“Is he a
VIP?”
“All our citizens are VIPs” said the consul for
Qatar, referring to a countryman at the Airport Hilton.
Sick guests from small nations often call the
local consul. Asked to find a doctor, he usually phones the hotel.
Once a consul has my number, he tends to remember
it, so these calls are good news. On the other hand, guests who phone the
consul feel worse than usual.
A woman in a headscarf answered door, and
indicated a young man, curled up in bed. It was their honeymoon. Back pain is
usually an easy visit from my point of view. Most acute backs are not so bad
after the first day, and they steadily improve.
Unfortunately, this was not the first day. Pain
had come on three days earlier in Las Vegas. A hotel doctor had dispensed the
usual remedies, and pain had diminished only to return the following day.
I delivered the largest injection and strongest
pills in my possession, adding that he would need more evaluation if this
didn’t work.
At midnight, he phoned to say that he had
improved, but now pain made it difficult to sleep. He agreed to go to an ER but
wanted to wait until morning. There was no answer when I called that morning or
that afternoon.
The ER doctor had performed the usual tests and
then given a shot, the guest said that evening, but it was not as good as mine.
Desperate to return home, he had booked a flight. Would I give another shot
before he checked out?
So I did. Handing over a business card, he urged
me to visit if I came to Qatar. Then, supported by the wife and a cane, he
hobbled off.
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