How to get an x-ray in Italy

Recently I've had a couple of encounters with the Italian health care system. The adventures were just too good not to share. I can't imagine if we went to a social system in the states. yikes. The first adventure was about mid-Sept. I had been to the doctor in Florence and he asked me to get some x-rays done. He told me to just do them in Pisa then fax him over the results. So I headed off one day to the hospital looking to get an x-ray. I had already been once and was told I need to go to the guarda medica to get a new prescription. ON this day I was looking for the guarda medica..whatever that is. I wandered around for about 10 mins inside the mass of buildings then asked the security guard. He told me "oh it's far from here.. started to give specific directions then said just go that way and pointed to the left." I started walking to the left with no luck. I looked for people to ask..no one. Finally I asked some cleaning ladies who took me to the quinta medical building. Apparently, my accent sucks and they thought I said quinta not guida. Anyway, a bust. Off to look for another smart person to ask. I went into the neurology building and yet again no one to be found. I wandered around and a middle aged well dressed man walked by. Five mins. later he walked back by and saw my desperation/frustration. I had been wandering for an hour by this time. He asked if I needed help. I said yes and told him what I was looking for. Again quinta medical....AHH!! He asked if I knew where I was at that moment. YES!! Neurology. Then he asked my problem. He took me up to his office and we chatted for a while. He looked at my foot. We discussed medicare in America, the social health system,etc. He ended up calling over to the er for me and telling them i was coming over. He wrote me out a prescription to give them. All this from a neurosurgeon. I arrived at the ER and talked to the triage nurse. She was confused why a neurosurgeon would order foot x-rays. ha. I told her he was a friend to which he response was oh great why didn't you say that. So it is all about who you know around here and probably how cute you are as well. So the ER lady prints me out an x-ray order then I walk back to the other side of the hospital and get lost in the orthopedic dept. building. Finally, a lady takes me to the place I need to be. I talk to the radiology tech guys. I see a dr. pretty fast who tells me he thinks there's no fracture but man my feet are awful. They've got to hurt. I told him yes they always do I was born with the problem in my joints. It has now been 2 1/2 hours and finally I get an x-ray. NO fractures.. Yeah!! But still pain. He wants me to see the specialist. I walk the maze back out of the hospital and am a block away when I hear a whistle. I think oops maybe I was supposed to pay or forgot something so I walk back to the radiology tech guy. This is my fave part. He says..um do you think I could get your number and we could hang out sometime. I was so shocked/surprised that I lost my mind and actually gave it to him. No sooner than I got home(30mins) he sent a msg. saying I would have asked you out tonight but I already have dinner plans. If it ends early can we hang out. AH... This was the start to excessive texts and phone calls. Had to brutally end that relationship.