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Friday, October 9, 2009

Our Journey To Ethiopia Day 7 - Part 3

Something I must say is that I am so happy to have seen the village that Annsleigh was born in. Wenji is a very beautiful quiet village...seemed very peaceful... lots of open spaces...grassy spaces....trees....flowers...kids playing in green fields...sugarcane everywhere. No wonder she is just SOOOO SWEET!!! :) I loved her village & was so glad to see it & get pics of it. I dont care if she never sees Addis Ababa again, in fact, I would rather she not see it....but I do hope that some day she can see her village in person. Most of the civilians from this village though have terribly stained teeth...We found out that it was from excess flouride that the sugarcane factory leatched out into the water....see, too much of a good thing is not good! Anyway, we pulled up to the sugarcane factory long enough to be told this is it....dont take any pics....and drive off. Strange....very strange....on we go! To the hospital...Oh boy! We pull up to the hospital & all get out just so we can sit in the hospital "lobby" on more comfortable benches than in that scrunched cramped van. The couple that was here to meet their birth mom was taken in ahead of us and led up to her room. We sat in the lobby and started diveying up whatever snacks and drink we had as we were all getting pretty hungry at this point....so 8 of us shared turkey jerky, fruit snacks and a little bottled water...Then a man from the hospital comes & says we are to go with him to visit family....we all acted confused....said no.....he said come.....so we all went. I really did not want to walk the halls of this hospital and I am a nurse! Thats the problem, my downfall....I can see the germs everywhere! But, here we go! At this point I got the giggles because this was all so ridiculous....10 adults and none of us ever knew where we were going or doing, just going along with what we are told....But I do know we all should not go in and see this birth mother!!! CHI and the government is so strict about what we can and cant ask a birth mother or give to her and now this guy wants all 10 of us to bombard this poor sick lady's room? Most of us said no & stood outside her door in the hall. The little hospital man asked whe needed to use the toilet? We all quickly said NOPE! No Thank You!!! :) We all were then led down the hall to the nursery. Now, I was glad to see this, being a NICU nurse back home...old metal bar cribs....all empty.... & then he shows us this small white wooden box with a lid made only of screening.....its to keep the malaria away from the premature baby! No extra warmth just netting....with mosquitos buzzing around it...then it dawned on me.....WE ARE IN MALARIA TERRITORY!!!!! WE DIDNT TAKE OUR MALARIA MEDICATIONS!!!! (because we were supposedly not leaving Addis Ababa where there is no malaria!) What can we do now....oh well! Hope for the best! We all were drawn to walk out an a large connecting balcony as all the windows were open. The breeze felt great and we welcomed to breathe fresh fresh air! We then were asked if we wanted to see the HIV floor....why not? At this point? Why not? So...off we go...we all were taken to a very very small doctors office and we filed in and piled up in there. A few chairs....and a doctor in the middle of consulting his patient on taking her medications while we all just stared at them!!!!! What in the world. Talk about uncomfortable for us and them. Although they acted like they didnt see all of us. No HIPPA policies here. But we couldnt understand the language. But still. No privacy!??!! Seemed very awkward like such an invasion of privacy. We left the office when that patient did & we were off to tour the business office. All of us....cram in there, smile & wave and they all were just so sweet and friendly and looked up from their desks, welcomed us, smiled and waved back....unreal.. we were all just slap happy by now...and then we were done...led out the door and into the van. We started the long bumpy ride back to Addis. As if the day wasnt strange enough already....the best was yet to happen....

2 comments:

elisa said...

Fran, I kept checking to see you new post, you don't realize how many of us on on our toes waiting for the next day's journal!

Missy said...

SO strange!!! I am loving your journal!!!