Yesterday I went to the doctor in the morning to renovate my ED prescription and to inquire if it was possible to contest the ENTs assessment that I was not deaf enough to be prescribed a hearing device. When I arrived to the clinic I was assigned a different doctor, and a man of about my age who looked exactly like Zach Galifianakis greeted me. His arms were covered in frankly ugly tattoos and had the vibe of having a terrible hangover. He was initially formal, but as we warmed up we became more frank and friendly.

He explained that he had a brother who also had hearing problems, and that navigating it in Spain is really shitty. Devices have inflated prices because the government pays a large chunk if you qualify, but that leaves us who don’t have financial assistance with a large bill to pay. He hesitated at making any statement when I asked how much I should expect to pay, but finally he blurted out “don’t buy the 600€ ones, they’re shit, aim at the 3k range”. He saw my face of surprise and said “you start hearing better when you listen to the price, don’t you?” and we both roared in laughter. He initially greeted me with the raise of an eyebrow, but our complicity granted me an enthusiastic handshake as a farewell.

My hearing is tolerable enough as it is, but I’m sure I’ll be able to get a better deal outside of Spain. Probably my next trip to Mexico will pay for itself as a medical tourist.