Wednesday, April 20, 2005

Yusef

It's a holiday here in Libya - Milud (Prophet Mohamed's Birthday). Of course as it's innovation and not Islamic, my family doesn't celebrate it. But it is a public holiday, so we have the luxury of two days off work.

In the afternoon we all settled down to watch Jurassic Park. I hate these kinds of films, but we the kids were enjoying it so I was just kind of dozing in front of the TV. For some reason, Yusef decided to go out side to play downstairs. While he was outside he noticed an old lady walking around in our garden and she looked up at him and then slipped out the garden gate. Yusef decided to chase after her and see what she had been up to. His attention was on the old lady and not where he was running - he tripped over a cement block that is used to prop against the gate at night to make sure it stays closed. POW! He fell and snapped the bones in his forearm in half!

He called out for help and his cousin heard him and my sister-in-law and mother-in-law brought him upstairs to us. I packed some clothes in a bag and off we went to the hospital. The doctors had him x-rayed, then tried to see if they could set the bone as best they could, x-rayed him again. Big conference with the doctors and they said it would need surgery. The moved him to a room and said because of the holiday nothing could be done till after ward and the surgery would be scheduled no sooner than a week away.

Well, we pulled some strings with help from friends, students of mine, etc. and we got Yusef released from the hospital. We will take him to a different hospital and see what can be done - but with the holiday surgery probably won't be until Saturday. Mustafa wanted to take him to Tunis, but I said to wait and see what could be done here first before we drag him off somewhere else.

In the meantime, Yusef is home, is comfortable, clean and being well fed. We all rested well with him at home - Tomorrow is another day - we'll see what happens then.

Expect pictures soon!

5 comments:

  1. As salaamu alaikum, Tahoor inshallah! I feel for Yusef. Abdulrahman had cracked his forearm when he was in maybe in the second grade, then after the caste came off this mean kid pushed him off the slide and broke it completely they were going to put a pin in it but they managed to fix it under general anesthesia. I remember the pain in his face waiting for the operation. May Allah take his suffering from his sins, ameen.

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  2. It has not been much of a holiday has it ? Sorry to here about Yusef's fall, usually they can fix these things under general anesthesia to pull the bones back in place but you need to monitor it with a special device available as far as I know only in central hospital ( markazi -zawia street) in the emergency section..loong waiting line. However, if he needs surgery you might want to consider a second opinion. Also the bones' hospital in airport road ( triq almat'ar) just behind the Brega oil tanks seems to be doing a good job , all the specialists are supposedly there..you may want to check it . Usually kids can stay about 7 days without repairing the bone - as long as it has been correctly mobilised. That should give you time to find out all your options. Inshallah kheir and all the best.

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  3. Thanks for all the kind words. I will keep you all updated.

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  4. Poor Yusef... I hope he isn't suffering too much. I remember when my daughter Sarah was 3, she broke her collar bone - and they told us to keep her from moving!! Ha! That was impossible. Take care.

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  5. Because I can't be there to be his nurse, do this for me:

    VS Q2H (Take his vital signs every 2 hours).

    Assess Pain QH (Every Hour) And Medicate PRN (as needed). I hope that he has something good for pain.

    ROM (range of motion) exercises with unaffected extremities.

    Insure a quiet environment and reduce stress inducing situations.

    Allow patient to verbalize fear and anxiety.

    Assure patient that his injury is not his fault. (It’s the old lady and her evil eye’s fault)

    XO PRN (Hugs and Kisses when needed).

    XOXO,
    Nurse (well almost) and Aunt Kris

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