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Published: September 11th 2009
Menhouf
Erin in the garden by the main entrance.Just as I published the last blog, Erin came down with a severe tummy ache. Unfortunately we ignored it for 2 days before seeing a doctor, since tummy aches are common, and it turned out to be appendicitis. We went to the Harmel Clinic in Sadat and the doctor said we would have to go to Menouf Hospital straight away for the operation. Then they refused payment, as they know we are working for the church. We asked how to get to the hospital, as Menouf is one hour's drive away. Take a taxi, was the reply, and someone even went and got a driver they knew. Now the road to Menouf goes across the desert until it reaches the Delta, then crisscrosses through the Delta villages and over canals. It is a narrow two-way road with judder bars and a lot of the traffic is heavy trucks. This makes for dangerous overtaking manouevres on the part of Egyptian drivers as they try to get past the slow vehicles - they just pull out and expect oncoming vehicles to make room for them and for the vehicles they are passing to let them in. Of course, this isn't always successful, and
Menhouf
Our private room in the hospital. results in traffic coming to a standstill and roadrage, and terrible accidents. There wasn't one time I travelled this road without seeing the tangled carnage resulting from a foolish driving decision.
The clinic had phoned ahead to tell the hospital of our arrival, but this didn't facilitate Erin's admission. The hospital is two storied and the operating theatre is on the second floor. There is no elevator, and the taxi driver was kind enough to help Erin up the stairs. The nurses put Erin in a room and then I had to get an admission ticket from the gate, pay for the operation in advance and collect paperwork - once the nurses had all of it, Erin was taken for an ultrasound and blood tests. I had to write Erin's name in Arabic on the paperwork, and in Arabic "Payne" is written "Bean". The nurses in the ultrasound office read it, then asked me what Erin's name was, and they all got quite a giggle when I said "Mr Bean". As for the blood tests, there was a queue of people in a hallway, at the end of which you sat down at the desk and had your blood taken. The tests confirmed that Erin's appendix had burst and in the two days we had delayed, infection had spread throughout the peritonium (peritonitis). This meant that not only would he need removal of the appendix, but they would have to remove the infection - a more complicated operation and much larger incision. Erin walked into the operating area where he changed into a gown and then the operation was performed.
Some hours later they wheeled Erin into our private room, and I was called on to help lift him onto the bed. As well as a huge incision to one side of his belly button, there was another hole for his drains. Now unlike our hospitals, they let the drains drain to the outside, meaning his pajamas and the sheets were always getting wet and bloodied.
Erin was in the hospital for a total of eleven days and then they were nice enough to drive us home to Sadat. They also refunded the money I had paid, provided the pair of us with hospital meals and stocked up our fridge with juice, fruit, bread and cheese. Up until this time I was extremely hungry as it being Ramadan, there was nowhere to buy meals. Even in the evening, no restaurants were open. In fact, there were almost no shops open in Menouf the whole time we were there. The nurses were very kind, our room and bedding were cleaned daily and we have to say we were treated royally. I have been to public hospitals in Egypt and we feel very fortunate that we were able to obtain treatment at a private one.
I went back to Sadat after a couple of days to bring the laptop and things like soap and towels as these are not provided in Egyptian hospitals. After sleeping a week at the hospital, I went back to Sadat again for a few days just for some comfort. It was strange being here on my own, and as such I didn't visit the cafe or the guys at the hospital because I didn't want to look like a "loose woman".
The hospital is also known as Harmel Hospital and is the sister hospital of the one we are working on in Sadat. It was founded in 1910, the vision of its founder Frank Harpur (hence the other name, Harpur Memorial Hospital) to have an open door for the poor and needy. The hospital is run by the Anglican Diocese and receives no money from the government, its mostly Christian staff of doctors donating their time to care for the hospital's primarily Muslim clientele. The hospital is a non-profit organisation and patients pay only what they can afford. In the same complex, there is a church, primary school and Adult Education Centre.
A very big thank you to Dr Samir and all the staff at Harpur Memorial Hospital, Menouf.
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sharon
non-member comment
i didn't realise erin was in hospital for that long. poor berin munchausen. the hospital staff really went above and beyond which was really nice of them. i hope erin is feeling much better and that you are taking good care of him like a patient and dutiful wife. :o)