the night call
ring ring, awakened
crying, stressed, help - baby
crying, stressed, help - baby
dark, moto speeds, warm smiles
as word gets around there are western doctors and pas in town, you get busier and busier!
in a nutshell here is a depiction of the cambodian healthcare system. if you have no money you go to the provincal hospital, if you have some money you go to a private clinic and the rich go to Vietnam or Thailand. the provincial hospital is poorly funded with few western volunteers, pain meds, and antibioitics. the private clinics will drain your pocketbook. for the rich, ex-pats, and tourists soon there will be a "nice" hospital in PP(funded by the thais) but the cambodians once again will be left out. there is so much to write and tell but that is for another time.
asleep in my bed, dreaming, the phone rings. ..
"help" cries the voice. it's kim! "my sister's baby can't breath, she is choking, there is a cut in her mouth! i went to the children's hospital they are not interested in helping the cambodian people (which is NOT true). i will be there in 5 on my moto."
my eyes barely open, i stumble and manage to pull on pants and a shirt. 1:45. once dressed, i ask the doc and the "nurse" if they want to come, doc, "no this one you take care of" but the "nurse" is game.
he's crying.... i try to understand the broken english.
"bbbbaby hurt. choking... help.... dinner, cut mouth on a pencil.. hospital didn't look at her. hhhhelp."
the three of us climb on the chinese moto bike that is barely big enough for one let alone three. the "nurse" is on plavix. the rode is potholed. he speeds. it starts raining. stray dogs bark and chase the moto. the road is getting slippery. it changes from dirt to large bricks. the nurse and i have to get off. the road is too bumpy! can't control the bike with three on board.
the moto drives off... he left us.... the dogs are barking louder... my mind goes straight to the dog bites we see at the hospital. it is dark, we are alone. it is pitch black, no electricity in this neighborhood. growling and barking become more threatening! the nurse says, "another fine mess you got me into."
after what seems to be a lifetime, we hear footsteps and out of the depths of darkness he returns with an umbrella. we arrive safely.
a few minutes later we arrive at a typical wooden cambodian dwelling, an open shed, with one large room divided by a torn curtain to give the young family privacy. no door, unshuttered window, dirt floor, and beds with palm mats lining the walls.
the grandmother greets us and thanks us for coming. it's obvious the family is stressed and worried. the child is fine. cute, chubby, smiling! small cut in the mouth. kim was frightened because she was not nursing. assured them it was only a minor abrasion and she would be better in the morning.
everyone is relieved.
hop back on the moto, this time we take a dirt road and the rain has stopped. we run the gauntlet of menacing dogs and somehow end up on a main road. as we pull into our driveway the moto slowly stops, no gas! its now 3.30. kim will deal with the gas and be back at work at 7
we return to the hotel and sleep the rest of the night.
as word gets around there are western doctors and pas in town, you get busier and busier!
in a nutshell here is a depiction of the cambodian healthcare system. if you have no money you go to the provincal hospital, if you have some money you go to a private clinic and the rich go to Vietnam or Thailand. the provincial hospital is poorly funded with few western volunteers, pain meds, and antibioitics. the private clinics will drain your pocketbook. for the rich, ex-pats, and tourists soon there will be a "nice" hospital in PP(funded by the thais) but the cambodians once again will be left out. there is so much to write and tell but that is for another time.
asleep in my bed, dreaming, the phone rings. ..
"help" cries the voice. it's kim! "my sister's baby can't breath, she is choking, there is a cut in her mouth! i went to the children's hospital they are not interested in helping the cambodian people (which is NOT true). i will be there in 5 on my moto."
my eyes barely open, i stumble and manage to pull on pants and a shirt. 1:45. once dressed, i ask the doc and the "nurse" if they want to come, doc, "no this one you take care of" but the "nurse" is game.
he's crying.... i try to understand the broken english.
"bbbbaby hurt. choking... help.... dinner, cut mouth on a pencil.. hospital didn't look at her. hhhhelp."
the three of us climb on the chinese moto bike that is barely big enough for one let alone three. the "nurse" is on plavix. the rode is potholed. he speeds. it starts raining. stray dogs bark and chase the moto. the road is getting slippery. it changes from dirt to large bricks. the nurse and i have to get off. the road is too bumpy! can't control the bike with three on board.
the moto drives off... he left us.... the dogs are barking louder... my mind goes straight to the dog bites we see at the hospital. it is dark, we are alone. it is pitch black, no electricity in this neighborhood. growling and barking become more threatening! the nurse says, "another fine mess you got me into."
after what seems to be a lifetime, we hear footsteps and out of the depths of darkness he returns with an umbrella. we arrive safely.
a few minutes later we arrive at a typical wooden cambodian dwelling, an open shed, with one large room divided by a torn curtain to give the young family privacy. no door, unshuttered window, dirt floor, and beds with palm mats lining the walls.
the grandmother greets us and thanks us for coming. it's obvious the family is stressed and worried. the child is fine. cute, chubby, smiling! small cut in the mouth. kim was frightened because she was not nursing. assured them it was only a minor abrasion and she would be better in the morning.
everyone is relieved.
hop back on the moto, this time we take a dirt road and the rain has stopped. we run the gauntlet of menacing dogs and somehow end up on a main road. as we pull into our driveway the moto slowly stops, no gas! its now 3.30. kim will deal with the gas and be back at work at 7
we return to the hotel and sleep the rest of the night.
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