Another night in the hospital

"Ma bidy rooh hella, doctoor. Fena nastana hata bukra lnaml soora?"

Abu Hussein asked me this, covered in blankets to his ears, still shivering. "I don't want to go now, Doctor. Can we wait until tomorrow for the x-ray?" What do you say to a man who has been through so much, to convince him to go through yet another hospital visit? Where every transfer to a new bed means pain, where they don't know if they'll be able to pay? But I was worried about his left lung. There were no breath sounds. In the context of his chills, increased heart rate, increased productive cough, and an episode of blood when he coughed today, I didn't feel comfortable waiting until tomorrow.

Its unclear what "normal" is for Abu Hussein. He arrived on Sunday to the SCI house. Shot through the spine on the outskirts of Damascus about three weeks ago, this 50 year old father has slowly made his way to Amman after a couple hospital visits on the way. He's hoping for surgery, hoping he may still be able to walk again. His brother has been taking care of him as best he can. But he doesn't know the risks people with spinal cord injuries face. As a result Abu Hussein has an unstageable bed sore on his bum about the size of a softball (I'll spare you the photo).

Earlier today he had gone to a hospital for an MRI to find out the location of his spinal cord lesion and see if any surgeries would help. I wasn't there, but his brother mentioned they had no stretchers available and moved him around in a wheelchair. At one point Abu Hussein fell from the chair onto the floor.

Plus, we knew from the MRI he had some broken ribs (before he fell):

In a place where there are not unlimited resources, where there are 13 other patients with spinal cord injuries among whom the resources must be split, I questioned myself repeatedly - does he really need an x-ray now? Already I've felt this economic question has gotten in the way of seeking the best care for the patients at the SCI house, so I gathered myself, spoke to Dr. B and talked to Abu Amr about taking Abu Hussein to the hospital So we piled in the car. Five of us, two in the front, the patient supine in the back of a Ford Explorer-like vehicle. The remaining three crowded around him.

At the first hospital a doc came out, did no examination, declared him stable, then said he should go to a different hospital just in case he needs the ICU. I was as confused as the next guy with that contradictory statement, but away we went. At the next hospital, we arrived in the ER and spoke to the docs. After 30 minutes, no vitals were taken, so we took them ourselves. ِAnother 30 and we finally got the x-ray:

Strange x-ray that just doesn't seem to match why I heard no breath sounds on the left. No obvious signs of pneumonia or fluid around the left lung. But the left lung isn't normal. Neither is the right, really, though his injury and some diaphragmatic paralysis might explain some of the right side. No one else at the hospital seemed to know what was causing his symptoms. So he was admitted and we'll see him tomorrow. (Comments/suggestions from those with more experience is very welcome!)

We get back to the apartment and Abu Amr kisses me on both cheeks and the top of my head, praising me for sounding the alarm, asking for the x-ray. I hope I earn that compliment. Abu Hussein, despite his pleas, is spending another night in the hospital. I hope for his sake something good comes of it.