Pain and Sorrow

This morning Bami, I and the Sarah family went to the local inoculation clinic for immunizations.  The clinic facility was partly under construction.  Actually, it was hard to tell which part was being constructed and which part was finished.  We had to climb over rocks and rubble but it otherwise looked like a clinic-- full of mothers, babies and very professional nurses and pleasant staff.

This was us and Azeb waiting for Sister Brookawit to bring Bami's inoculation card from the foster home.

In the waiting room were a lot of mothers and babies, like us, although we were certainly the only ferengi (foreigners) there.  We also had the unique distinction of bringing the only father and Tom got a lot of appreciative smiles from the other moms. 

Bami’s schedule this time around was for polio (oral) and 2 shots: Pertussis (Whopping Cough) and pneumonia.  The pneumonia vaccine is relatively new in Ethiopia and is slowly impacting infant mortality as pneumonia is one its leading causes. 

When it was our turn, the nurse indicated that Bami's legs would be the target.  I unsnapped her outfit to expose her legs and the moment that Bami felt the needle and cried, I did too.  Bami was okay and smiling within 5 minutes but it cuts me like a knife when I hear that cry of pain and see her little tears.

J. Mo said that TaliBamiMommy cried more than Tali Bami.

J. Mo, who is a certified pain nurse, told me later that the attending nurse did a very good job.  She immobilized the leg with one hand and used a resourceful technique where she laid the needle on the skin prior to turning it and inserting it, to avoid sticking in the wrong place or inadvertently sticking the baby twice.  She also desensitized the skin by rubbing, comforted properly and skillfully used distraction to her advantage. The only thing she didn’t do was wash her hands between patients. 

Tali Bami was pretty upset most of the rest of the day and needed a lot of extra comforting.  Rahel came over just to visit and ended up helping me a lot with TBK for the rest of the afternoon and evening, and she even brought me a home-cooked dinner.  When Bami slept and I started to do the ONLY housework that I have to do, clean bottles, she said, "Jen, when Bami sleleps, this is my work."  Then she refused to take payment from me. What a LOVE.

In the afternoon we had a sad visit to make. Our friend, Ethiopia, lost her mother so we went to pay a condolence call.  When we arrived, the family was sitting in a tent and each immediate family member was wearing either black or their natella (shawl) was upside down, indicating that they were mourning.  They also bury their dead as soon as possibly after death. Apparently many Orthodox Christian customs are similar to Jewish ones. 

Ethiopia is very sad.  Her mother suffered greatly with multiple health issues in the last several months and was in a great deal of pain.  However, she is very grateful to Jennifer Morris and to Dr. Andy Kaufman for treating her with so much competancy and compassion in the last month of her life. 

According to J. Mo who has met her, Ethiopia's mother was a true natural beauty.  She gave birth to 8 children and has 13 grandchildren. 

MAY HER MEMORY ALWAYS BE A BLESSING.

 
Love and Goodnight from Addis,
--Jen and Tali Bami