I’m waking up after my second night at the Barbantine, a private clinic in the south east corner of the old walled city of Lucca. I’ve been here before for various minor ailments as the Italian National Health service (which has been voted the third finest in the world, an appraisal I would now not disagree with) has a contract with the clinic (as it has with another, the Santa Zita, in the north west corner of the old city) for sending its patients there.
Why am I here? It’s because the matter arose of a simple urological problem which required a TURP (transurethal resection of the prostate i.e. a scrape of the prostate). I had to prepare for the ‘intervento’ by fasting for a whole day and by wearing special white elastic stockings to improve blood circulation.
I am now in the position of being able to evaluate this particular department of the Italian health service.
First, the accomodation. I was given an excellent two-bedroomed ward with en-suite and TV which during the day was filled with other patients (hernia op. etc) but which left the nights completely by myself and snore-free.
Second, the food. I was served with simple continental breakfast (coffee, biscuits and rusks), lunch (rice, meat and two veg, pear) and supper (pasta broth, canned meat and two veg, apple). The fare was quite acceptable.
Third, the operation. I was given a local anaesthetic up my spine which effectively numbed the lower regions of my body and a glass of ‘gocce del coraggio’ (courage drops) to sedate me. I was wheeled into the theatre. The process began and a TV monitor provide me with what at first I thought was a horror movie but which turned out to be the interior of the area of my body where the scraping was being carried out. Fascinating viewing!
I found all members of the staff to be conscientious and professional. There was nothing to fault them. The clinic was kept spotless and my ward was swept twice in a day. I am truly glad I landed up here rather than in certain places I know in my country of birth.
Incidentally, the Barbantine is so called after its founder Maria Barbantini (1789-1868). Losing her husband early in her married life Barbantini became a nun and founded her own order dedicated to the care of the sick. Her clinic is still managed by the nuns although the majority of staff are secular. Sister Barbantini was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1995.
It is quite marvellous, after one’s discharge, to be able to step outside and, within a stone’s throw, to take a morning stroll in improved health on Lucca’s walls lined by trees now tinged with the first colours of autumn.
I doubt whether many other hospitals have such gorgeous surroundings. (Views from my room in the clinic).
I had left a comment which ran something as follows. This operation was classed as most urgent we really had no time to ink too much about it all except that I as usual did my research and was horrified on learning about he different permutations of this TURP operation it is in fact a sort of equivalent of a DC (Dilatation and Curretage)for ladies. Seems to me that I worried about the whole procedure more than necessary. In fact the partial anaesthetic was for the best(despite Francis demanding a full one)as the post operative recovery is more swift. Francis s to don those fetching white stockings for a specific purpose I felt he envisioned himself as a Malvolio but these were not yellow nor cross bartered and he certainly did a caper to please the impressed lady nurse! Certainly the nurses and doctors are wonderful but overworked so much to do in this department. Francis is surely back to his own self and supposedly convalescing but still rushing around instead of relaxing at home as suggested but that is his way!