The Down Side of Change

Well it's not all carmelloes and goats over here, there has been some negative points. And in all seriousness a couple of us have had a bit of trouble with the change in climate, in food, in the air we are breathing, bugs, vectors as you healthies put it.


One of us had to go the hospital and has been there for about three nights. After all the tests including an MRI that was available the very night the member was brought into the hospiital, it looks like there is no real explaination for the symptoms.(I am not going to get into any detail but it is nothing life threatening) The member is fine and the doctor said it could be just their way of aclimatizing. We have been taking turns staying with that person in hospital (Khartoum Al-Faisal Hospital), which is customery here since there are no nurses a family member or friend usually stays with the patient to take of them. Last night I volunteered to stay and was quite surprised by the experience, in a good way.

We were told in Ottawa that you stay out of the local health care system at all costs, never let yourself be taken to a local clinic or hospital. HA! The first place you are shipped by the UN is here( I think that is because the level of care is quite good ). It is not bad considering... you never have that sort of access to an MRI in Canada unless you go to a private clinic. And what about hospital food you ask? Well, what do you think? It looks great doesn't it? Well it's not the best photo. It was fabulous... nile perch, tomato salad and bread and jelly, peach or mango not sure, that was breakfast. Hope we are here for lunch.

The staff here are also very professional and friendly. For the most part everyone in Sudan seems quite freindly even the grumpiest, tired Damas driver. They just beam when you try to speak arabic. maAa assalama