TIA

So the other day I admitted a patient who had had a previous below the knee amputation. This time he was here with a broken arm....it was pretty cool looking. When he tried to move his arm it definitely bent at 2 spots instead of one. It had been quite awhile since it happened and he was finally able to get it fixed. Well, I had him two days and the second day I was able to discharge him home. He is from Togo and after talking to him with a translator it sounded like his daughter who was with him would take him home in a car.

However, by the time we carried him down the stairs ofthe gangway in a narrow stretcher type wheelchair and started walking in the rain down the dock I realized they didn't have a car here like I thought I had heard. The translator from the ward was pushing him and I followed as we walked further down the dock. So I asked the translator..."how is he getting home." I did not quite understand what he said but knew he meant some sort of Taxi. So we get to the end of the dock in the rain and the daughter waved down a motorcycle taxi. It's like a cross between a motorcycle and moped and the most common taxi here. Anyway...I looked at the translater with a strange look on my face and we both kind of shrugged our shoulders.. I was like, "is this how they plan to get home to Togo?" He nodded and told me this is how they got here. I knew there was nothing I could do at this point and no convincing them otherwise. So, in the rain, the daughter, translator, and taxi driver had a long discussion looking back and forth at the patient. The taxi driver finally agreed to take him. So the translator, daughter and I proceeded to lift this man onto the bike.

This whole time in my head Im in a bit of disbelief that I am sending a man with one leg and a knewly fixed broken arm home on a motorbike after explaining to him that he cannot use that arm. I was at least relieved to see the daughter decided to ride behind him on the bike and hold him snug in between 2 people instead of ride on a seperate bike. After getting them all situated and seeing them ride off the translator and I ran back the long dock in the rain back to the ship....the whole time I'm replaying in my head what just happened and thinking to myself..."TIA...This is Africa".:)