10,000 Miles in 30 Hours

My patient is delivered to her family outside the Manila airport

Editha was transported in a "Jeepney" to her hometown

April 17, 2011

Al Watan newspaper runs a story: "Undocumented house helper suffers stroke, paralysis: qualifies under amnesty"  The lady is pictured with my friend, Yolly who is a welfare worker at the Filipino Shelter.  Yolly told me about this lady who has not been back to see her family in 22 years and was now seeking amnesty so she could be returned to the Philippines for care. One catch: she would need to travel with a nurse. The problem: Filipino nurses who should love to get a free ticket home cannot get the time off work..."can you help?"

May 19, 2011

After much deliberation, the Philippine embassy granted permission and funding for me to travel with Editha. I took a taxi to an area of town where many Filipinos live and was met by a young gentleman who rents a room from Editha (a partitioned off partial room!)  Mueller was fluent and gracious.  Since finding her paralyzed in her bed 2 months ago, he and another housemate have cared for her like a mother in spite of his 6 day/wk job as an airline mechanic.  He walked me through a mall, out the back, into an apartment building and up to the 5th floor.  The tiny flat had become her prison-home since she was abandoned by her employers of 10 years without giving her back her passport. Fearful of harassment and arrest by Kuwaiti police, she stayed indoors where she earned money to send to her family by babysitting infants.

I found her in good spirits and well cared for without any skin breakdown at all.  Her speech was slurry but understandable. She was incontinent and could not sit alone or bear any weight for an attempt to transfer her to a chair. One of her meds is meant to keep her blood pressure & heart rate low...52 was a bit concerning! I requested her doctor be informed.  They made me a snack of rice muffins & tea and insisted I sit in the phone booth sized kitchen for refreshment before leaving. Through the window I could see many more such apartment buildings in close proximity.

Before leaving, Mueller & I walked to the pharmacy and priced a wheelchair which she would surely need. I gave him money from the Trash to Treasure cash bag to purchase it in case the Catholic church did not deliver one, which they did!

Ready to go?  Not so fast.  By the time we were ready, the doctor's consent had expired and Kuwaiti Airlines insisted she had to be hauled back to the hospital for another form.  The doctor never looked at her or checked her pulse as I'd requested, just signed the dotted line. They booked the tickets, with mine returning in ONE WEEK!  Whoa, alone in the Phlippines for a week, I don't think so.  Sadly, my friend Yolly who had desperately wanted to host me was off the island at the time.  I was re-booked for a rapid return.

May 23

I met the crew from the embassy around 9pm at the airport where they had Editha slung across the bench seat in the van like a bag of rice. I supervised her transfer and was then introduced to a frail but ambulatory man with a bandaged neck and asked if I could please look after him on the flights as well! Antonio spoke little English but gave me a toothy smile when I talked to him.  He has kidney failure and had just come from dialysis to the airport.  The daughter-like ladies who'd cared for him pulled out a lunch bag full of meds and asked if I'd mind to administer them.

All but one of the paper pushers left after getting us signed in and I grabbed a coffee for the long night ahead.  Sitting upright after being flat for 2 months proved to be the hardest part for Editha; by 11pm when they were still waiting to board, she dissolved into tears due to back pain....this was after I'd already given her ibuprofen. Fellow travelers stepped in to help and ordered anyone with a pillow to give it up!  This produced a pillow that we positioned to ease her discomfort until I persuaded the gate keeper to let us board.

The narrow isle of the airplane required we swing her onto yet a skinnier wheelchair where she still drooped beyond the doorframe, risking her elbows and floppy feet. With the kindness of the attendants, we managed to get her positioned in her business class (but economy service) seat where she would wiggle and squirm for the next 12 hours. Between repositioning her, massages, assisting with food, and all the medicines Antonio needed, I snatched only moments of sleep throughout the night. In her wakefullness, she told me about her 5 kids and broken marriage.  She told me about the typhoon that claimed the life of one of her daughters and 3 grandchildren last year; she lost her own house as well. Her kids were from the age of 10-20 when she left to work in Kuwait and she'd not seen them for 22 years.  Her oldest farmer-son would be the one to care for her.  I tried to imagine her life but found it very difficult to picture.

Flight attendants on the journey to Bankok were extremely nice and interesting to talk to.  One Filipino man was interested in the situation with domestic workers and told me how many of them were actually PROTESTING the governments initiative to require Gulf countries to pay a minimum wage to their exported workers.  I found this shocking that many would take whatever they could get just for a chance at any job.  Many of the staff expressed gratitude for the help I gave their citizens.  They are a very warm and gracious people.

Editha finally was hungry enough by our third meal that she overcame her fear of vomiting and gobbled down her food.  In order to keep her diaper dry, she drank a minimum of fluids.  Two hours after breakfast and her beta blocker, I reluctantly took her pulse (her lips were looking pretty dusky) and found it to be 49! I imagined ways to stimulate some adrenaline if need be...

It was 4:30pm and sunny in Manila as we came in low over large swaths of shanty town homes reminiscent of South Africa.  Green and palm trees as well as high rise offices were also visible on my ever-so-brief "tour" of the city.

Arrival in Manila was a blur of activity as uniformed porters scooped up my patient and raced toward immigration while I lagged behind with Antonio.  Their embassy staff met us and were very efficient at coordinating our entrance documents with the authorities. They sent a nurse who helped me to clean and change Editha in the back of a curtained ambulance outside arrivals before we went in search of the family greeting parties who had parked away from the airport.  In a crowded lot where brown shirtless boys also kicked a ball around, we stopped beside what is known as a "Jeepney Bus."  This very colorful open sided contraption is a staple in public transport in the Philippines.  I read that they became common after the US occupation when industrious Filipinos converted ex-US army jeeps into buses.

Editha's now 40 year old scrawny son climbed into the ambulance, his face etched with anxiety.  There were no hugs or tears, they just looked at each other.  I saw no recognition in their eyes as the intervening years had not treated either one kindly, I suspect.  I asked if she recognized him and she said "of course" but it didn't show at all. Grandchildren she had never met crowded around with big curious eyes as she was carried on a backboard into the folding lawn chair type cot that sat between the benches.  It looked like there was a cooler of food for the journey home. I sent the sheet I'd brought along with her to help in transferring her a bit more gently. A large man arrived and wished to speak to me about his "sister" and his ID tag read "MEDIA." He alone thanked me for my services and began questioning me.  I managed to quickly divert him to the local embassy representative to avoid giving information I shouldn't. I once more petitioned through an interpreter for her family to find a doctor to manage her care and medicines. I pleaded for physical therapy to be continued if if was available in the province. I wondered if the wheelchair would even have a smooth enough surface on which to roll to be of any use, along with the belt I'd made to tie her in...

By 6pm it was pouring rain and I was back at the airport waiting to check in for the 11pm return flight home via Bangkok. A last ditch effort to keep me there a few days longer failed when I could not reach Yolly by phone to coordinate a change of plans.  Alone in Manila for even a night was not something I was eager to try.  While waiting for the flight filled with Filipinos working in Kuwait, I was able to speak with two women who had been home for a visit and were returning to "sales lady" jobs they loved. Happily employed in Kuwait? Hamdulillah! (Praise be to God)

Thailand Part II: Ko Samet Island



Papaya Salad Extraordinaire



Soap Carving

Tuesday

We left Bankok  by private van which took us 1.5 hrs to the town known as "Sin City" in the guide books!  Pattaya is known for both it's gentle bay and  the "walking street" where sin is on sale. What surprised me is that the seedy side was not apparent to a casual observer but the warm welcome, great street food, and beachy feel of the place attracts all kinds of tourists.  The predominance of people we met seemed to be Russian or from Eastern European countries.   They all assumed we could speak their language! Pattaya also has a huge retirement community: this is why we paused there before heading to the island.  Tanya's paternal Canadian grandmother lives there in an appartment near the beach.  They settled there to be near her family and remained long after Tanya's parents moved away.  She welcomed us like family and we dumped our bags, coffeed up, then took her along with us to explore some of Tanya's recommended destinations.

Floating markets are popular places to shop and enjoy the culture, where merchants carry their wares on their boats and cook their spicy Thai dishes while you watch. The Pattaya Floating Market was a delight to experience.  We walked on bridges and platforms where we shopped for everything from fancy flip-flops to exotic soap carvings and jewelry.  We sampled fried banana, sweet potato, watermelon slush, delicious meats on sticks...wow yums! Alongside the river was a vendor selling "play time" in a huge clear plastic bubble and in a hampster type treadmill, both bobbing on the water surface.  Ethan took to the bubble and the girls pushed off in the cylinder where they flipped and floated into each other amid howls of laughter: both theirs and ours.

The other market adventure was our stop at the "Fish Spa" which was high on our list ot things to do in Thailand.  We had our feet bathed before sitting on benches surrounding big tanks of small fish.  We plunged our feet in to the kneees and giggled like children as hundreds of dead-skin-eating fish locked their lips on our toes in a massive feeding frenzy! In a fantastic exfoliation extraordinaire, the fish nibbled all the way to our knees while amused passer-bys laughed with us. Check. One more thing Tanya had told us about, experienced together. 

In a clumsy combination of "baht buses" (shared open truck taxis), one over-loaded ferry boat, and taxis, we AND our over-sized suitcases eventually made it to the island of Ko-Samet.  The final 45 minute boat ride was nerve wracking for me as I'd surveyed the life jackets on board as I saw the boat filling up with holiday supplies, a washing machine, motorbike, one truck full of ice cream, fish, more people...Lets just say there were not enough vests to go around!  I was so thankful to arrive safely at the port where we were met only by mosquitos!  It was dusk and we had no hotel on the eve of the big national holiday: Songkran Festival.  On the internet, it appeared there was no avilability but we took a chance on finding a place when we hit the ground.  The first place was way overpriced and had space only for one night.  Thankfully we loaded back into a taxi truck and tried a second hotel that turned out to be just perfect.  For around $60/room/nite, we got side by side rooms that were spacious, clean, and right on the beach!  By 8pm we were leaning back on cushions on the sand just a few feet from the water, having dinner by lantern light. The fish and fresh salads were tantalizing.  This was incredibly relaxing and enjoyable.

Wednesday

After a scrumptuous breakfast of pinapple pancakes, we hired our chair and umbrella for the day.  Hours passed lazily without the interruption of calls to prayer as we swam, read, walked, dozed and ate such wonderful creations as papaya salad, made fresh in front of us by the traveling food vendor. This sweet/sour/cruchy concoction is served with a pat of sticky rice and grilled chicken.  I've GOT to learn to make this! On a stroll through the little village, we encountered our first water toting revelers who happily soaked us with buckets of cold water as we passed by!

Thursday

Robert was determined that we take the kids snokeling, and I'm glad he insisted.  It was not the Great Barrier Reef, but it was incredibly cool. We had to book a boat tour to get to the good spots.  There were no docks, so the boat just came right up to the beach where we waded out and clamored on...really funny to watch. We zipped to another island where shades of blues  and turquoise fell in layers like an English Triffle up to the pale brown sugar sand beach.  As I surrendered to the warm water and heard my heavy breathing through the snorkel above me, I remembered why I loved the sacred sanctuary of the deep blue waters where coral live.  We were greeted by striped, dotted, pointynosed silverfish and even a cousin of The Rainbow Fish. The long needled sea urchins reminded us that this was not a contact sport but Emily and Robert came too close and suffered their wrath.  Robert even brought a tip home that is firmly installed in his toe.  We swam very "flat" and tried to hug the surface when the coral they were lodged on rose close to our bellies.

Teeth clamped around the salty mouthpiece, mask sealed around my eyes and nose, the freedom to explore and wonder at the sea city beneath me was exhilarating. The kids would pop up and yell for us to come view some cool fish or colorful coral and we kept each other pretty close.  Not sure if they heard my snorkel broadcast: me singing "How Great Thou Art" like a ventriloquist through my clenched teeth---it just couldn't be squelched!

After a swim at our second stop we had a nice rice and barbeque lunch with the ever present fresh fruit.  At the last stop, Emily got too dizzy to stay in the water as the waves were higher and we'd had a lot of sun. Before returning, we toured a fish farm where we walked on narrow boards between the sharks, sea turtle, leopard fish and others destined for dinner.  We were glad Emily had sufficiently recoverd her balance not to fall in.

For dinner, we let Tanya lead us on a progressive dinner through the streets! After having egg on a stick, chicken on a stick, and some amazing purple banana cooked in leaves, we had our main course at a "noodle stand" where we were able to sit down and order.  We all went into fits of sneezing and coughing as the chilis cooking in this outdoor kitchen were so strong we Westerers couldn't take it!  Everyone laughed at us:) When we could breath again, Tanya ordered our noodle soups WITHOUT chilis. (There were plenty in the air) She also mercifully got it without "blood cubes" which she insisted gives it such great flavor! The combination of fresh veg, beef balls, spices and thin noodles with bean sprouts was sooo delish. Fish sauce, hot sauce, vinegar and sugar completed the delicate balance of flavor that makes Thai food such a symphony on the tongue.  Our dessert was a tiny green pumpkin that had been cooked with custard inside.

Apart for our concern for Molly who was having her second round of painful injections for her migraines, I hardly had a thought of what was happening in the "real world." We hoped Gadaffi might have fallen from power while we played, but no such luck.

Friday

Last day on the beach; we had to do our traditional family sand sculpture.  We decided on a sea turtle and he turned out to be quite handsome! After a lovely morning of sand and swimming we showered and drug our embarrassingly big bags down the street to the boats.  As our flight home was not until 3am, we planned to let the kids experience another evening in Pattaya where the Songkran celebrations were in full swing. After stowing bags at Grandma Donna's (she and most sensible people were holed up inside and refused to come out) we jumped on a baht bus on the beach road into town.  Within minutes we were completely soaked to the bone with ice water, dumped and squirted on us by gleeful revelers!  Open buses were targets and the congested traffic made sure we got more than a shower.  We squeezed together and tried uselessly to dodge the streams. This yearly celebration is in theory a time to pay respect to their elders in which they are recognized by a ceremony of pouring water over their hands, and families get together. The water theme continues as all the neighborhood Buddahs get a bath from the worshippers. And of course, it's a time for everyone to cool off in the streets during their hottest month of summer.  After we stopped to eat noodle soup again, I "cheated" and made myself a trash bag dress to shield against the icy storms.  I could duck my head into the neck, turtle style, when we passed the most aggressive water warriers.  They also make a powder paste and smear it on heads and faces.  We felt pretty safe from this as we were riding on a bus---not so! At a stop light, a half dozen arms reached in from both sides of the open bus and smeared the goo on all but Ethan and I who were crouched down in the middle between the legs...One determined guy jumped into the back with us so he could paint Ethan so I alone escaped unslimed. The powder dried and crusted in their hair and ears and they looked fully initiated to Songkran. 

After one more shopping stop at an open air market, we hired a bus to take us back.  Only then did we pass the street known for it's prostitutes and sex tourists. I'd warned Ethan to avert his eyes if we found ourselves in awkward situations but thankfully, it was all contained in designated areas. The only massage parlours we saw were for "theraputic" massage.  It is a sad reality that the sex industry thrives in Thailand due to the economics and laws that look the other way.  Thank God for groups like International Justice Mission who have offices in Bangkok for the purpose of freeng victims of trafficing and giving them a means to an alternative livlihood.

Another "Christian" group is taking a different approach.  In the back of one of the buses was a sign warning of the judgement of God and pronouncing May 21, 2011 as the day we could expect it!  I picked up a flier and saw it was from a church in California--wow, leave it to those Americans; grrrrrr!

We were at the ultra modern Bangkok airport with 4 hours to spare (Robert likes "fluff time!") We were relieved to discover that the sandstorm had cleared enough for the Kuwati airport to have re-opened.  This may be the last time we fly "home" to Kuwait.