Since yesterday marked the one year anniversary of my appendectomy (during my Erasmus in Spain), I figured what better way to reminisce about good old times than to write a blog post about it…
Those of you who know me, and even those who only know me through this blog, will be aware that my Erasmus experience in Madrid last year was incredible, and I still don’t shut up about it. From travelling to different places in Spain and Europe almost every weekend to making amazing friends from all over the world, my Erasmus rocked. Punto. Of course, it wasn’t all plain sailing but when you consider that nothing bad really happened to me over the year like being robbed or mugged as many people I know did, you’d think I had truly brought the luck of the Irish with me to the Spanish capital.
However, just a few days after my then boyfriend coming to visit and a few before ESN’s trip to the beautiful Basque Country, I got severe pains on the right side of my stomach. The hypochondriac that I am, I got my friend to take me to the hospital right next to my flat- how handy!- although really I thought I was just overreacting like always. Turns out it was in fact appendicitis. After hours of tests where they just could not seem to even find my appendix, my phone running out of battery before I could let my friends and family know, my first ever overnight hospital stay (wearing one of those robes where your butt is out for the world to see), hours of begging the nurses to let me book a flight home on Skyscanner, I gave in, got the operation and woke up with one less organ. It was my first ever operation and, of course, it just had to be in Spain away from my family in a hospital where not one member of staff spoke English- the surgeon reassuringly told me this himself. AND to make things worse, I had to miss the Basque Country trip!
On the up side, I genuinely believe that I improved my Spanish more in 3-4 days at the hospital than I had the whole year up until then. I also have to say that, whilst I have very little experience in hospitals, Spanish healthcare is really good and most of the nurses were so sweet and welcoming when they found out I was a guiri (foreigner) without my family with me. I was also lucky to have four absolute star housemates who took care of me 24/7 during my long recovery- mild discomfort the nurses called it… Yeah right!
Another surprising perk was being awarded the title of ‘Miss Apendicitis’ (Spanish spelling) at the ESN end-of-year ball for being the Erasmus student who ‘partied so hard her appendix burst’- some girls dream of becoming Miss Northern Ireland or Miss World, but all I ever wanted was to be crowned ‘Miss Apendicitis’ on my year abroad…
Hopefully you never find yourself in a similar situation, but if you ever end up requiring medical care abroad, get robbed, or something else bad happens, I have two pieces of advice for you: have your EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) or other travel insurance handy- saved me so much money- and try to look on the bright side- you’ll have a cool story to tell, a mysterious scar, and a cultural experience not many people will have! Also, in the case of appendicitis, you’ll never have to worry about getting it out ever again.
