have always wanted one of those. It's so Sound of Music.  Sadly, she doesn't belong to only to me but to the entire floor. She prevides the kids with dvds and books, deals with our insurance company, and brings me fresh sheets and towels daily.  I also called her once to borrow a pen. She quickly informed me that I needed to call her when I was done so she could come pick it up.  I will say, it was a nice pen.

Let's also remember the Wi-fi (spelling?), pretty bathroom, cleaning service... am I missing something?  Hmmm, hospital... hospital... hospital... Oh yeah, Doctors! They have those here too.  And nurses. Actually, we have two kind of nurses and the whole deal includes specialists and palmades as needed.  Hell, the nurses even weigh pee diapers to make sure the children are staying hydrated. They measure what comes in and what goes out.  If that isn' thorough, I don't know what is. 

All and all, I have to say that this is a good place to be when you are feeling like crap.  People are attentive, nice, and have enough patience to deal with me and extended family... actually, the extended family hasn't fully been notified... well, the ones who don't read my blog or follow me of facebook that is.  Oh, and the ones that missed the plane with the banner flying over Copacabana. 

As for the penis, it is getting the highest level of care possible. It would be unheard of in a machismo country to let a penis go unheard.  Thankfully the pediatric surgeon came today, the one who also specialises in pediatric urology, and said everything is fine. He was the first who didn't look like he was going to barf when he saw it. 

Localized infection and highly irritated area that needs to be taken care of, but no emergency surgery needed.  No emergency procedures at all. Of course, to some of my readers' utter dismay, circumcision has been deemed 100% necessary. It's not because of the infection, as it is not totally uncommon for it to get this bad, it's because of his foreskin.  Apparently, the fact that its over 50% larger makes it even easier to tell, kind of like zoom on google map. 

But the important thing is that the penis will make a full recovery, as will the little man attached to it.  Fever is still strong but it's expected to improve in 24 hrs.

As for Copa D'Or, it's now my hospital of choice, why don't you make it ours. It's like that destination vacation resort with a hurricane warning. Sucks to be stuck inside but at least they are taking good care of you.

Coffee: The Key to the Brazilian Heart

It was very serious going into the ICU to visit the Grandma. We all had to wash our hands and turn off our cell phone. 

And then we didn´t even get offered a coffee! 

Coffee?  In an ICU? Well, they had just taking the incubation tube out of the Grandma´s throat.  She needed something to sooth it. 

It was the last confirmation I needed to show that coffee is the center of the Brazilian life.  I would never have thought that a doctor would allow a patient in the ICU to have a cup of the good stuff. 

But now that I think about it, what´s the harm in it?

And that´s the thing.  I think coffee is to adult Brazilians as a warm breast is to a baby.  It´s comfort, home, and the only way to pass a decent stool after eating all that rice. 

You have it for a snack, you have it after lunch, and the day doesn´t begin without it´s presence.

Why wouldn´t you have it at the hospital?

So if that´s how things work, please note that if I should ever end up in there, I want Pop Tarts and licorice.