Humm, Trying to Think of a Catchy Title?

Sitting here its early morning like most of my days.  Been a week or more since I got sick and pretty much haven't gone beyond my front door. Came down with Pneumonia and had a few trips to doctors and clinics. Guess I could tell you about that since well if you got kids its going to happen you will have to visit a clinic or hospital soon enough so brace yourself.  First, I have to say I have connections so from what I have seen so far I guess its tame as compared to other places you might end up visiting. Tajura is home to a Heart Hospital which I guess was one of the best since it was right across from the Khamis Katiba. During the war a dear friend had family members working there and we held hands virtually each night reading for bombing raids on the Katiba across the street. Let me say NATO did well not a scratch on the surrounding buildings. Katiba well that's pretty much demolished. Second, you have free clinics and you have pay a fee clinics. Honestly except for conditions of the building I haven't seen much of a difference so far. The level of medical supplies varies and you best listen to family on where to take someone depending on connections and your location. Fatimah sprained her ankle a few months back and we went to the first hospital and they had no one in radiology available at night. Second hospital had someone but you pay a fee so we went on farther into Tripoli and ended up at one there. Connections got us seen pretty quickly. Funny story one of the family members who took her well the family wants her to marry him, so she is limping around while the "doctor" in the family is scurrying around trying to find his buddies to look at her and another cousin who went with us is like "how about we slow down and find her a chair to sit in since she seems to be having trouble walking" look on his face. No there is no emergency room check in. No there is no triage nurse to assess your needs, at least that i have seen so far. So back to my illness, we went to the Heart Hospital first its free and late night the local clinic was closed pretty much. I had been coughing a week or more and had gone to the local pharmacy with a couple that speaks English helping me choose cough medicines. Name brands here are different so use the internet when you get a medication PLEASE as contradictions are not discussed here. If you have health issues or allergic reactions to medications please check online sources like WebMD before you take any medication there is no Walgreens Pharmacy personnel that has every medication you ever took on their computer and can sit and discuss any reactions with you.  Pharmacies are iffy when it comes to who is behind the desk. Anyways, I was having difficulty breathing since a over the counter (everything is over the counter here) medication i had taken from suggestion by the Pharmacist gave me a reaction of asthma. I was barely speaking above a whisper and was trying to fill my son in on what I thought the doctors might need of my medical history. We sat outside cause inside was crowded and I just could not breathe inside. The family member who went with us gave my name and possible reason for visit to the clerk in the hallway and we sat waiting. He kept going back and fourth asking when I could be seen and a "doctor" came out looked at me talking to my son and said, "well she is talking so I guess she is breathing OK".

We finally were seen and I showed the doctor behind the curtain the medication I had taken and my son told him that it gave me a reaction. Seems as if he had another patient with the same issue so I got standard treatment. What is standard treatment? Well I get to sit on a bed that has a single sheet of tissue on it in a curtained off section with a few instruments in it and wait for a bottle of oxygen to be set up. I was given a nebulizer and sat up on the end of the bed breathing it in. NO medical history, NO xray, NO doctor comes in to assess me beyond someone listened to my chest. After a bit I was released and sent home with some more medications.

I took that stuff for a week but I was getting worse and we went to another hospital and my family member commented see that is why we go to Tunisia for care. But I told him if Libyan's have to see these doctors then that is who I see. Not like I could go to Tunisia.  The second doctor was three hospital later we found a friend of my nephew on duty at a PAY hospital  He spoke English and my son sat outside since this time I took my SIL with me. I was sent into a room with a few nurses is all i can guess as to why they were sitting there.  I was told to sit and a sweet young lady set me up for oxygen.  The two ladies who had just occupied my BED moved over to the adjoining bed and sat playing with their cellphones behind the curtain while I looked on in awe. My sister in law needed a place to sit so she sat on the same bed as them. While I got my treatment they sat chatting about their settings I guess. After a bit he told me we needed to go get a chest xray and we went downstairs to have that done. The intern at least asked if I had jewelry on thank god. I had one man come in and in broken English told me hold still and breathe in and hold it. Glad I know about chest xray procedures. After a few minutes we were handed our film and we went back upstairs. He took a look and said I had Pneumonia I could see the cloud in my lower lung. He wrote out a new prescription and we were off to home. After a week on that medication I still had a rattle in my lungs and worse in the night and mornings when i felt like something was sitting on my chest. So, after a week I felt it was best I go see him again. We called and he was not in but we saw another English speaking doctor and he ordered xrays, looked at the medication  I had been prescribed and asked me a few questions about my health. There is a light at the end of the tunnel!!  As we wrapped up he asked me why we had came a common question I have gotten since we arrived. I told him Libya needed people to help now, people with experiences outside of Libya who could help inform or educate Libyans on what was missing here. And I told him I kept a promise to my hubby. This was his home and we were here to stay. He smiled an told me he hoped that within 10 years Libya would be better. I like that optimism. I thanked him for his time and he told me come back in a week so we can assess you again. See there are good doctors.

Its also a bit to tell you conditions of hospitals. They all need repairs even the nicer ones. They try to keep them clean but well think about the local free clinics in your town, yeah like that. Low on supplies, old outdated machines, not quite so sterile environments. Well all I can say is if you have family with serious health issues you might want to wait. Normal everyday stuff well educate yourself and be proactive. So far we have had no surgery or serious medical condition so I cant comment on things beyond what I have seen. I heard horror stories, most will say better to go outside, but think about it if Libyans continue to go outside for medical then when does their system get better? What about those who cant afford to go outside? Libya deserves just as good as the rest of the advantaged parts of the world have.  Yes it will take time but if people continue to accept things as is well when does the change begin?  The doctors and nurses need to be evaluated and hospitals need to be brought up to standards.  Painted and repaired and bring medical supplies into them so even the smallest of clinics can have better.  Pharmacies need actual people who studied more than a week to give you medications. And laws need to go into place for medications so that you simply cant walk into a store and buy anything you want without a prescription. And they need follow up of patients, medical record systems, charts and triage and so much more. I have been told many doctors ask for this but are denied by higher up as not a necessity.  I can tell you its a necessity.  Im feeling much better after this last course of medications a bit raspy this morning but i forgot my nightime syrup and I hate that metallic taste in my mouth all night long. On Sunday I will go back cause I do believe in followup at my age.

Some may say I'm dreaming here. Libya is full of issues and no way will it be better even in 10 years. Well with that attitude no it won't.  People need to demand in honest dialogue changes be made. Progress will take time. But small steps are being taken everywhere people are waking up and seeing they deserve better. Medical health is a issue in many countries and no system is perfect not even Canada's system as my son suggested.  I'm sure there are people there who slip through the cracks in the system.  Everyone deserves in this day and age better.  Not just the ones who can afford it.  Well its been an early morning I was up before the crows for once.  Been sleeping oddly lately with this cold but I think in a few days I will be my old self again and I will be back driving around town trying to find my way in a new place. Thanks for listening.