Minor surgery -  Poor Bert has history of big toe issues. :)  The latest challenge has been a persistent pain in his left 'great' toe.  Bert's colleague's wife gave us a connection to a doctor and we arranged (by call directly to the doctor on his cell phone!) for Bert to see him today. We had been briefed that there would be a consultation when he'd decide what to do and then a scheduled procedure.  When Bert and I discussed the coming consultation Bert wondered if I wanted to join him and I am glad I did.

We arrived about two minutes late for our appointment. The doctor was on his way.  We were asked to pay RS250 (a bit more than $6) and to sit down and wait.  We had about four minutes' wait before we were asked to stand outside the doctor's door.  He was seeing a patient and Bert was the next up. I had enough time to realize the hospital/medical center (Medical Mission) was named after a Sadhu, so perhaps the equivalent of a St. Luke's Hospital (Felix was born in one of these).  On the ground floor right next to the check in was a 'prayer chapel.' The front hall way had one of those enamel type street notices with the following on it: "Here pre-natal sex determination (boy or girl before birth) is not done, it is a punishable act."  I assume  the Hindi underneath echoed this statement:  positive similarities with the St. Luke's around the world.

Within 10 minutes of our arrival we were in the presence of  a slight, confident doctor in his 40s. He pronounced his verdict within seconds: we'll have to cut off a wedge of the nail. He responded to the inquiry about the possibility of the need for an anti fungal medication by saying he'd refer Bert to one of his colleagues for that.  We expected a follow up appointment, but no, Dr. Durga told us to wait a couple of minutes and he'd do the surgery in little bit.  Bert got a tiny bit of anesthetic injected just under the skin and the time to operate (?) (the nurse tried to explain it was  to determine the dose he would need) written in ballpoint on his arm above the dot of anesthetic.

We had time to look around.  Things seemed remarkably clean.  (Delhi is daily coated in a greasy grime - no exaggeration. If you don't dust daily you can draw in the deposit after 24 hours.)  Equipment looked well taken care of even if it seemed liked like the stuff of my childhood.  Another 20 minutes wait to the appointed ballpoint time and Bert was asked into the operating theatre.  I waited outside and heard Dr.Durga asking Bert at regular intervals ,"Are you in pain, Sir?"  Bert told me later that he had anticipated pain and tensed up, but actually hadn't felt anything, so rather nice that the doctor was sensitive to his patient's body language.  On the way out we were asked for another RS 1000.  Bert told to reappear in two days for dressing to be changed, but no word on referral to the colleague. . .

Now, of course, we hadn't anticipated that Bert would be leaving the place with a fat bandage on his great toe so he hobbled out of the facility in his socked foot and waited at the Mission gates while I hunted for a tuktuk.We headed to a market near the hotel where I had left a pair of Bert's shoes for resoling.  The promised shoes were not ready (in fact they added two more days to the anticipated collection day) but we did get a pair of sturdy sandals for the great toe's comfort. RS750.  Bert climbed back into the tuktuk and waited while I walked up the street a few shops to find a chemist.  Dr. Durga had prescribed pain killer for two days, antibiotic for five days, vitamins for five days and something for the upset stomach (because of the other medications?) for two days.  RS 300.  So far pain isn't a big deal although there is some throbbing and the backside is uncomfortable having sat for so long today.  Let's hope he is up and about in two days with no complications.

Felix is embarrassed by Bert's sandals, not by the big toe, big bandage and the elevated foot, however!

Tomorrow Bert has a meeting with seven business men and I am wondering whether in India his obvious physical vulnerability will aid or handicap his negotiations. :)