MaggIe

rt

说起来真是惭愧，Piston的主场就在离开我家开车不到3分钟的地方，但这却是我第一次来看他们的比赛。

 

记得出国前，我妹妹就跟我说，“给我弄一件底特律活塞队的球衣哦！” 可怜的是，我连他们队里面谁是谁都搞不清楚。那天去了现场大家都在欢呼，我跟刚度没什么两样，外行看看热闹也好。体育，体育，永远难是我的最爱。

 

让我印象最深的是，第三节休息的时候，有一个小节目，就是，大屏幕的镜头照到哪对，哪对就要马上kiss，很温馨的画面，有中年的夫妇（当然是看上去像），有年轻的情侣，最尴尬的是，被选到了却什么关系都不是的那种，不过也都是温馨的尴尬拉。。。最搞笑的就是，大屏幕照到一对年轻人，镜头中的女孩看到镜头后，居然转到另外一侧亲吻了另外一边的一个女孩，全场爆笑，旁边的男孩也只能傻笑。有趣的很。

Mid-term, mid-term, mid-term......

邻居家的窗户上突然多了为了卖房子专门挂的realtor的牌子。给我的诧异，应该说是，震撼，不是一点点。前一阵子，去她家吃饭，她一点都没有透露过一点要搬家的想法，奇怪。。。。邻居是GM的员工，难道是和最近的GM与汽车工会的谈判有关。。。GM的裁员，下岗？

 

心中的困惑终于在傍晚割草碰到邻居的时候解开了。果然不出所料，最近新闻里面如火如荼的GM与UAW的谈判终于达成了暂时性协定，GM终于甩开了退休工人医疗这个大包袱，当然是在工人们罢工了几天施加压力之后，还以为邻居是很开心的欢度这几天的呢，不用上班却可以照样拿工资。谁知。。。不过她已经在美国中部Kansas City又迅速找到了工作，不得不搬家了。公司会帮她卖房子，这不。。。周日她就要起程了。。。一段开车需要13个小时的旅程。。。

 

离开，总不可能是一件让人愉悦的事情，即使只是一个见面say hello的邻居。她是一个极其能干的女人，割草，装修，无所不能，只是40岁了都不肯结婚，不知道是不是受父母离婚的阴影影响。但是能干如她，结婚对她，恐怕也只能是鸡肋了吧。周末，我做了饺子给她送去，她说很喜欢，不管是真是假，都让我很高兴，也算一种告别吧。

 

以汽车工业为根本的密歇根近年来的经济滑坡有目共睹，福特的万人大裁员，最近的GM，哎。。。怎么就是怎么都斗不过小日本的丰田，本田。。。政府财政赤字，搞得要裁员警察和其他政府部门，公司到处裁员，大家搬离密歇根，房市极不景气，只有人卖没有人买，到处是交不起mortgage而被foreclosure的房子。。。。怎一个萧条了得。。。

去年一次小小的每年体检让我稍稍领教了一点这个庞大复杂系统的小小苦头，随着最近几个月跟医生，医院的频繁接触，这frustration还是真的不是一点点。

 

初到美国，让我这个外国人对这个国家的就医的系统真是摸不着头脑。习惯了有病就进医院和很少跟医疗保险公司打交道的我们，到了这里，那叫一个不适应。

 

不适应1：看不懂公司的医疗保险计划.
每年年底公司会review去年的医疗保险计划，制定明年的计划。其中的描述相当泛泛而概括，本来就对medical term没什么概念的我，看了更是头晕。到底是买deductible高的计划，还是买有office copay的plan，头痛不是一点点。因为对明年会发生什么事情，会看什么病，还真是无从而知阿。。。更晕倒的是，公司的hr对此竟然一问三不知。。。哎。。。难怪有人说：美国人一天工作8小时，其中4小时在犯错误，另外4小时在修改错误。。。

 

不适应2：
不管什么地方不舒服，都得找相应的科系的医生。渠道是多种的，只要能找到而且人家也愿意接受新病人就行。但是鉴于保险的关系，大家一般都会找自己保险公司范围内的医生，这样能更充分的利用保险的优势。对我这样的外国人，还是喜欢找中国人，因为那些医疗的词汇，哎。。。汗。。。这样选择更少了，看看他们的资历也无非是什么地方毕业，从医几年，也都是懵懵懂懂的就选了。如果不称心，还得换，烦阿，当然还牵涉到保险，这是后面要说的。。。

 

不适应3：
等巴巴的跑去看了病，抽血化验是必不可少的。医生还一早就会告诉你，他们会把血样或者其他需要化验的东西送到实验室去化验，而你的保险是不是cover这些实验室费用，需要你自己去查明，当然是在你接受到帐单而有异议的时候。即使收到了账单，告诉你该负责什么什么部分的费用，很有可能发生的是在你的医疗计划中写明是被包含的，那么根保险公司的理论又不可避免，好玩的就是，保险公司出错的几率真的很高，时不时把他们应该负责的部分说成是你应该负责的，也或者实验室的部分出了错，也算在你的头上，不定下心来细细察看就付钱，那估计要负的冤枉钱还真是不会少。

 

发了一肚子的牢骚，想想也觉得可笑。医疗一直是这个国家日常新闻的头条，我的一些困惑也不是因为语言的问题，而且相信就算是美国人自己，也是这些问题的常客。真想知道知道他们是怎么想的，自己交的那些税都干嘛去了。。。

This IS for real, and so far so good, everything is ok. The baby is only 3.4mm now, and has a heartbeat of 107 bpm.

 

I was pretty nervous before I went to the hospital, primarily because, I guess, I absolutely had no idea of how Americans see doctors in hospitals, and secondly, because of course, I was kind of worried why my OB doctor asked me to do ultrasound at such an early stage(and it's very confusing and frustrating that there is no ultrasound equipment in an OB doctor's office), say, only 4 weeks. Now when I am reflecting on the past few days, all the nausia, morning sickness, and belly pain, maybe were just some reflection of these mental pressures.

 

My appointment was 1:00pm, but I arrived way too early, 12:15pm. I signed in at registration, and I was told to wait in another waiting room. 20 min later, a nice lady called me into a small office, and verified all kinds of info and gave me some paperwork, asking me to go to the radiology waiting room, where I waited for about 10 mins. Then I was called to do ultrasound finally. The technician was a nice lady, very gentle and considerate. btw, their gowns are way too huge, I thought it could easily fit into two people or more, which made me feel quite uncomfortable.

 

It was exactly like what we saw on TV, the black and white screen with very vague pictures. When the doctor finally pointed at the screen and asked me to see where the baby was, I just couldn't figure it out. So she pressed a little harder at my belly, and asked me to pay closer attention. And, this time, I saw it! very very small, like a little shaky tail of some very small animal, and it beats very fast. Wow, amazing indeed. For quite a long time after that, I still couldn't figure out why that little thing could grow to a person in the next few months......

 

When I was ready to leave, the doctor gave me 2 pics of the ultrasound, and pointed at one little white spot and said" that's the baby, and congratulations!" 

 

Knowing that everything is ok, my appetite suddenly came back, 6 chicken wings done in 15 mins. I didn't quite feel like these gabages, but I thought keeping my stomach empty was not good for the tiny little beating heart, so, see, woman starts to sacrifice already............

 

Last night, I talked to mom, mom-in-law and sister-in-law for a long time. Thanks for their patience.

 

Thank God, everything is fine.

What a day for me! Although i know i am a bad driver myself.

 

Yesterday was the first day I drove alone(it was not that I wanted to, just had to, since I had a doctor's appointment to fulfill and my stupid man didn't have time). 

 

Everything was fine until, like 6pm. I made a right turn and entered campus. I know the limit is 25mile. But there was no car ahead, you know how easy for someone to speed up above the stupid 25 on a road with no other cars!!! So i kept my orginal 40. After a slight left turn, suddenly a police car appeared right beside the right curb. It hide itself in the bushes, but I saw it!! I pressed the brake really hard, but it was too late!! He already saw me :(((((((( Then right after I passed it, the police car lights were all like, red and yellow, and started to follow me.

 

I had to stop right ahead. I was so scared!!! terrified!!! " will i be given a ticket?" "God, this is the first day i drive alone!" All the funny thoughts came up. Before I pulled myself together, a young policeman came over and said gently(literrally), he is nice-looking, though,

"Hi, mam, how are you doing today?"

"I, I,I......." I actually forgot those courtesy words.....

"Do you know why I stopped you, mam?"

"I,I, I........my speed is a little bit........"

"a little bit? My radar detected that your speed was 43 mile, and do you know what is the limit here?"

" 25.....?"

"and later you saw me, and you slowed down, but still it was 39, so can i have your drivers' license, insurance card, registration card,please?"

"i am so soooooooooo sorry , Sir, this is the first day i drive alone, and i got my drivers' licenese not long, blaaaaaaaa..............." Thank God, i have so many reasons........and i tried to smile like shaking flowers.......try to get some sympathy points........

He took all the cards and returned in a few minutes.

"Since this is the first time, i will just give you a verbal warning this time, please be careful next time."

"I wil, I will, I swear, I will!!!!!" I am out of my mind.

After he left, I just became to realise that I could not feel my legs, I am terrified!!!

 

What an experiece!

 

Warning: Never speed, drive according to the sing!!!!

 

Not my birthday or any other celebratable occasions, but I still want to make a wish, or to be more specific, several wishes....... Recently, so many pieces of bad news.........

 

Hope the stupid seller will return my email and do what he/she promised;

Hope PB status will be available as soon as possible;

save the last for the best, hope the currently biggest wish could come true within few months.........

 

Life, why couldn't you be getting any easier........