![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Technically this was my second bit of expat medicine, but paying a Chilean doctor years ago US$80 to tell me to keep my toes wrapped (bad stub or break of a big toe) wasn't very exciting.
Today, though, well, I'd had a giant skin tag that was starting to get irritated and painful, so I found an English speaking dermatologist on doctoralia who had good reviews, and hoped. Seemed to work out well. Her English was functional and of course way better than my Spanish. She was equipped with anesthetic and removal and cauterization(!). I decided to have everything removed while I was there, and I paid US $170 for 4 clusters and I dunno, 8 or 9 individual tags? Last time I did this, in Boston, I think they were charging $85 per tag.
Getting the cream she told me to buy was another matter. First pharmacy didn't have it. Second pharmacy *wasn't there* -- with a brand new Google fuckup: the pharmacy was supposed to be at 88 Socrates, and Google said I was at 88 Socrates, but the physical building said 204. How do you even report Google having the street addresses wrong? Maybe there was a pharmacy at the real 88 Socrates, but there was a more promising one ahead, with good reviews, and as it turned out it was (a) bigger, (b) had the cream, and (c) still didn't have anything like Breathe-Right nose strips, which I have not seen in any store here other than Amazon.
Her covid was so-so. Two-person office, her and receptionist. She had a surgical mask on, not covering her nose well; receptionist had maybe a cloth mask, putting it on when I emerged to pay. Best part was that the window was open, and they'd been out for lunch right before my appointment. I was wearing a brand new Aura, for optimal strap tightness.
I'd been told to take it easy, but Uber prices were up to a whopping $9 (though I guess I paid $7.46 to get there), so I slowly walked down to the BRT station for the cheap ride back. Then treated myself to al pastor tacos at the good place, and also a plate of my first guacamole in Mexico. It was okay in quality, bit loose and watery, though quite generous in portion -- unlike the corn chips. I infer you're meant to really shovel in the guac.
I'd tried calling my travel insurance, IMG, to see if they could cover it the procedure; let's say I'm not impressed. No non-English options, 5 minutes of hold time with no indication of queue length, poor search tools on their end...
Today, though, well, I'd had a giant skin tag that was starting to get irritated and painful, so I found an English speaking dermatologist on doctoralia who had good reviews, and hoped. Seemed to work out well. Her English was functional and of course way better than my Spanish. She was equipped with anesthetic and removal and cauterization(!). I decided to have everything removed while I was there, and I paid US $170 for 4 clusters and I dunno, 8 or 9 individual tags? Last time I did this, in Boston, I think they were charging $85 per tag.
Getting the cream she told me to buy was another matter. First pharmacy didn't have it. Second pharmacy *wasn't there* -- with a brand new Google fuckup: the pharmacy was supposed to be at 88 Socrates, and Google said I was at 88 Socrates, but the physical building said 204. How do you even report Google having the street addresses wrong? Maybe there was a pharmacy at the real 88 Socrates, but there was a more promising one ahead, with good reviews, and as it turned out it was (a) bigger, (b) had the cream, and (c) still didn't have anything like Breathe-Right nose strips, which I have not seen in any store here other than Amazon.
Her covid was so-so. Two-person office, her and receptionist. She had a surgical mask on, not covering her nose well; receptionist had maybe a cloth mask, putting it on when I emerged to pay. Best part was that the window was open, and they'd been out for lunch right before my appointment. I was wearing a brand new Aura, for optimal strap tightness.
I'd been told to take it easy, but Uber prices were up to a whopping $9 (though I guess I paid $7.46 to get there), so I slowly walked down to the BRT station for the cheap ride back. Then treated myself to al pastor tacos at the good place, and also a plate of my first guacamole in Mexico. It was okay in quality, bit loose and watery, though quite generous in portion -- unlike the corn chips. I infer you're meant to really shovel in the guac.
I'd tried calling my travel insurance, IMG, to see if they could cover it the procedure; let's say I'm not impressed. No non-English options, 5 minutes of hold time with no indication of queue length, poor search tools on their end...