West meets East

There is a saying: "Always wear clean underwear, because you don't know when you will end up in the hospital."

I think they are very wise words. And thank god I wore clean underwear on May 23.

Without judging me for even being on a motorbike in Vietnam (I am a little bit stupid sometimes), it is one of the very few options of transport in a country that's population of motorbikes is larger than it's population of people.

It was really no surprise to me when my tour guide, Toan, drove over a nail, and we were thrown from the bike. I flew to the side of the road and slid along the gravel for a bit. I remember looking up when it was all done and saying "holy shit I'm still alive!"

Not to dramatize things at all, but soon the entire Vietnamese village was at my side, touching me, yelling things in Vietnamese. No one really took charge, or wanted to do anything other than look at this poor western girl who fell off the motorbike.

As a side note, I had extensively investigated my surroundings prior to getting on a motor bike and found NO one seemed to get injured on them, so I thought I was ok. Curse of the western blood, I guess.

So finally, someone in English said "Can you stand up?"

Well, I can try, I thought. Things can't get much worse from here, so I stood up and realized most of my body was intact, except for the layers of skin missing from my legs, bum, and arms.

No hospital, no car, no ambulance. No cell phone service. Great! The only way to get any sort of help (at this point I thought my best bet was to walk back to Ho Chi Minh, and get my own plane back to Australia.), was to get back ON the motorbike, and drive to another village.

Just go with it, I thought! I got back on as the village looked on. I can't imagine what they were all saying. "That's going to hurt." "Look at her lacy underwear, we should get some of that here!" "I wonder who she bought that from on the street."

Drove up to a ?hospital? i.e. Building with a bed. I stripped the remaining clothes left on me off, and the young woman in the building looked at me with a bewildered look on her face. She said something in Vietnamese and I looked at her really confused.

There would be no help at this palce, except for the older woman who kindly came into the room and tired to put my clothes back on me.

"No, no, NO!" I said harshly. I felt bad getting cross with the sweet Vietnamese, but for $#&%'s sake!

I went into panic mode, but realized that wouldn't get me anywhere in this situation. I got my mobile phone out and called my workplace, which is a Trauma center, for some advice.

With my head on straight, realizing I wasn't immediately dying, I decided I would need to get out of the system what I could.

That meant getting into a car (the only car in a 200 km radius) in my underwear to ANOTHER village where there was allegedly a hospital.

I think my Victoria Secret lacy underwear was either a blessing or a curse at the time. Either bringing more attention to my fair, burned, battered skin, or taking some of the attention from my wounds.

As I drove up to the hospital, I gained the attention of the entire 3 patients in the hospital, their families, all 8 nurses, and the cleaner. No doors on this hospital. Which just made the whole situation a bit more easier, because I knew there would be no hope for anymore dignity or privacy.

I'm not sure what a normal "emergency" situation is like in the hospital, but my tour guide told me they don't see westerners hardly ever. I got an impressive nurse:patient ratio of 8:1. THey all looked at me, and whispered words in Vietnamese to each other.

One young nurse did take my blood pressure, which he reported to me with a nod, which I am assuming is acceptable? They cleaned about 67% of my wounds with iodine, but left the one on my bum alone. Can't blame them, can you?

"What hurts the most?" were the only english words I understood.

My sternum, my chest.

Treatment? A left arm x-ray. Hey, at least it's something!

At the end, the "doctor" (who I never saw, I don't really think he exists) told my tour guide "It's all skin, no problems."

I was given antibiotics, an anti-inflammatory enzyme, and Mofren (Ibuprofen) and sent on my merry way. I think all of this costs $5USD.

So, lessons learned?

Always wear underwear appropriate for the culture you are in.

Appreciate western medicine when you have it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Indian Pacific Railway

What to do when one is lost? Get a bit more lost, maybe you'll get a sign- and then find your way?

That's usually my plan anyway. There's no better place to get lost than the Nullarbor. Which according to Wikipedia, is the "flat" and almost treeless stretch of land across the southern end of Australia! Great summary of the Nullarbor. I couldn't think of better adjectives myself!

Adelaide to Perth is approximately 2800 km. Between these two bustling very Australian cities (by Australian I mean clean and modern with some recently engineered scenic bridge and a China-town), is the three places we stopped: Cook, Rawlinna, and Kalgoorlie.

Cook-town, Pop: 4?: Not named after James Cook, the European who colonized Australia.... but one of the first Prime Ministers of Australia, Joseph Cook. Unsure if the population is still 4, because the only evidence we found of human life in this town was ghosts. A closed school and hospital are the main attractions, as well as a shop which sells soda and postcards only when the train comes through (2 times a week). Don't get left here, there is no longer water supply here, and soil has proven unsuitable for trees.

Rawlinna: Pop 6? There were signs of life in this town, in the form of 2 Outback Bushman, one on their way to a Buck's (Bachelor's) party in Perth. (only a good 12 hours away). What exists here? Horses, farming, and some fishing about 400 km's away (the local hobby/survival mechanism). This is also known as complete isolation. Only the strong can survive out here!

Kalgoorlie: Life signs! Inhabited buildings! People! Kalgoorlie is home to gold mining, consequently a great source of income for the country. The motto here: "Come here for a year, you'll stay for 10..." Not so sure about that.......... but a nice place for a 4 hour lay-over!

Moral of the story- there is a lot of uninhabited land out there. Not that it's all prosperous- but take care of our land now.... or you may end up living in Cook.

The Age of Aquarius...

Since I missed most note-worth occasions, Happy Thanksgiving, New Year, Martin Luther King Jr Day, Australia Day, Merry Christmas Happy Hanukkah to all!!

I'd say 2010 was a bit of a "transitional" year, and while I'm still as lost as ever in my goals, I can safely say I have come out a bit wiser- I now know that if it weren't for that little thing we call "money-" I would have seen far more of this world! Alas now, it's time to concentrate on saving, planning, and dreaming of the next big adventure- while enjoying this one!

There's still far too much of this land to see, and I'm slowly checking things off the list- However, next month, despite the new "budget" I (sort of) placed myself on, the ultimate journey will be reached with a 3500 km train to Perth, Western Australia. Hopefully 36 hours in a train seat, surrounded by Australia's finest will give me an idea just what this country is all about...

In less exciting news, began work in the ED (Emergency Department, not Erectile Dysfunction) and now I can say "why do people complain so much about socialized medicine?!" I don't see a problem with breaking your hip and getting treated with analgesia, an x-ray, a diagnosis, maybe traction, and then surgery? And for "free" (so they say....) Or showing up to triage and saying "I want sleeping tablets because I'm stressed" and receiving exactly that and a home visit from a psychiatrist??

Someone please tell me the problem! The problem in taking care of not only one's citizens, but of human beings?

I can also safely say there are those who abuse the system- the drunk 30-something who wets their pants in their bed because they are so drunk, all while not being compliant to ANY advice given... Or the "I have had pain for two months, and now it's 3am and I need to see a doctor RIGHT NOW." But in the end, I enjoy treating and helping people who need it.

So for now, Cheers to 2011- for another fun, healthy, crazy year!!!!