Isabel gets sick while Mauricio is in New York, and Antonella learns the health care system

One Tuesday, while Mauricio was still in New York, Isabel wakes up with a fever and a cough. I wait a few days to see how it goes, but it doesn't get better. She had several nights of coughing fits and constant fevers, even though I gave her Dalsy, which is like children's Tylenol. Unfortunately by this time, it is a Friday holiday, so our local health center is closed. I called the number given to us on a card to see if I couuld take her elsewhere for a checkup. However, the information is only given in Catalan, so I couldn't quite get all the numbers. I figured it wasn't that bad and would see how it went one more day.

By Saturday morning, I vowed to figure it out. Isabel wasn't in horrible condition, but I was concerned. So I walked up the hill towards Parc Guell where the local hospital was listed on the card. Once I got there, I discovered that the hospital doesn't have pediatricians and I had to go to a large hospital center. I asked where, could I have concrete directions, but all I could get was a vague San Pau, blue line on the metro. I tried desperately to explain that I was new and didn't know where anything was, could I have specific information, but was just given a shrug.

I decided to stop for a coffee and regroup. Not much was open yet, but I finally found a coffee shop, where I stopped for coffee and a belgian waffle for Isabel. She was happy to play in the booths. Looking at my maps, I figured out how to get to the hospital, but decided to try the alternative number again. I called back several times and finally figured out that adults go to the hospital I just tried, but for children, call the Cap Olimpica center (that's where my landlord works!). I called and they said yes, just come down.

I took the subway down to the Olympic Center and after walking around for a while, find the center. The doctor looks her over and prefers that we get and X-ray to be sure it's nothing serious. But since it's Saturday, they don't have the radiographer in, so I have to go to a hospital! There is one a few blocks away. Even so, I walked around in circles and finally find the Hospital del Mar (yes, we're right by the seashore!). Once admitted, we wait awhile. At this point, Isabel is not feeling well, and just wants to sleep, but we keep undressing her, dressing her for the checkup and the X-rays. We get the prognosis -- she has a little bit of bronchitis!

Now I had to find a pharmacy that was open. I remember there was one a few blocks away in which you ring the bell and the pharmacist comes to the window. You do the transaction from the street! Meanwhile, the line grows longer. I was worried that I was keeping Isabel outside. It was a beautiful day, but a little chilly for her to be out in her condition. It took the whole day for me to accomplish this. Fortunately it was not an emergency situation, and I was able to learn the system without being too frantic.