Well, it's Friday. What an adventure this has been.
On Sunday you know I was bitten by a dog. I waited a day for info to find out about what/where/when to go for treatment to prevent rabies (the bite is practically healed and is no trouble at all now--it was bad at first--three punctures and three gashes). We went to three hospitals and all have told me that they cannot provide a rabies vaccine, that I have to go to "pastor." We ended up at St. Paul's Hospital's rabies clinic on New Year's eve (September 10). We were told they could provide it but I needed to go to"pastor" (I was sure we were at Pastor, as was our driver, whose English was as good as any we've seen). The hospital was truly doing it's best with what it had, so I don't want to belittle their efforts, but I also want to make very clear that I don't want to be treated for ANYTHING there. There were women in labor, men with gunshots, people needing amputations, and people reading skull X rays in the rain in the parking lot as everyone waited for the triage department to come back from the customary 2 hour lunch. Yes, there were dead people too.
This clinic has a "rabies clinic" so we went and spoke to the nurse in what looked like a barn, with stalls that lock from the outside (I'm wondering--is that where the rabies patients go?) She said we needed to go to "Pastur" (there it was again) for a prescription and to buy our needles. I asked her if she meant Pharmacist/Chemist and she said Yes! Pharmacist, for a prescription. But all of the pharmacies will be closed for the new year holiday, so come back afterwards.
Ok, two days later now, the new year's holiday is over (let me comeback later to the subject of reflections on the new year). So we went back on the great hospital tour. I went this time to the Hilton and changed $300 to Birr for the cost of medical treatment (not knowing what it may cost). I asked the concierge where to go--he also said "Pastur," so first to the pharmacist, where for $0.45 I purchased a new needle and the medicine I was told I'd need, so back to the little hospital in the woods with the barn, and we stood in at least a dozen lines (it's like going to Group Health--wait in line and check in for 30 minutes, wait in line and pay for 30 minutes, back to triage, back to identification (somewhere in this mess my rental cell phone was stolen---which was a bummer because I'd just loaded it with prepaid airtime $100 Birr (About $9). I'll get in touch with the hotel and buy them a new one--it was a cheap phone, so I'm not worried. I was a little surprised that despite the fact that I was carrying about 10,000 Birr, and another $700-900 US, they didn't take any money--the phone must have been easy to get. It's the only thing missing. Taking that hint, I started separating my money up to different places, and leaving some safe at the hotel. (I know, I should have done that in the first place, but I'm so afraid of losing things).
After all of that they said no, the doctor I need to see is at lunch, come back in two hours, so we took our taxi driver (the nicest guy you'd ever want to meet) to lunch at an Ethiopian restaurant, which was great!! We went back to the hospital from you know where, (again, they're doing their best and they're doing good work, but they're no Overlake!). We met one more doctor who said no, go to the pharmacy again, so we got the taxi driver and walked across the street to the pharmacy (we needed his translating skills--medical terms are beyond T's experience).
We learned that the Pastur Institute was a campus within walking distance where they treat and diagnose rabies cases and manufacture the vaccine locally. We met with two extremely kind doctors--both who had very good English skills, about what's going on. They explained to me that the vaccine that they could offer me would cause me more problems than are worth it if the dog is not sick. We were reluctant to disclose the identity of the dog thinking it would be killed to be diagnosed. (It's T's family dog-- we didn't want it killed simply because I frightened it and I'm a paranoid American). They said either I must get the high risk vaccine which may or may not work, may cause other complications, and requires three months of treatment, with 17 injections each time and that it's not completely effective.
Then they introduced me to the man who makes the vaccine--the head "Rabies Guy" for all of Ethiopia who told me about Rabies occurrence in and outside of Addis, and how about 2,000 people get Rabies from Dogs, Cats and Donkeys (yes, Donkeys) each year, and nationwide there are about 20,000 cases of Rabies so if we know the dog, we must have the dog observed. I asked "observed, or studied?" They said they hold the dog in quarantine for 10 days and watch it and then release it if it is not sick (they become aggressive 10 days before developing classic rabies symptoms). He could tell we were reluctant to identify the dog but still concerned about preventative medicine, so would you believe this--he went with us in the taxi to see the dog, and has promised to follow up each of the remaining four days after the bite. At that point, I should technically be "out of the woods" if the dog does not get sick. Each day he's going to visit the dog, and call me and let me know how it is. Ethiopians are the best people EVER!! (We didn't want the dog quarantined because I scared it--it wasn't aggressive, and because we don't think it would be reclaimed). We thanked the family for the trouble of letting us inspect the dog, and gave them money for a veterinary checkup and a rabies vaccine so they don't have to worry about the people that live in their neighborhood.
Through all of this Melat has been a super trooper. Boring doctors and all day cab rides, holy smokes! I promised her cookies and when we got back tonight I went out and bought her some sunglasses and some cookies (her toys are spread through every taxi in town I think). (We keep the same taxi driver because we like him, but each time his car breaks down, he borrows a friends'). Long story short, the dog is under surveillance, and I've contacted our travel insurance to start working on medical evacuation so I can get to the states or Europe to get a vaccine though, again, the "Rabies Guy" (I wrote down his name, but don't have it here) said by Tuesday if the dog is still OK, I've got nothing to worry about.
We're going Monday to see if Melat's visa is ready at the Embassy and if it is not, we are going to request a temporary emergency visa, and we'll try to change our flights to come back as soon as possible. I think we'll be back by the end of the week if the Visas all work out. (Rob and Laura, I may cancel the flights on Northwest and try to fly Ethiopia Air as they go direct to DC, just to be sure of no delays in Denmark or Sudan.) I'll be in touch on travel arrangements after Monday. T is having a great time, we had a wonderful visit at Layla House for the New Year and made balloons. It was a delightful little mob scene. I wish all those kids had families to go to TOMORROW. A few days ago we visited Little Ahope but it was nap time so we're going back on Sunday I think to Little Ahope and Big Ahope to make balloons. Tomorrow we're planning on doing a little shopping. (Everything is so affordable here!)
As I said before, Thursday was the new year, so all those sheep and cows and goats in the city met their end. Today the heads, guts and feet of all of these poor critters litter the streets and gutters (they're given to the dogs--I don't think they're OK to eat for Orthodox people). In three days this place is going to reek. Now with most of the sheep and cows gone, you see a lot more dogs. We were walking back from the store and under a porch were no less than 15 fat happy sleeping dogs, which Melat saw but we didn't. She gave a squeal of delight and ran towards them (the orphanages have the sweetest dogs). I scooped up Melat and ran!!! The dogs didn't even flinch. I swear, all the dogs here are deaf. Everything here is LOUD!!
Thursday, I woke up and saw the Ethiopian calendar--9-11-01 (the Orthodox calendar is seven years behind). It brought back a flood of grief and stress and sadness that I didn't even know was in me. I was on the verge of tears much of the day. I don't think I was tired either. I'm doing well now that I'm sleeping. I'm fairly well covered in bug bites though. I'm going to put insect repellent on Melat and myself before bed tonight. I think it's the flies biting me, or the mosquitoes--but they burn more than they itch, which makes me think it's the flies. (Don't fret mom, they're not the Malaria mosquitoes--they don't have those over 7,000 feet).
One last observation, it's not easy to be me. Everyone stares at me. We're staying in a farther out part of town (it's really like Burien is to Seattle) but there's only a few white people. We get followed around by children and adults alike. They want to practice their English or check their accent to make sure it's right. (Everyone who is educated at school here seems to speak English very, very well). The street children (and sometimes their parents) will shout "You!"and all they want is for you to smile and wave. It's universal, it's not one part of town or another or inside an orphanage or another. Today I saw three other white people. I easily saw 10,000 people in all of the places we went to. Even we few white people stare at each other....wondering why they're there, and where they're from. I had a lovely conversation a few days ago with a family visiting from Vienna, also on a homeland trip with a teenager. It was great fun!
Well, there's my update for now, it's not as cheery as before, don't take that the wrong way. We're having a great time and even though we miss home, we both wish we could stay longer. We are having such a great time and we love it here. It's beautiful and the people are wonderful. If I were a doctor, I would live here. In the future, I would like to visit with a doctor :) (Also, don't think I'm without care at all--we are staying with an MD, and traveling with a PA, so we're not exactly on an island). By they way, the Rabies Guy complimented me on my emergency self-care (hand sanitizer and hydrocortisone immediately after flushing the bite) Thanks, mom, for all the training.
OK, enough fun for today, I'm going to go put on some bug spray and go to bed. Jess
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