The morning was the usual physical therapy and occupational therapy. But after lunch we decided to go out to the mall. It was called Sockit, not really sure of the spelling. We hired a taxi for 4 hrs, to drive us there, wait and return us to NuTech. Abha took the driver's phone number on her mobile so that we could call him when done.
On the way there we saw an elephant on the sidewalk (sorry no picture) and soon after a donkey. We noticed Dunkin Donuts, Domino's Pizza and Starbucks along the way. Once there Robbin went in search of guitar strings for his travel guitar and Abha and I went to Clinique as I needed lip balm. Once there, a nice man helped me ( only women in the U.S.), but a woman caught my eye and we smiled at each other. She worked there too. She came around to me and said how much I looked like her mom. My eyes, my smile-she called me auntie. And because I reminded her of her mom, she gave Abha a free lipstick for taking care of me! How nice was that?! Sophiya is from Afganistan and couldn't be nicer!
Then we went to a store to buy a pillow for the wheel chair I go on the road with here. So now we wait in the wrong place for Robbin ("meet me by this bamboo seating area"). Well apparently there were many such areas in the mall. Who knew? I tried to convey that to Abha but she didn't understand me. Anyway, while waiting Abha can't find her phone! She checks and rechecks the bags. Without the phone we have no way to call the taxi driver. High drama. Robbin finds us and we go outside in the 105 degree heat to see if by some chance we could find the driver. No way. Back into the mall, Robbin wants to try Starbucks for an internet connection so we can find NuTech's phone number as they called the taxi for us. I say let's go to Clinique as Sophiya will help us, Abha is still concerned about her missing phone and wheels me away from Robbin because she can't understand my speech. Well, I just broke down and cried. That happens when I'm frustrated. We finally go to Clinique and Sophiya is so very gracious and helps us. She gets us water, she calls NuTech, apparently the driver called there too realizing that Abha left her phone in the car. After a couple of calls and lots of Hindi discussions, we are reunited with our driver and all is well with the world.
As far as treatments, I get 2 daily. So far I've had intramuscular injections, intravenous injections, stem cells dribbled on my tongue and sprayed up my nose. I haven't yet had what they call "a procedure" which is an injection in my spine. I did have 1 more test today, in-house, an ECG.
Tomorrow is Sunday- a day off for Abha, and no therapies.
On the way there we saw an elephant on the sidewalk (sorry no picture) and soon after a donkey. We noticed Dunkin Donuts, Domino's Pizza and Starbucks along the way. Once there Robbin went in search of guitar strings for his travel guitar and Abha and I went to Clinique as I needed lip balm. Once there, a nice man helped me ( only women in the U.S.), but a woman caught my eye and we smiled at each other. She worked there too. She came around to me and said how much I looked like her mom. My eyes, my smile-she called me auntie. And because I reminded her of her mom, she gave Abha a free lipstick for taking care of me! How nice was that?! Sophiya is from Afganistan and couldn't be nicer!
Then we went to a store to buy a pillow for the wheel chair I go on the road with here. So now we wait in the wrong place for Robbin ("meet me by this bamboo seating area"). Well apparently there were many such areas in the mall. Who knew? I tried to convey that to Abha but she didn't understand me. Anyway, while waiting Abha can't find her phone! She checks and rechecks the bags. Without the phone we have no way to call the taxi driver. High drama. Robbin finds us and we go outside in the 105 degree heat to see if by some chance we could find the driver. No way. Back into the mall, Robbin wants to try Starbucks for an internet connection so we can find NuTech's phone number as they called the taxi for us. I say let's go to Clinique as Sophiya will help us, Abha is still concerned about her missing phone and wheels me away from Robbin because she can't understand my speech. Well, I just broke down and cried. That happens when I'm frustrated. We finally go to Clinique and Sophiya is so very gracious and helps us. She gets us water, she calls NuTech, apparently the driver called there too realizing that Abha left her phone in the car. After a couple of calls and lots of Hindi discussions, we are reunited with our driver and all is well with the world.
As far as treatments, I get 2 daily. So far I've had intramuscular injections, intravenous injections, stem cells dribbled on my tongue and sprayed up my nose. I haven't yet had what they call "a procedure" which is an injection in my spine. I did have 1 more test today, in-house, an ECG.
Tomorrow is Sunday- a day off for Abha, and no therapies.
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| Mall entrance. |
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| Me & Sophiya (another angel!) |
Hi Deb - I see the sign in the mall is in English. Does everyone there speak English?
ReplyDeleteEnglish is very common, but not universal. I see it all the time on signs and read a paper in the morning.
DeleteSpoken English is another story. At this mall I asked 10 mall employees where the guitar store was (I had the name, the fact it was next to the Hard Rock Cafe and a note with this information written out). I got 9 incorrect answers and was led on a wild goose chase. Either they were afraid of disappointing me with "I don't know" or they misunderstood my question and they gave me the correct answer. I attack questions in different ways now and try to remove any idiomatic nuances, but alas, I am frequently misunderstood. I was perversely entertained by the goose chase - if I tried harder I bet I could have gotten 15 or 20 incorrect answers.
We have subtitles on the TV so I've been reading the TV and not watching it. After asking a facilities guy in many different ways, none of the questions seemed to elicit more than a cursory examination of the TV screen and an answer of "that's is how it works". I can't be sure my question was fully understood. I need to find out the Hindi equivalent to the Italian "capisci". Maybe a hand gesture too. However, when the action on the TV show got hot and nobody was speaking and there were no subtitles, the guy said "see it is fixed", so I think he understood me. I'm still reading TV.
Everyone does, in fact, speak English. I'm quite impressed. The sisters (nurses) speak English, Hindi and another language of their own. It seems each state has its own language! Can you imagine moving to California and having to learn a new language. Or traveling across country!
DeleteHi Deb and Robbin!
ReplyDeleteWow, you've posted so much info and news so far. So I see today is a day of rest at the clinic, Sunday.
I can't wait till the day you start posting news that you are feeling better. In the meantime, I am enjoying all the cultural exchanges with new people!
love you mucho,
Margarita
My 3 months here is to stop the progression. If that works, then future trips will be taken (shorter duration) for improvements. I just want to manage expectations (yours & mine!)
ReplyDelete