the Swiss Doc

     Monday was our first visit to a pediatrician here in Switzerland. Generally, I take my babies for well check ups at 1 month, 2 months, 3, 6 etc. Eli went from 1 month to 3 ½ months. It was really on my to do list much sooner, but how to go about getting an appointment? Call a number and hope the receptionist speaks English? I did try to walk into what appeared to be a medical practice and ask in Deutchlish (German/English) if there was a pediatrician and if I could get an appointment, which could have worked, but that practice didn't have any peds. Too bad. It's right downtown next to the grocery store. But Andrea came to the rescue and got an appointment and then came along just in case there was a need for a translator and to help with Jack and Jo.

     So it was a little bit of a different experience for me. It was a fairly small office and didn't really feel like a clinic/dr office- lacked that sterile- ness, felt more homey. There was no nurse. There was a receptionist, but the dr was hanging out in reception also when we came in. They asked me to bring Eli directly to an exam room. No waiting for us, although the waiting room set up was was amazing- toy grocery store, toy kitchen, large construction vehicles- Jackson and Johanna did NOT want to leave when it was all over. We didn't even wait but a couple minutes in the exam room for the doctor to join us.

     There were quite a few toys in the exam room also- all wooden and of high quality. The doctor and I sat across from one another at a nice table in the exam room while he asked the developmental questions. I half expected to be asked if I "would take a cup of coffee." The dr later told my neighbor that because of Eli's name, which in the German language would be pronounced Ellie, he wasn't sure if Eli was a boy or girl, until the physical exam. Instead of paper on the exam table there was a receiving blanket and the scale in the exam room was reminiscent of a produce scale.

     The doctor himself gave Eli his immunizations (that's a first for any of my kids) and he actually advised against a particular vaccine (another first). Overall, it was a good experience with the Swiss healthcare system (so far). And after a lot of paperwork and letters, we have been approved to use our own health insurance while we are here. The Swiss have a mandatory national insurance program and if you are visitor they must verify that your insurance is equivalent to their insurance in what it covers or else you have to participate in their insurance.

I didn't bring the camera on the dr visit, so here are a few cute shots, mostly of Eli.

 I know it's blurry, but as much as Eli smiles, he doesn't do it for the camera very often.  And here is a snapshot of Johanna's developing fashion sense.

 Grandma Debbie gave this outfit to Jackson but we never had the chance to get him in it, so it became Eli's. Looks like it should be Christmas.  (check out the better shot of my hair!)