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The "Nearly Killing My Best Friend" Story
Entry 40 of 133 | show all | print this entry |
I've grown to care deeply about the women who work at Backpackers - in particular the bar crew, Fiona, Grace, Percy, and Erinah (Pinkie). Pinkie is a very good friend. She is small; short and thin (and if you are reading this Pinkie, also very beautiful). She also suffers from bad headaches from time to time. She has a sweet, occasionally edgy, disposition, and I always enjoy hearing her say the word "no" (Not what you think you dirty buggers. You'd have to hear it).
A few weeks ago she was suffering from a very bad headache and back pain. I offered her some pain pills I had. They were quite strong, codeine based, and I told her she should probably just take one, but gave her two, one for later if the pain persisted. She said one for the head, one for the body, and took both.
After about an hour, she collapsed. Basically, it was an overdose. Maria came and found me, and I went back through the bar to the kitchen where Pinkie was laying on a mattress, covered with a blanket, and growing increasingly incoherent. We got her into James's taxi and took her to a nearby clinic. Flies came in and out of the window, and since that part of Kampala was experiencing one of its frequent power outages and this little clinic obviously could not afford a generator, everything was done by candle light. They laid her on a bed, put a saline drip IV into her arm, and nothing else. I don't think there was an actual doctor present. All of this is worth another entry discussing health care standards and accessibility for average Africans, but that is another story and this is Pinkie and mine's.
I, and James as well, was not happy at this clinic. I was growing increasingly agitated and increasingly worried. I said I thought we should go to The Surgery, an upscale, ex-pat, wealthy Ugandan clinic. I said I would pay, and carried her out of the clinic and back into the taxi.
The worst moment of the night came on the way to the second clinic. At one point, Pinkie passed out entirely, and I could not wake her. I'm certainly no doctor, but I know this is the last thing you want to happen with an overdose. I slapped (gently, well, mostly), yelled, swore, and pinched her trying to get her awake. I can't properly convey the strength of the emotions I was feeling. This was NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. It was that simple. I was NOT going to hold my friend in my arms and let her die. I know how stupid this might sound, but I felt responsible for what had happened, and I was simply not going to allow anything to happen to her. Finally, finally, after pleas, curses, pinches, and slaps, she responded. Barely - little more than a grunt that I felt as much as heard, but a response none the less.
We finally arrived at the Surgery. I carried Pinkie in and quickly gave the nurse, then the doctor, the details of everything that had happened. I learned I can keep my head in a crisis, which is good I suppose. The most important thing - Pinkie was ok. She had barely easten that day, or the one before. Combined with her size and taking the second pill simply overwhelmed her system. After a few tests, she was put on another IV drip, and we managed to get her to eat some food and drink as well. The worst was past.
I never really left her side. Maria laughed at my anxiety and poked gentle fun at me with Pinkie when she was more aware later on. I sat next to Pinkie for a couple of hours, mostly just the two of us. A few times in my life, a few times with James and Patricia (my little brother and sister), a few times with students on trips, I have felt a fierce, protective feeling towards people. A fierceness, a determination, an absolute certainty that NOTHING would happen to that person while I was there. That I would kill or die if either was needed to keep that person safe. That is what I felt sitting next to Pinkie while she recovered in the clinic bed.
In the end, she was ok. And that is all that really matters. I can think of much better ways to spend a Friday night however.
Still in Kamapala, visa runs out soon, almost time to leave.
Latest Comments (3)
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bloody great to read about kampala (reply)
Jan 10, 2007 20:31 EST by itdk
DJ, mate we are back in OZ now (dani a bit crazy n isaac) reading your explainations of kampala was awesome. there is no way i could explain as you had and so much of it just took me back to the taxi park and walking the streets of that city. i will print those entries out to keep as a reminder of the place cause they really get a picture going. So 'i'm going to get on the next bus to rwanda' didn... show all
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bloody great to read about kampala (reply)
Jan 10, 2007 20:31 EST by itdk
DJ, mate we are back in OZ now (dani a bit crazy n isaac) reading your explainations of kampala was awesome. there is no way i could explain as you had and so much of it just took me back to the taxi park and walking the streets of that city. i will print those entries out to keep as a reminder of the place cause they really get a picture going. So 'i'm going to get on the next bus to rwanda' didn... show all
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| 40. | The "Nearly Killing My Best Friend" Story - Kampala, Uganda Jan 10, 2007 (  3 ) |
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