An interesting article

Here is a link to an interesting article on some of the current political challenges of Nepal.

Emergency Room

P had to go to the emergency room here in Kathmandu after experiencing a severe headache and vomiting constantly for a day. By the time we actually arrived in the emergency room, he was very dehydrated. We, along with a lot of people prayed that God would help us receive good medical treatment and we were not disappointed. We really appreciated the senior doctor who checked up on P after his blood and urine work had come back indicating some form of infection. It showed that it was a minor urinary tract infection, but he shared very frankly that it did not explain the headache. So we really appreciated his thoroughness and the time he took to explain our next steps in the event that P's headache did not improve. He even went on to explain how he normally would not explain in detail the medical procedures to a Nepali, as it is not in their cultural tradition to do so. However, because he knows that American doctors explain things in detail and that Americans like to know what is going on, he took the time to explain. My experiences in India have been that the doctors do not like patients asking them questions, so I was not sure what kind of "bed-side manner" and explanation we were going to get. I appreciated his sensitivity to what we are used to and his effort to accommodate us even though that is not his usual practice. (Of course, as Americans, we think that everyone deserves to know what is going on. But, we have wondered whether the doctor/patient culture developed the way it has because so many poor people from the villages come and they have found that sometimes it is not so helpful to share information that they can't understand.... just a theory...)

So what is it like being in an emergency room in Nepal? I'm not sure if our experience is the norm or if each hospital is different. But, this was our experience.

First, before you can get treated, you must pay for your expenses. (I don't know what it is like in the States, but I assume you get a bill later.) If you want a drink of water, you must purchase a bottle of water. No nurses coming by and asking if you need anything to make you feel a little more comfortable. We learned that you need to bring your own blanket too. P was freezing in there. Family members function as "nurse's assistant." I stood there to help hold the vial of the collected blood samples. Once the samples were collected, I had to take them over to the lab. Imagine carrying two vials of blood sample while carrying an one year old too. If the patient stays over night at the hospital (not just in the emergency room), you must bring patient's food, own bedding, and everything else that the patient needs. That is why it is so important to visit the sick in the hospital because it is the family and friends who are responsible to look after the patient's physical needs. If you're using the wheelchair and you're connected to an IV tube, a family member must walk next to you and carry it. I also saw the critically injured patients being wheeled out on their bed and a family member carting out the oxygen tank as it is hooked up to the patient. There were moments when I felt nervous for the folks.

We spent almost eight hours in the emergency room. However, probably four of those hours we spent outside sitting on the curbside in the sun to keep warm. It stank so badly near where the empty beds were as they were near the toilet. I appreciated the fact that no one complained about bringing a one year old into the emergency room. I don't know what I would have done if I could not bring Elijah with me.... It was an eye-opening experience for us and grateful that we were able to get the medical care we needed.

P is doing much better. He still has a minor headache and seems to get tired very easily. However, he is eating well and keeping food and liquid down. We are not sure what he had.... maybe a migraine headache? a virus? not sure... but, I am just happy that he seems to be doing okay.

Temporary Residents

We arrived in Kathmandu on the 23rd of December, just a couple of days before Christmas. Thankfully, the location of our flat is very conveniently located next to a big market. It has made setting up life here a lot more manageable. It takes less than five minutes to walk there. Although our apartment is furnished, the kitchen is pathetically equipped. We have two small pots, one pan, and a small pressure cooker with a broken handle. However, it is nice to have amenities like a small oven, a microwave, a somewhat functional washing machine, and an electric kettle. P went out and purchased another pan and a knife so we can have two burners going at the same time when the power is out.

We have been enjoying some of the things that Kathmandu has to offer, such as fresh (and tasty) strawberries, lettuce for salad, avocados, button mushroom, good bread, and beef. Also, there are many international restaurants nearby--Singaporean, Korean, Japanese, Mexican, and American. It has been so nice to have so much variety available so nearby. At the same time, we're also learning about some of the inconveniences of living here. The biggest is load shedding. There is no electricity for four hours in the morning and four hours at night. We get to enjoy candle light dinners quite often ;). It also gets really cold inside the house. We usually have about four to five layers on during the evening. Elijah goes to sleep with four layers of clothes and four blankets over him. (On a side note, we were laughing the other day because he was so bundled up he couldn't roll over...) So, I do miss the "warmth" of Siliguri during the winter months.

Sometimes I chuckle at how quickly you learn to "adjust" somewhat to the "lifestyle" of the place where you reside. Like the locals, we warm ourselves in the sun out on the veranda in the morning because it is colder inside. Our laundry (if the power is on) is washed and hanging on the clothesline almost first thing in the morning while the sun is out. Once when I was visiting a friend in Sikkim, I saw her bathe her son outside. It is warmer in the sun and colder inside...at the time I thought, "How clever." Today, I am so grateful that I got to see it because Elijah is happier doing it this way. (You can see the photos on his blog). Everyone lives in such close proximity so I find myself talking to different neighbors while standing on the veranda as they warm themselves up in the sun too. Elijah has quickly learned the art of people watching just like the locals. (He loves it!) I'm sure he will miss that when we go back to Siliguri. Our place there don't face out to the street like it does here. (I will miss all the natural light we get here in Kathmandu because our place in Siliguri doesn't get a lot of natural light...)

So, we are doing our best to make this temporary place our home for the time being. There are times when I feel fatigued by all the changes again. I was half jokingly sharing with P how I think maybe I am getting too old for all these "spontaneous" changes and transitions. But, at the same time, I also feel lucky to have many opportunities to make "home" in so many different places even with some of the challenges that come along with it.