Category Archives: spain

free ride

20 Wednesday Nov 2024

Posted by in sevilla, spain

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third age

Yay! There was actually an upside to yesterday’s kiboshed attempt to get the shingles vax. But it didn’t start out that way. I’d read that TUSSAM had reinstated their policy of free transit for over 65s (called 3º edad here – the third age) but only recently looked into it. Turns out it began in March and will be in effect until March 2028. So why the heck not apply? Especially as I am now using public transport more than ever these days, even to go just one or two stops.

So I printed out the forms for me and Peter, we both found some ID pics from god knows when, and I thought it would work out PERFECTLY with going to get the shingles jab yesterday as one of the TUSSAM customer service points was where the bus would let us off going to the health centre. Wrong.

Turned out that this location didn’t take 3º Edad applications and I was told about two other WAY FAR AWAY places I could go instead. Meh. Then after also not getting the jabs I was obviously in a fabulous mood so I said to Peter… Cold Beer O’clock NOW. We ended up heading north, as I’d heard from a friend that they were at hospital urgencias, so in case they needed anything we’d be close by.

Ended up at one of my favourite small cosy spots in that part of town, Bodega Soto. Had the Cold Beer (it was 22º today!) and then stayed for a couple of tapitas, waiting to see if our friend needed us to pop over to the hospital. Eventually made our way back over to the Alameda, which is where I knew we could catch a bus (two stops!) to get home again. By this time I was so worn out… all this shuffling around on crutches is not only painful but it’s very tiring. And it takes… so… long.

Anyhow, heading towards the bus stop I realised that, after all that walking, we were actually right next to one of the places TUSSAM said we could go to apply for the cards. And we got in just under the wire, before they closed. Lovely woman took our applications, photos, etc and within 20 minutes we both had these handy cards that will allow us to ride all buses and the tram FOR FREE until spring 2028 (though we still don’t know who Peter Tattord is). So yesterday wasn’t a total write off after all. Phew.

shingles vax 2024

19 Tuesday Nov 2024

Posted by in health, hospitals, sevilla, spain

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shingles

So dammit. For the past few years I’ve been asking at my health centre for the shingles vaccine and the answer was always that it wasn’t available. Until this year! A couple of weeks ago while picking up some papers at the reception desk I asked if I could make an appointment for a shingles jab and they said, sure no problem. Well hey! So I signed up both me and Peter and today we went to get the deed done. Except then we didn’t.

When I moved to the present Casa Azahar in 2017 I didn’t change health centres because my long-time GP and friend Agustín was there. There’s actually another health centre about a 7 minute walk from me, and this one is about 30 minutes away. These days that would take me an hour on the crutches, so instead I take the bus two stops, though this still involves about 20 minutes of shuffle-walking. I know I could switch to the other place, and since Agustín retired a couple of years ago that would seem to make sense. But I dunno. I know my way around this one. It’s small, fairly modern. It’s comfortable.

I have had occasion to go to the closer health centre, a massive 8-storey building built in the mid-20th century, taking the place of the rather splendid Instituto de Higiene del doctor Leopoldo Murga Machado that used to occupy that corner of Marqués de Paradas. And well… I hate it there. It’s… too big? Walls are painted hospital green. It just feels too institutional. And as I say, I’m used to my now pain-in-the-ass to get to one.

But hey, whatever it takes. Got on the bus, hobbled up to the health centre, masked up and walked in, knew exactly where to go. My name was called… then the nurse asked which year I was born. Wut? Turns out the shingles vaccine is ONLY available to people born in 1959. I was soooooooo… wut??? The nurse went on to explain that this was the first year the vaccine has become available and, for whatever reason, they are starting with people born in 1959. She did seem apologetic, but what a waste of a morning.

I’d also had a telephone appointment with my GP earlier and asked if she could fast-lane my upcoming appointment with the orthopaedic surgeon and she said “oh, you’ll have to call the hospital about that, not my department”. Fucking hell, she could have told me this when I asked her two weeks ago during Peter’s appointment (I was there to help translate), instead she said that to look up anything about me I’d have to make a separate appointment. And so now I am on a continuous loop of calling-calling-calling the hospital on speaker. Wish me luck!

marques de paradasInstituto de Higiene del doctor Leopoldo Murga Machado