Today, being Eid, we got invited to our teacher’s (Adnan) house. We were treated to a Yemeni lunch … Marie even ate her friend the goat! Life is still very traditional in Yemen … his wife did not join us for lunch because of my presence as a non-related male … if it had been Marie only, she would be able to be unveiled and be with her family (and Marie) for lunch.
Few days ago, Adnan’s brother was burnt in a kitchen accident. Healthcare is very much on an emergency basis here. He had first degree burns to his face and second degree burns to his leg. All he got was dressing. No painkillers, no preventative antibiotics.
Marie has medical experience and has been helped source some suitable painkillers and antibiotics from the pharmacy (no prescriptions are required here). She tended to the poor boy after lunch … we may call back for Marie to change the dressings tomorrow.
On the way back, we noticed lots of guts in one street corner. There must have been near a butcher nearby or just a home-kill spot. Pretty disgusting … waist-high pile of gory balloon-like parts. It will be gone tomorrow … inshaallah.
At about 2200, we had a phone call from Adnan. His brother was in pain from needing his dressing changed. Being so late at night I thought Marie would be more comfortable going with my company. I helped in the dressing change process … it was very emotionally-wrecking to see the boy in such great pain … parts of his leg weren’t covered in paraffin dressing. The basic linen(?) dressing was sticking despite Marie soaking it in saline first. We finished around midnight. What an evening!
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- Leisurely breakfast today since we don’t have classes.
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- Leisurely breakfast today since we don’t have classes.
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- On our rooftop.
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- Alex (the cat from the downstairs flat) joined us for breakfast. Marie calls him Marcel too, to minimise confusion with me 🙂
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- Lunch at my teacher Adnan’s house for Eid.
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- Adnan and his father.
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- Adnan’s brother-in-law Waleed (with a ball of qat), and Marie.
