The Impegnativa, one very important Italian document

Perhaps a better title for this post is The Italian Medical system, part XXX .  Seems I could write on this topic endlessly!  It's a subject I get asked about frequently in emails and in conversations with tourists from almost every country imaginable, but mostly from Americans wanting to hear first hand what I think about the differences between medical services here and back home.

I spent a bit of time this rainy morning over at Ospedale Civile while waiting for an appointment with an ear specialist, and that got me to remembering a previous visit to an ear specialist back about 6 years ago.  It was my famous visit to ex-Ospedale Giustinian, over in Dorsoduro, the afternoon I got lost and locked in the bowels of that huge, dark, scary Venetian building and ran into the worker wearing only his underwear. An afternoon I would like to be able to forget, but unfortunately that image is forever etched in my brain.

Last week when I was making this appointment, I flatly refused any and all possible appointment times offered at Giustinian. No, never again. Trust me. Never again. I'll go anywhere else, even to Mestre on the mainland, but not Giustinian. Thankfully this morning finds me at Ospedale Civile in Campo San Giovanni e Paolo.

I couldn't help but do a re-play of that horrifying afternoon in my head while passing time in the waiting room this morning. When my turn was called, I took my place at the sportello (counter) where the intake nurse processed my paperwork. Finished with all that, I asked if she could help me with one other matter.  I've been having a real run around trying to get appointments for injections in my knee for months now, and since Orthopedics share the same office space here I thought I'd just try my luck one more time. I already had an impegnativa (see photo above) for the injections, but for unknown reasons every time I tried to make the appointments, I was given another reason why they could not make an appointment on this doctor's calendar. It has been months, and still nothing. 

I'd discussed this problem with my regular doctor the week before, and she gave me yet another impegnativa for the injections with the advise to try again at the hospital appointment desk. I did try, but was told only my Orthopedic dr. could give this prescription, and I must wait on him.  Yes, I've been waiting. Months. And now the knee has decided this isn't fun any more.  So today, I explain that I now have 2 impegnativas and still no appointments. My regular doctor had also advised me that if I still didn't get an appointment to go take the matter up with the woman who runs the Office of Public Relations. That woman was my next stop this morning, after the ear dr. finished up with me.

The second secretary in the office, who was listening to my explanation of the multi-impegnativas,  turned from her computer screen to face me and told me to come see her when I had finished up with the ear doctor.

Back in the waiting area, I waited for my turn for the doctor. When my number was called, I was
introduced to a fairly young Ear, Nose and Throat specialist. Instead of asking me what brought me to him this morning, he asks what brought me to Italy. I should have been prepared, as this is a very common question, especially in any medical office. I proceed to give him the brief history of Karen becoming an Italian. Why is this so curious?

Next question from the dr. , " Is it true American doctors are all rich? My friend told me this. "
My response: "Doctors in the US do make more than most doctors in Italy, I am sure of this." He turns to his nurse and begins a fairly lengthy discourse on how medical services here in Italy are free or so inexpensive compared to in the US. He seemed quite unhappy with the whole scenario.

As he is examining me, he relays his family story of how his nonno (grandfather) immigrated after the war, how one uncle ended up in the US, another eventually in Germany. The examination conversation took a few more turns, ending with the doctor writing another impegnativa for yet a different examination. As you may have deduced by now, the impegnativa (see photo above)  is like the Willy Wonka Golden Ticket.  This gets you appointments with specialists; blood tests, x-rays and ekg's etc.; and prescriptions. It's a crucial document.

I remembered to stop by that secretary's desk on my way out. She took both of the impegnativa's for the knee injections, looked them over, hit a few keys on her computer and asked me if next Thursday at noon worked for me.  Absolutely yes. No matter what I might have planned for next Thursday, I will be cancelling. There was no way I'd miss an opportunity to get these shots. I asked her about the other 2 dates. She responded, "Don't worry. Get here on Thursday and we'll work all the rest of that out."  I thanked her profusely. She adds, "I remembered you from when you had your knee operated on. The American woman. "

Yes, the American woman. I must seem like a freak show to these Venetians.

A sunny day

Ever have a day when things just didn't go as you planned?  Well, today was one of those for me.  From the minute I left the apartment, nothing went right. I probably should have stayed in bed. 

If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you might remember that I had knee replacement surgery a few years back. For the last few months my other knee has been giving me all the signs that it too is ready for some modern technology. I knew I couldn't put off seeing my orthopedic surgeon any longer, so the other day I visited my regular doctor to request a referral.  At the same time she wrote a prescription for an x-ray, as I will need to take a current x-ray with me to the surgeon.  

This morning I got up early in order to be one of the first at the office for the x-rays.  I intended to have this done at Giustinian,  the medical facility over in Dorsoduro.  However, when I got to the vaporetto stop I had just missed the 5.2 boat going to the Zattere, the closest stop to Giustinian.  If they weren't doing construction on the Sant'Elena vaporetto stop, I would have been there in time. Instead, I had to walk up the fondamenta a bit farther, which took me a few more minutes. End result =missed boat. Knowing I'd have to wait another 30 minutes for the next boat  (thanks to the newly reduced winter boat schedule effective September 15), I switched gears, ran over to the other boat dock and waited for the 4.1 boat headed towards Fondamenta Nove, planning instead to get the x-ray done at Ospedale Civile. 

Once at Ospedale, I had to navigate the giant maze called our hospital to find the Radiology department.  Inside  that building, I waited my turn at the in-take clerk, only to be told I needed to make an appointment to have the x-ray.  I racked my brain, but for the life of me I did not recall ever having to make an appointment for  x-rays. I thought for sure I just took the prescription in with me.  I'd only had x-rays at either Giustinian or Fatebenefratelli, and the last time was 3 years ago, so perhaps they'd changed procedures since then.  This is Italy, and I'm learning I need to just go with the flow. I'll never understand how anything operates in this country. 

Nothing is ever easy. I then had to get myself back into the maze, wander around a bit, and luckily located the right office for appointments.They have been doing a lot of renovation at Ospedale ( a good thing) which means it will be even more confusing that it normally would be.   On one hand, this was good because I needed to make an appointment for the surgeon anyway. Good, I'll kill two birds. But on the other hand... not so good. When it was my turn, the girl behind the desk making appointments laughed in my face when I asked if it was possible to get the x-ray done today. No, three months from now, she tells me. I should have expected nothing less, seeing how my morning was going. 

With some magic, she managed to find an appointment for me with an orthopedic surgeon on October 7. That's promising. The appointment is somewhere on the Lido, and I have no clue where that hospital building is, but who cares. I'll deal with that fiasco on October 7.  I tell her to book it.  With that done, she managed to find an appointment for an x-ray on September 29, at Giustinian.  Wonderful. Thank you. At least I'll be able to have the x-ray to take with me when I go to the surgeon, otherwise his visit would be for naught. 

Not happy that I wasn't successful getting the x-ray as I had planned, but thankful that I at least had made some sort of  progress, I exited the Ospedale building into one of Venice's most beautiful campos,  San Giovanni e Paolo.  The campo is empty, the caffe's are just getting awnings out, and it's sunny. I decided I've earned myself a little treat, so I stopped for tea in the campo. 

There was only one other table occupied at Bar Colleoni when I sat down. Wouldn't you know it? It's a gorgeous day and I don't have my camera.  The photo above is mine, from some previous day of wandering.  Sitting with this marvelous statue in front of me, relaxing with a cup of tea is a pretty good way to spend my morning. I took out my notebook and started to write. I wrote the blog I intended to post today. A blog about yesterday's adventures.

I dragged my tea break out for well over an hour, just enjoying the sun and my surroundings.  Instead of heading to the closest vaporetto stop, I chose to walk most of the way home. I meandered my way from Campo San Giovanni e Paolo back to San Zaccaria. Along the way I popped into New Zealand's Architectural Biennale exhibition, where I had the best time meeting and chatting with  the two women running the exhibition. We've made plans to meet again in a few days.

Sunshine. Tea. New friends. Not such a bad day after all.

And that blog I worked on?  Saving that for tomorrow.

How did your day turn out? 

Lunch in Campo Giacomo dell'Orio

The other day, I had a disastrous morning, but fortunately the weather was good and we were able to salvage the afteroon. We stopped to lunch at Al Prosecco in Campo Giacomo dell'Orio , and ordered this piatti di affettati misti (platter of sliced meats) to share. A glass of prosecco was the perfect partner for this delicious plate. Yummmmmmm.

A little fun on the Zattere the other day

Monday afternoon while taking a nice stroll along the Zattere, Mike and I had the pleasure of stumbling on a street performance. We see a number of street musicians all the time, and a fair number of mimes, but this is the first time we've seen anything like this "Circus Vagabond", as his sign described him. (The Zattere is a wonderful promenade that runs the whole length of Dorsoduro. It's a favorite spot of locals to sit at an outdoor cafe on a sunny day, enjoying a coffee, a glass of wine, or a gelato at Nico's, one of the best gelateria's in Venice.)




This young man had strung a rope between one of the Palazzo's and a street lamp on the canal side. At first we thought he was just going to joke around, and he wouldn't attempt to tightrope, but sure enough, he did it! He did a hilarious performance as he walked across this rope, I only wished I had my video camera with me. Luckily I had my little digital with me and was able to snap a few shots.

He kept the growing crowd entertained as he walked, and clowned around, all the way across the tightrope.

Then he turned around and tightroped back to the other side, grabbed onto the Palazzo, and climbed up onto the balcony. Can you just imagine what the people inside that apartment must have thought when they saw him peering into their windows!!!

Campo Santa Margherita

If you have been reading my blogs, you know by now that we not only live close to Campo Santa Margherita, but also that it's become like a second home to us. This is where we buy our fish regularly from the fish vendors who have stalls here Tuesday thru Saturday. It's where we buy our vegetables and fruit when we don't have time to plan a trip to the Rialto Market, it's where we walk the dogs, it's where we hang our for coffee or a glass of Prosecco. We even have our weekly Italian lessons at a caffe in this campo.

In the heart of the Dorsoduro sestiere you will find Campo Santa Margherita, one of the largest campos in Venice. Campo, by the way, is the Italian word for field. The campos, for me, are like the heart of each little neighborhood. Santa Margherita also has the most lively night life, with caffes staying open till around 2am most nights. Just about everything else in Venice is closed up by 11 pm.

Right smack in the middle of the Campo Santa Margherita is this water fountain. There are water fountains throughout the city, in campo after campo, with the best fresh - and free- drinking water. I always carry a bottle with me and fill up when I am out walking. But only this one has the mermaid carved on it. I like to think the mermaid is on it as a symbol of our friendly fish mongers.

Yesterday's find

I've tried to keep my little digital camera in my purse at all times, just for occassions like this. Yesterday on our walk, Mike took a slight detour to snap this photo. We've been looking for this spot, but somehow always seem to miss it. Now it's been found! If you are a Katherine Hepburn fan, or a follower of movies having anything remotely to do with Venice, you probably recognize this location.

The blog I promised last nite

Last nite, neither one of us felt like cooking, and we had pretty much exhausted left overs, so we ventured out to one of our favorite places for a little bit to eat around 8:30 pm.





We love this little spot, and we feel like locals when we're here. There's nothing better than walking in and hearing a "Ciao!" from behind the bar directed at us. As usual, our platter of meats, cheeses, assorted vegetables and olives was perfect.



After the meal, we strolled across the campo to one of our other favorites, Imagina Caffe to say hello to the boys there. Last night, Marco and Andrea were the only ones working. Before the holidays, Andrea and I had a conversation about one of the bottles on the shelf above the bar, something that was a bright blue. It was blue curacao. I said I'd never tasted it, and he promised to make me a drink next time I wanted it. I'm not a big drinker at all. In fact, you probably would put me in the category of non-drinker, that's how many times I ever have a drink. And Andreas, as well as all the boys at Imagina, know this well. They bring me my tea every day, exactly the way I like it.



Last night I was feeling a bit adventurous, the night was young, so I asked Andreas to make that drink he promised with the blue stuff. Immediately he and Marco got huge smiles on their faces. They decided to make me something called a Blue Lagoon. Oh yeah, they know I am the tea drinker! And then the fun began. The two of them were like an operating team. Marco would say something to Andrea, then we'd see Andrea reach for a bottle and hand it off to Marco. Then another, then we heard "Ice" (in Italian, of course), and watched Andrea hand over a glass of ice. Then " Limone". Mike and I were laughing our heads off, joking that they probably had to go find a recipe book from the back room for this. What a team they were!! Next came the shaking, ala Tom Cruise in Cocktail! And finally, voila, there is Marco pouring out this lovely blue drink. He brings it over on a tray, and just smiles his big smile. Andrea, behind the counter, yells over " Forte!". I understood.. it was a strong drink. Ha, for the tea drinker!


Surprisingly, the drink was good. There's not a whole lot of drinks I can actually get down, but this one was good. I had such a good time watching the drink making process, I told the boys I was going to blog about them the next day, and that led to a conversation about the word blog in Italian. Was it a verb and a noun? In English, we would say, he blogs, meaning he writes in his blog. If it's used as a verb in Italian, how is that conjugated? Io blogo, tu blogi, lui/lei bloge, noi blogiamo...... You can see where this conversation was going! And you can tell we are REALLY trying to learn Italian! Andrea informed us that it is not used as a verb, instead you would say Io scrivo sul blog... I write in the blog. As promised, Io scrivo.


And my blog today would be remiss without this photo of the boys of Imagina Caffe, unfortunately minus Stefano. Marco's on the left, Andreas on the right, Domenico in the middle. Should you ever find yourself in Venice, I highly recommend you visit these guys in Dorsoduro, on Rio Canal.


Thanks, Andreas and Marco, I did not have a headache this morning either! Io scrivo.

Living the dream - meeting new friends!

I have had a successful professional career in the Information Technology field for many years. Ha, let me re-state that- many, MANY years! And in the course of those years, I’ve had to keep up with and learn all the new technologies. Of all those new technologies, it’s the internet that has changed the course of my life the most, I believe. I say that because of the people the internet has brought into my life. Strangers one day, friends the next- all because of an email or a blog entry. From all walks of life, from all over the globe. How amazing is that!

If you have been reading my blog, you are aware that my quest for dual Italian citizenship opened some interesting doors. If it weren’t for the internet, I would not have found and met Luigi Paiano and his office full of wonderful colleagues who are helping me navigate the tangled bureaucracy here in Italy. But I have blogged about Luigi already. The focus of this blog is on the others who have found me along the vast super highway of the internet.

It’s one thing to read a blog, and then it’s quite another to pick up the electronic pen and send a response off to the writer, because something they have written has ignited a spark for you somehow. On a rare occasion, I have been known to contact someone because of their blog entry. I write a blog, but honestly, I do that for myself. I worry that someday in my crotchety old age, I won’t remember some of the events that are changing the course of my life right now. That’s really the purpose of my blog. I want to be able to re-read the journey… to remind myself when I can’t remember on my own! I never in a million years expect that anyone else is reading along with me.

What I want to focus on here is that statement I just made.. I never in a million years expect that anyone else is reading along with me. Wow. I get emails all the time now from people all over the United States who share my Italian heritage, and are either in the process of their own quest for the dual citizenship or are thinking about doing it. We have an instant bond.. it’s our mother, or our grandmother, father, maybe great-grand father. All these Italians who have come before us link us, like a new little extended family. We have lots to talk about, this email family of mine. Where are they in the process, how is it going, where is their family from in Italy, have they been here yet? We compare notes. We commiserate. We hopefully will one day all celebrate our successes in finally obtaining that elusive Carte d’Identitie which signifies we made it!

So what is even more awesome than the fact that I now have a group of new friends via email who have found me because of my blog is that in the last two weeks I have met two of these compatriots face to face right here in Venice, Italy! Yes, right here, just around the corner from me!

One of them has come to begin his own incredible journey to obtain his Italian citizenship. Alan and I have been corresponding for a few months now on and off, discussing some of the unbelieveable roadblocks I’ve encountered along the way. I knew Alan planned to be here during the summer but I didn’t know exactly when. A few weeks ago I got a phone call on my Italian telephonino – he’s arrived! A day or so later, I just happened to look up as I was passing an apartment building not far from us and noticed Alan’s last name on a piece of paper taped to the doorbell there. I stopped--. pointed it out to my husband Mike, and exclaimed, “ I bet this is where Alan’s rented apartment is!” Just around the corner and down the street from us. Wow, really small world!

Alan and his wife Gail invited us to dinner a few days later. On that night, we toasted our hopefully soon Italian citizenship. When Gail told me that reading my blog and the story of my experiences inspired them to come here to pursue Alan’s citizenship also, I was blown away. Literally, blown away. As I said, I never in a million years expected to have anyone read my blog, and here is this woman from the west coast of the United States telling me that my story motivated them to get over here with their own stack of documents to deal with the Italian government. I’m honored, humbled, and very, very grateful. AND- I made new friends!!!

Perhaps even more astounding is that in the same few weeks, another of my email correspondents has arrived in Venice. Mary, also from the US west coast, has already submitted all of her citizenship documents to the San Francisco Italian consulate two years ago and is in wait mode—like so many others of us. She and I have been emailing ever since she stumbled over my blog several months ago. We’ve used email to share our stories, and get to know each other a bit. She also loves Venice! Mary and her daughter were going to be vacationing in Italy, with a first stop in Venice. We’ve been planning a rendezvous here at a lovely little bacaro in Dorsoduro, to share a glass of prosecco and some cicchetti and meet face to face.

Finally the designated meeting day has arrived, I am waiting canal-side in front of our designated meeting spot, and over the bridge come Mary and her daughter Christine. Once again, I am so aware that the world has come to me, all via the internet and my blog, and the courage it took these people to step our of their comfort zone to respond to me with an email. Here’s a new friend! I am lucky beyond belief, aren’t I?

Mary and I shared another fun evening dinner together before she and her daughter continued on to other parts of Italy on their vacation. We’re already back to corresponding via emails, but we’ve added the face to face dimension to the relationship. Perhaps some day Mary will also live here in Venice, but in the meantime, we’ll continue the friendship, using the Internet
to connect.

In my wildest dreams, I never thought I would be meeting new friends the way I have been. Not in my wildest dreams!

Thank you, Internet Gods!!!