7 Days Too Many

7 days too many...this is our opinion of our recent week long adventure with Zoe at the Shanghai United Family Hospital! When we returned to Shanghai this summer both Andy & I agreed that we needed to be better prepared for an emergency here in Shanghai (maybe having an emergency with Joseph at the Detroit Airport was our stimulus!)...we thought we'd just do some research, collect the right business cards to give to a taxi driver, have our stash of cash for admissions and we'd be done. Guess God had other plans for our learning! She started with the stomach flu and somehow ended with a nasty multi-resistant urinary tract infection... thankfully now each are completely gone and we are headed home today!

A couple of interesting things about hospitals & this adventure....

* Even though the hospital is in Shanghai, it is about 60 minutes from our house. This has made one of us always being here quite a logistics challenge with one driver, work, school and after school activities. For those wondering, no I did not put it all on a spreadsheet to figure it out!

* Zoe was in the international wing of the hospital...I definitely would not say she was roughing it from her amenities - large private room, pull out futon for us, flat screen TV, DVD player, free Wi-Fi. What she liked most though was the bed that adjusted!

* In China before even admitting you to the hospital, even if you have insurance, you need to pay! So for Zoe they assumed a 3 day stay (at the time we laughed and assured her they didn't know what they were talking about!) and charged us $3000USD...thank goodness they take credit cards!

* Overall the care was superb! We also kept checking each step of the way with our wonderful pediatrician friend Lynn Morrison...and the treatment, changes & decisions all followed exactly what we would do in the States.

* One of the sweetest things was the envelope that Zoe got from her class filled with get well cards. Here are some of my favorite comments (remember these are from 8 year olds!)...

- Please come back to school before you leave China

- When you read this card does it make you feel better?

- Too bad you are sick you are missing out on great stuff - today we are learning multiplication!

- Get well soon - life is different without you!

- I hope you get well soon. Speaking of getting well, what sickness do you have - virus, pnemonia, cancer?

- I don't know you that much but I will pray for you to get well soon!

What did we learn besides the ins & outs of the ER services here in Shanghai...only what we already knew...how wonderful and amazing the network of family & friends is that we have back home. Despite the distance, we still were completely covered in prayer and are truly blessed by all of you!