A WEEK IN THE LIFE OF AN ENDOCRINOLOGIST
TRIP REPORT: ONE-WEEK IN AMERICA
I was still a student in Australia when I
read somewhere; I think it was WCFields an American comedian of his era who
said:
First Prize is one week in Philadelphia
Second Prize is two weeks in Philadelphia!
I thought of it while writing down the
title of this blog, without any disrespect to USA or its friendly inhabitants.
Day 1 UA 777 staffed by grandfatherly type
Flight Attendants, looking tired life. Meal was not enjoyable; the wine I
wanted was not available even though the brochure said it was, settled for a
Russian River Chardonnay after two glasses of Heidsick Metropole.
(Skyteam Lounge at Terminal 4 at LHR, food and drinks on the flight to Houston from London)
10-hour
flight into Houston. Quickly through Immigration and Customs (Global Entry). A
short connecting flight to San Antonio (40 minutes). The driver of the shuttle
bus that took me to AVIS rent a car recollected our last conversation, about
his lost chances of visiting Australia, when I was here in December!
Incredible! Quickly to Comfort Inn where an attractive Mexican American girl
assigned me to a very large room.
Day 2
(Traditional soup of the Kickapoo)
An uneventful two and half hour drive to
the Kickapoo Reservation where my sister Mena was waiting with a traditional
Kikapu soup. vegetables and chicken. Within a few minutes, we were off to Mexico
in a van full of patients she had organized to be seen and treated there by our
team of 3.
(A van full of Kickapoo patients to Mexico)
By the time we finished at 8 pm, I was tired and yawning with jet
lag stepping in but it was time to get back to Eagle Pass, USA for a pleasant
dinner at Don Miguel Parrillada. The effervescent manager recognized our
Mexican colleague and treated us to some heavy cheesecake! I chose Pollo Azteca
with a tantalizing Margarita and that made me my own somnambulistic shadow even
before I fell asleep at the Reservation.
(Dinner with Mena, Doctora, Sr Davila at Don Miguel Parrillada in Eagle Pass, Texas)
Day 3
The morning fog was very thick and it was
an unusually cold morning for this part of the world. Once again across the
international border into Mexico. Already patients were waiting, Kikapu as well
as Mexican. When there was a lull in the clinic, I sneaked upstairs, where the
husband of the doctor, a gentleman rancher, had prepared a very nice Mexican
breakfast-beef machacada, eggs, avocado, and coffee…
(Caballero Don Polo Davila preparing breakfast for us)
More patients but so many courageous
stories. An elderly lady who threw away her cane, after beginning her
rehabilitative therapy in Cuba under the watchful eyes of la Doctora and then
continuing it here, including Ozone therapy and now is mobile without any
assistance.
At least a couple of people in their
sixties, given up six to eight years ago for chronic kidney disease and urged
to go into dialysis, still doing well without dialysis on Ozone therapy!!
Once again the clinic was not one of your
usual clinics-innovation and psychology makes this clinic unusual and patients
are happy.
The last ones were a couple, the lady
elegantly dressed with her doting husband in tow. I was impressed with the
tenderness they showed each other.
How is my wife, Doctor, he asked in polite
Spanish, in all earnestness
I replied and explained, and it was my turn
to ask,
How long you two have been married?
53 years he said, more than half a century,
she added, with a gleam in her eyes..
(Moscogo dish of brown rice, chili and beef)
Back across the border, to the reservation
where a Mascogo lady from Mexico had prepared a very nice spicy dish with brown rice. Mascogos
are an interesting group of people who had lived alongside the Kikapu for a
very long time in Mexico. It was 5 pm and I knew that the sun will soon set and
I better leave to avoid any encounters along the lonely road to San Antonio. 2
hours and 45 minutes later, a very chilly evening, drove into the Econolodge,
next to the very hotel I had stayed just two nights earlier.
A north Indian lady was at the reception,
we briefly exchanged words about Indians in the hotel business in USA. I
thought to myself, these immigrants reflect the general mood of the state they
migrate to; when they are in Texas they are as friendly as the Texans and
certainly friendlier than others in less warmer states. She wanted me to give
her some pointers about a visit she and her family were planning to the city of
Lights, Paris!
Day 4
The airport was only 5 miles away and on
this Sunday morning the road to the airport and the airport itself were empty.
A short flight and a quick connection at
IAH, at the appointed time I was in OMA, rented a car from AVIS and got on to
the road north. I wanted to get to the reservation of the Indians where the
Blue House was, before 5 pm, as I expected the sun to go down by then, before
our four legged brothers begin their foraging and to avoid unnecessary encounters
with them.
The sun was dipping at the horizon, when I
reached the boundary of the reservation. Remembering my negligence for not
saying a prayer of gratitude on entering the reservation (as I was taught), I
called out to the open space in front of me, I am thankful that all of you have
brought me here safely. Looked at the trees with affection and drove into the
reservation towards the Blue House. Sure enough, within minutes, two deers, one
of them a fawn, appeared. I interpreted it was a symbol of welcome; I thanked
them and drove, just ahead of the falling night.
Days 5, 6, and 7
(Tonia Keller, PA a Hocank with whom I have worked for many years)
I am privileged to work at this clinic of
Hocank Tribe of Nebraska, their Whirling Thunder Wellness Programme. Two
excellent co-workers and a very obliging helper and also the best nutritionist
in the Indian country, who is a HoCank herself.
One patient after another, with long,
content, in depth interviews and counselling, along with medical care for their
chronic conditions, much coated with the cultural nature of their way of thinking
about sickness, we made sure that all of us did what we best could, for all of
them. Most of patients needed one hour of our time each.
My personal motto is: They must leave
happier than when they entered.
I had packed the night before, after the last
patient, I was on the road again, 90 minutes later I was pulling into the
parking lot of a stucco home in the suburbs of Omaha, where a Indian family
awaited me with their welcome.
(a typical UmonHon welcome greeting for Oncle S)
Day 8
The day began with conversations and a
Nespresso.. A nice sense of belonging to these ancient people.
It is time to leave the USA, thankful for a
full, satisfying time for a Physician-Anthropologist…
(AVIS should be proud to have such a good employee like Brandy)
Continuing the incredible hospitality of
the Midwestern Americans, Brandy at AVIS and the lady behind the counter at United,
did immense favours… what is amazing is that, they continue to do so, not just
one, but time after time… that is why I like coming to the USA!
