Thursday, May 21, 2009

The Two Week Paid Ear Infection

The Brazilian system has struck again.

Sergio the Driver has been out sick since Monday. He has an inner ear infection. His doctor gave him a note saying that he needs 15 days off work to recover from this inner ear infection.

Of course I am sympathetic to illness. Of course I don't want him to come if he's sick and needs to be home in bed.

But...15 days for an ear infection??? A common course of antibiotics is 10 days.

Puh-lease. Abuse, I say.

He says he'll try to come back on Monday-but he's under no legal obligation to return. We'll see.

Thanks for asking, I am doing fine without my driver. It's not really the driving that's a problem here- so long as you are aware of people's nasty little habit of turning left from the right lane and right from the left lane; it's the parking (or serious lack thereof) that will get you every time. But, we are managing just fine. (Not so fine that I don't want him to come back though...)

And yes, I realize I have just seriously increased my chances of having an inner ear infection that lasts for 2+ weeks.

6 comments:

Ballerina Girl said...

no inner ear infection, no inner ear infection.....
Jeferson/Carlos TO THE RESCUE!!

:)BG
hahaha, the word verification for me tonight before I can post this comment is....
NOSIGHTI
exactly what Sergio is, no-sight-i
just like Portuguese and everything!

Head Nurse or Patient- you be the judge said...

That must be some serious ear infection- He needs antibiotics from the US apparently, because turnaround is much faster :)

Janet said...

I'm trying to muster up some sympathy here but you just had 2 massages in 24 hours... :)

Gabriela said...

Ballerina Girl-yes I should have mentioned how you've helped me so much this week-lending me Jefferson. :)

HN: exactly!

Janet: I'm sorry-do I sound like a brat? I always have that fear when I blog about things that are so much a part of the life here (maids and drivers)- but mostly foreign in the States.

It's not really that it's an inconvenience for me that frustrates me so much but that doctors are so willing to give people 2 weeks off for the slightest thing-at the expense of the employer. And there's nothing you can do about it.

But yes, I will try to focus on my massages. :)

Super Happy Girl said...

To be fair he has a man ear infection. Very different from a regular infection.

Ay ay ay.
;)

Gabriela said...

NCS: touché my friend, touché!