Eid 2012

For 26 years we had waited to celebrate Eid with family.  I guess in many ways things were not much different than had we sat alone back home.  I tried to ask Taher to find out what the family did customarily so we could be somewhat prepared for the coming days.  I was told the first day we would kill the lambs spend the day cleaning and gutting them and putting the meat away and then the next two days first people would come to us since Taher was older and then we would pay respects to his older siblings on the last day. And of course, Lamb would be on the menu for days.

We got out the first lamb and grandpa came and cut his neck while the children who chose to watch looked on.  Aieysha watched but was unhappy with how they were killed after watching videos online about the Islamic way to properly kill an animal she felt they were doing it wrong but how do you change years and years of the way something is done? (if I can find the video I will post a link for those who choose to see it) It was humane and quick but not with the style and flair she had seen online. So she walked away refusing to watch the rest of the process. Plus the smell bothered her. Khadijah refused to even go to the pen to watch but Fatimah and I and of course the boys lent a hand in the process.  Grandpa for some reason was teasing Suhayl and he got angry feeling grandpa was picking on him so Suhayl was asked if he wanted to go help our cousin who was also cutting his sheep just outside in our common area.  We were half way through the gutting of our second lamb when we heard cries of Taher, Taher!!  Taher looked over the wall of the pen and ran out of the pen. I was in the far end of the pen cleaning out intestines a task no one wants but if you like Ausban someone has to do it.  A few moments later Taher and Suhayb half carried in Suhayl to the courtyard bleeding profusely on his arm. I was told to drop what I was doing and come now. I dropped the things in my hand and ran fresh water on my hands and ran to my son’s side. A long gash about two and a half inches ran across the upper part of his forearm just under the elbow. I grabbed the wound with my fingers to clamp the blood flow and told the kids go get the medical kit from the kitchen. The bleeding stopped with pressure and I waited for the medical kit. I quickly bandaged his arm and we calmed him as his brother had freaked out saying you need to go to the hospital its deep. No, it wasn't deep only through the layers of derma but not into muscle thankfully. I cleaned the wound and bandaged him and they helped him into the house. Then me the gravity of the moment settled in and I had to go into the wash room where my pile of clothes was waiting to be washed and tried to keep from passing out. I’m great at spur of the moment catastrophe but I do feel it and it washed over me. My mother in law was saying something to me and I was trying to tell her if I didn't lie down I was going to pass out let me be a few minutes. 

Since he wasn't going to bleed to death and we still had lambs to take care of he was left to rest while we finished the task. His sisters at his side if he needed anything or his situation worsened.  Later on I cleaned and redressed the wound and determined that one I sure needed more medical supplies that I thought I had brought and two that it was deep but didn't really need stitches, and besides being a holiday except for the hospitals in town all clinics were closed.  The next day he could not move his arm up or down or rotate it at the elbow but I knew he had all of his shots and except for some antibiotic ointment to help heal his skin he would not had any problems. His arm was simply stiff and injured at a bad location. He was due to start work that week but with his injury we delayed it a few days.