“Master of Photography” 2

(Read Part 1 of the story, here)

I could go into great lyrical detail about heroic paramedics, a temerarious ambulance ride, a chaotic emergency room registration in a foreign country but frankly, I was largely in a haze for the four days that I was in the hospital, and just happy to be horizontal.

Much of what I know from this time is from my wife’s recollection. She arrived in Rome a day after me and following the first few hours of her trip was thrust into an adventure not of her choosing. She has worried about me, and visited the hospital whenever allowed; otherwise she was largely in limbo, waiting for me to get better so that we could tour Rome together. 

I was so out of it during my hospital stay that I genuinely didn’t mind my bed being in the hallway. I really do appreciate that the Italian healthcare system hosted me, and without charge, but when people scaremonger about dystopian national healthcare this is often the picture they describe. Out of date equipment, non-communicating staff, dilapidated facilities, and that’s what I could catch in my largely unconscious state.

As I had gotten to town a couple of days before the taping my hope was that I could do a quick turnaround in the hospital and then be well enough to appear on set. I knew that I wouldn’t be 100% but I thought that they could get the wanted footage and I could make good on my commitment.

“Master of Photography” would pay all travel expenses, and a fee. I was amused and excited at the idea appearing on a television show and recognized that it could lead to other opportunities. 

After my wife contacted the show’s producers they took the news of my illness seriously. She assured them that we were trying to get me stabilized and ready to come to set but it was not to be. I was too weak.

Frankly, I was too ill and out of it even to express much remorse. The morning of the taping one of the top producers visited us in the hospital; partly out of concern, partly to see if I was indeed actually sick. (My wife says that they straight up suggested that I wasn’t ill but instead managing a drug habit. Which is pretty funny to anyone who knows me well.)

After three days and four nights I felt well enough to leave the hospital. The doctors on staff disagreed and had me sign a waiver acknowledging that I was leaving against their wishes (I wasn’t told a clear diagnosis but it appears to have been a stomach virus). I had missed the taping and felt terrible about it. Nevertheless my wife and I took in some sights in the two days we had left in our trip. The Colosseum was truly a marvel and Vatican City was a must for me, being Roman Catholic, but best of all was just feeling alive again and having a little vacation time with my wife.

A few months after our return to New York I reached out to the Italian production company, again apologized and suggested that they consider having me back, promising to do anything humanly possible to avoid all Rome hospitals and medical institutions.

All was quiet until late last year when they tentatively asked my availability for some February 2019 dates. As you can see, the booking was confirmed and the taping went fantastically. The only awkwardness came from the regular nervous inquiries from my hosts into how I was feeling.

Image: “Marcello, come into the fountain”