In praise of Claudio Nuscis.

A helpful bureaucrat. They are few and far between. So when finding one, treasure him. In my case, he's Claudio Nuscis. He helped guide me through the Italian medical/health care bureaucracy. Of course, it also helped that I was being accompanied, all the way, by my indispensible amore mio. She speaks not only perfect Italian, but fluent English. There's no better translator. Which allows me to be a little too lazy in learning Italian. Yes. Yes. I feel some degree of shame. Anyway, back to Claudio.  He recognizes that the Italian bureaucracy is truly a bureaucracy. An agonizingly slow-paced, bogged down labyrinth. In which one can easily get lost. And never be found again. Even worse than the American bureaucracy. And imagine me. Trying to negotiate the Italian bureaucracy. When I'm recovering from heart-related medical procedures while spending eight days in an Italian hospital. No easy task, believe me.  But thanks to Claudio, we handled the situation. Admirably. Having completed all of the intricate paperwork. That, hopefully, will get me reimbursed for the $7,000 cost of my medical adventure. First of all, hard to believe that I got by for $7,000. Considering everything. Imagine spending eight days in an emergency room and cardiac wing of an American hospital.  And getting out. Not only with your life. But with a bill of only $7,000.  My health insurance providers should look at that as a relative trifle. An astounding bargain. Imagine what it would cost in America. I'll find out. That's a promise made to Claudio. --Jim Broede