Note: All translations are via Google Translate. Google Translate is an amazing but imperfect tool. If at all possible please read the original. I am not liable, nor ethically nor morally nor legally, for the products of Google Translate.
Ojo: Todas las traducciones son por Google Translate. Esta es una herramienta asombrosa pero imperfecta. Si es posible es mejor leer la original. No tengo responsiblidad, ni por ética, ni por moralidad, ni por ley, por los productos de Google Translate.
(Note: "Points" is "stitches")
Now, ladies and gentlemen, if I may, I'll break this very sacred concept we know it as the chronological order, to tell what happened yesterday, which forces me to have before I forget the details, before I leave those feelings I had as strong, before escaping me the truth and only the facts remain.
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A seven-thirty last night I was talking with Sonia by phone, our daily call. Everything was fine: we had gone to the market, grandfather's house to investigate a gym to lose some of the fat, and the park to teach local that mysterious thing called baseball. Niko, Orlando, and Kiara were playing pleasure: pa'acá screams, cries pa'allá. I did not recognize that one of those cries was desolate, and not for pleasure, until Niko, weeping, came to me and said, "Dad, fast walking, that Orlando is bleeding."
--¿¡Orlando Is bleeding !?
--Yup !! And a lot !! Of the head !!
.
--¡¡Coño !! I have to go my love, I'll call - and I hung up my wife.
And so it was. Orlando was lying on the floor with blood all over her face. I picked him up and took him to the bathroom and put it clean. In a trice Adita arrived, our host of heaven, and also nurse, and she took care. He cleaned it, put pressure on the wound (measuring 2/3 of an inch) and had there, caressing, whispering, until finally stopped bleeding and Adita put a tape over.
To me I looked too wide the wound.
'I think you will need it sew - I said to Ada.
--¿Tú You think? I would say no.
'And nurse, how much security do you mean?
--Cincenta Percent.
And what I thought. Adita too confident, as own aunt, but I knew I had to this decision in this case as a parent.
--Best Take him to the doctor. It would make me feel better.
Now for some Adita know: he is an angel. Although he played his own daughter to go to sleep, she was commissioned to her mother and insisted on coming to the hospital. He undertook to negotiate with the driver and get to the hospital entrance. He undertook to explain to the staff there had happened. Only when we had to go to the emergency room and let that one adult accompany the child was that I was alone, I needed would see my son.
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A SONIA ALL THIS WAS LEFT WAITING. Remember that the last thing he heard was "Orlando is bleeding !?". Poor thing, three thousand miles, just knowing that his son was bleeding, and nothing else. How was it for her in Iowa, wondering what would have happened, and probably imagining the worst?
And my Nikito. So precious. Crying for her brother, caressing, telling her everything would be all right, is only on these occasions is really the love between brothers. He also insisted on going with us to the hospital, his eyes full of tears, worrying about the welfare of his brother.
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ORLANDO and I entered a gate called "Surgery". The doctor removed the tape that had put Ada and almost immediately said:
--this As it is for points.
--you Believe?
--Yup. The wound is very wide.
He handed me a document that said "Priority II" and told me I had to leave to enter the box. I no fucking idea who was entering a box. But our little angel Adita helped. In the case of entering we were told that as we were not citizens, had to go to pay first. I fear. What if he had not enough to pay money? He had about three or four hundred suns, a little over a hundred dollars. We went to the cashier to pay.
--They Are eight soles, sir.
I --¿Ocho?
I 'Yes sir.
Eight soles are less than three dollars. I paid and returned to the input box, where we got some papers and were sent back to surgery. I relieved: this would not be as difficult as had been feared.
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I had counted my eggs before they opened, as you say in English. Surgery, again he removed the tape and was in accordance with the first doctor: Orlandito going to need stitches. He sat down and began to write a list. I was not quite sure what he did, but waited patiently.
--Mire - He told me to finish writing - these are all things that we need to put the points. You need to go to the pharmacy to buy, and already having everything, you will get the points.
--no Understand - I said. I --¿Tengo to go buy the materials that you use in the procedemiento?
--so Is Lord.
I Q: But where is the pharmacy?
--There One right here, sir. And if you do not have everything, there are several outside pharmacies where you can buy necessities.
I was gringo, as we say in Venezuela. But either way. We went to the hospital pharmacy, who was twenty meters Surgery.
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IN HOSPITAL PHARMACY they had roughly half the things that Orlando would need. The Lord pointed out the things that did and said we were four pharmacies in the same corner.
--Vamos - I told my O, silent, nervous, afraid, but acting like a man.
In the first pharmacy they had not the first thing on the list, which, according Adita, was the most important. "No way," I said, and went to the second. Nor they had it. On the third we were lucky, or at least thought at the time. I ordered the man who filled my list as I could and then we would see.
-48 Soles - he said. $ 15. I handed him the silver.
Sir, if not too much trouble, can check all that does not have that in the next pharmacy they can say what they miss me?
I 'Yes sir. Here it is.
I saw the list. Again I felt relieved. All the things that he did not, if he had the hospital pharmacy. Back there and I showed up at the pharmacy.
--These Are the things that I need - I said to the Lord - but you expecting everything that is on the list said.
--A See - I said, and started playing with his computer. Then: 'We have all these things, but we just finished this gel. You will have to go out and buy. Otherwise, here it is a piece of paper. Go and pay in cash to pay, and handed.
"No way," I said. We went to the cashier to pay.
--They Are five soles and eighty cents sir.
Two dollars. I paid. Orlando had my hand. He looked tired, and lost. I wondered if I looked the same. We left the hospital for the second time. This time we had more luck: the first pharmacy had the gel we need.
--16 Soles sir.
$ 5.
'Thank you.
We enter the hospital again and went to the pharmacy there. They gave me things that I had paid in cash to pay. "At last," I said, "have it all. Now, on to the doctor, and he will point to my O."
It's bad habit of mine to have victory before the time runs out.
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THE DOCTOR WAS PUT TO SEE OUR SUPPLIES. When he got to see a small purple package and delayed in view, I began to nerves again. Something was not right.
--Mire - I said - this needle is not right. Do you see where it says SD? TC has to say.
--no Understand - I said - How do you?
--This Needle is useless. If in his hand, yes. But on the whole face it is more delicate. The tip has to be thinner. TC has to say.
'But if I showed what you sent me.
--no I know what to say sir. It gave the wrong thing. You should go to change before we can proceed. Furthermore: no gloves or gauze I ordered. You also have to get that.
'But at the pharmacy they told me that the list was complete.
--I Can not speak for the pharmacy. Just I know that lacks these three things: gloves, gauze, and needle. And I can not do anything until you have those things.
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ORLANDO remained faithful to me. Poor, poor child. They bulged blood droplets occasionally from his wound, cleaned it with my shirt, which is not healthy, I know, but what remedy?
Again, to the pharmacy. Again, pay box. Again, the pharmacy, which already had gloves and gauze. Again, we left the hospital. Again, ask for a needle, a needle that by this time seemed more of a myth. By some miracle they had the needle. For the fourth time, and I came to Orlando Surgery.
And now he presented us with another challenge: the doctor had gone. Most likely he was attending another child in our absence, but no one said anything. And we were not the only ones: a lady standing before me with a child who suffered from a less long but deeper than the Orlando court. A mother carrying her son who had two strong cuts on the forehead. On the other side there were other problems: children with asthma, fevers, broken bones, crying everywhere. Parents wore simple clothes, poor people, people who asked nothing more than the health of your child.
We have waited over half an hour until the doctor appeared. Orlando was half as good, I let the other moms were seen, to begin the process of getting things eternal pharmacies blessed.
And finally, FINALLY, the doctor said those magic words:
Let us go into suturing go to this little.
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ENTER INTO THE HALL OF PROCEDURE. Upon entering I saw something that will always be with me on a cot lay a baby, six pounds maximum, clearly suffering I do not know what. His mother, with his humble facade, its portfolio on the cot, sitting in a cheap chair, his head on the cot, asleep. How it would be like this, with such a small baby, you can not say anything, you do not know what's wrong, no resources, no other choice but to sleep beside the cot your little baby?
'And his son, cooperate - asked the doctor.
Q: How so?
'Or is there some children who move a lot, and we have to hold them. Otherwise, if your child can stand still, we have to not hold.
No, he did cooperate. Afraid, but he is still.
Very well. That is up to the cot.
I lifted the cot. Orlando had tears in his eyes but said it would be hard because it was important to care for your body. Okay, I said. He began the doctor to get their tools for the procedure.
'And Lord, who gave this tube?
I felt as if they had given me hard in the belly. Sir, excuse me. What tube?
--this.
--Mire, Sir, I'll be frank. I've been to so many sides that neither know where it came what. What happens now?
--it Had to be tiny, one centimeter. This is great.
'But what I got your list ....
Yes, but not served. Is going to change.
'You mean I got something wrong again?
--so Is.
'And the child?
--Se Stays here. Go fast and change.
Back to the pharmacy. Again pay box. Back to the pharmacy. I was practically running. I came back and handed it.
Q: So wanted?
--Yup. We've put the gel to not feel anything.
I --What well.
Sir - I asked - what country are you a citizen?
--of United States.
'And the child, too?
--Yup.
'Well. I do not think I've fully understood. Please be saying the things I say in English, so everything will go better.
--Listo.
And he brought the needle.
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ORLANDO erupted in tears when the tip of the needle penetrated his wound. She cried until it passed the pain and kept crying until she realized she no longer hurt, but felt nothing. The doctor worked quickly but accurately. She left a stream of blood and then could start sewing. He noted that with each movement of the needle side of the cut until he was soon closed it.
Q: How many points are - I asked.
--Three.
--so I imagined.
The doctor said he was ready now. And can you believe it ?: A Orlando I had to wake up so we left.
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There are many details I did not include in this story. I suppose I could tell you how Ada and Niko waiting with a hamburger for Orlando, as I urged a Coke because I was dying for lack of sugar, such as upcoming appointments Orlando. And I suppose I could also take this opportunity to compare health systems in two different, or make comments societies countries.
But I do not want to everything. Most of all this story for me it was a way to vent, let me think so happened, but at the same time has passed, and although it was a moment of despair, everything will be fine. It may be corny, but I think the experience I had yesterday I have a very big impact, and that really is saying something, because for my age there are so many things that impact one.
I remember that horror to learn that Orlando was bleeding, and good care Adita given. I remember the face and voice and Niko's hand, shouting his love for his brother. I remember the decision to take him to the doctor in a country and an unknown system. I remember that going to heal me or in the taxi we kill almost a hundred times due to traffic. I remember the confusion it was me who was responsible to look for things that will sutured. I remember running from pharmacy to pharmacy, me or beside me, scared but strong because he trusted me. I remember her crying to feel the needle in his wound, and blood, and sewn, and they had to wake up later. I remember that a friend like Adita no way to reward what he did, I'd have to accept as a gift from God.
And most of all remember my hours in that place surrounded by many people who are less fortunate than I, who probably did not have the necessary resources to buy needles and gloves soles. And I remember conversations with parents of the children that every story was different but at the same time. I remember the wild cries of the children who could not stand the pain, X reason to be. And fit doubt remember that your baby lying mom so fragile that frankly do not know if still alive.
And I remember that after all this wave of recognition as rich, even under ugly circumstances, that for every person who inhabits this earth, for all our differences and disputes, there is one thing that never changes for anybody: that when someone to whom we are sick or hurt, he's our son, our father, our partner or our friend, the only thing - the only thing - that we care about in all this world full of misfortune is that our loved one can be improved, either anyway, without even matter how many pharmacies that touches us in the process.
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