エチオピア近くの海に落ちた飛行機。
幸い命に別状はないものの大けがをおったRonさんたち、どこに近代的な病院があるのか、腕のいい医者はいるのか。
どの国に行くべきか移送先の選択を迫られます。
Transport Operations:
A French medical team from Reunion Island was the first on the scene. They said they had a converted military plane, which could carry sick to one of the best hospitals in the Indian Ocean, comparable with hospitals in South Africa. The problem was that it would take four and a half hours to travel in that old plane. To South Africa, if it could be arranged, would be only three hours.
The Japanese JICA (JAPAN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ASSOCIATION), wanted to take me to Nairobi, as did the Ethiopian and the American Embassy. I did not want to go to Nairobi, as I had food poisoning there once and would rather go to a more modern hospital. As the French medical team seemed the most efficient, best equipped and ready to go, I selected to go to Reunion with them. Well, I guess I made the right choice, as this hospital was excellent, and the staff, although French speaking only, were wonderful to me.
The French Medical Team:
The team of French medics was excellent. Even when there were no problems, they made rounds about every 2-3 minutes. Also, their medical equipment was much more modern than that which was used in the Comoros. I knew by their professionalism and efficiency that I had made the right decision to go to Reunion.
On a sad note, I learned there were five Americans on the plane and two had died. One of two Japanese died.
Once our converted medical plane took off, the English girls started talking again. I now knew her name, Katie, but did not know her friend’s name, so I asked and gave them my name, “Ron”. The other English lady’s name was Lizzy. Lizzy and I met in the first hospital, and she had a bad leg injury.
When I gave my name, Rani heard it. She was in one of the upper cotes, out of my view. I could not see her but she heard my name and shouted out, “Ron, are you here too?” So, once again, we were rejoined.
The plane ride was not comfortable, as it was a military cargo plane and not for injured passengers. At the end of the flight, my leg hurt more than ever. But, the medical team headed by Dr. Bernard Gavwere was excellent!
At Reunion, the American Ambassador of Mauritius, a nearby island nation, met me at the airport. He also said I would get the best of care in that hospital, and if there was anything he could do, he would. That was about 7-8 PM in the evening, and he said he would visit me in the hospital the next day.
I was sent to a hospital called Felix Guyon in St. Denis, on the island of Reunion. Reunion is like France’s Hawaii. I never saw the island though. I was in the hospital the whole time.
When I first enter the hospital, I know I would be in good care, as all the equipment was like any industrialized country. Rani, Lizzy, Katie, the American Frank (Poncho) Huddle and his wife, were all in the same hospital.
I must admit, the four and a half hours on a noisy and shaky plane made my leg hurt all the more, and I had not been given anything to eat for 48 hours.
The first doctor saw my original X-rays, and he said the leg had to be re-set within five minutes, as it will cause great problems later on. I did everything in my power to convince him the leg was set, and he soon confirmed that. So, he simply cut off the cast on my ankle, drilled a hole in the bone below my knee on my left leg, so the hip would be put in traction so it would heal properly.
Then, I ate a full meal and went to sleep, a very good, deep sleep, as the ordeal was slowly coming to an end.
幸い命に別状はないものの大けがをおったRonさんたち、どこに近代的な病院があるのか、腕のいい医者はいるのか。
どの国に行くべきか移送先の選択を迫られます。
Transport Operations:
A French medical team from Reunion Island was the first on the scene. They said they had a converted military plane, which could carry sick to one of the best hospitals in the Indian Ocean, comparable with hospitals in South Africa. The problem was that it would take four and a half hours to travel in that old plane. To South Africa, if it could be arranged, would be only three hours.
The Japanese JICA (JAPAN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ASSOCIATION), wanted to take me to Nairobi, as did the Ethiopian and the American Embassy. I did not want to go to Nairobi, as I had food poisoning there once and would rather go to a more modern hospital. As the French medical team seemed the most efficient, best equipped and ready to go, I selected to go to Reunion with them. Well, I guess I made the right choice, as this hospital was excellent, and the staff, although French speaking only, were wonderful to me.
The French Medical Team:
The team of French medics was excellent. Even when there were no problems, they made rounds about every 2-3 minutes. Also, their medical equipment was much more modern than that which was used in the Comoros. I knew by their professionalism and efficiency that I had made the right decision to go to Reunion.
On a sad note, I learned there were five Americans on the plane and two had died. One of two Japanese died.
Once our converted medical plane took off, the English girls started talking again. I now knew her name, Katie, but did not know her friend’s name, so I asked and gave them my name, “Ron”. The other English lady’s name was Lizzy. Lizzy and I met in the first hospital, and she had a bad leg injury.
When I gave my name, Rani heard it. She was in one of the upper cotes, out of my view. I could not see her but she heard my name and shouted out, “Ron, are you here too?” So, once again, we were rejoined.
The plane ride was not comfortable, as it was a military cargo plane and not for injured passengers. At the end of the flight, my leg hurt more than ever. But, the medical team headed by Dr. Bernard Gavwere was excellent!
At Reunion, the American Ambassador of Mauritius, a nearby island nation, met me at the airport. He also said I would get the best of care in that hospital, and if there was anything he could do, he would. That was about 7-8 PM in the evening, and he said he would visit me in the hospital the next day.
I was sent to a hospital called Felix Guyon in St. Denis, on the island of Reunion. Reunion is like France’s Hawaii. I never saw the island though. I was in the hospital the whole time.
When I first enter the hospital, I know I would be in good care, as all the equipment was like any industrialized country. Rani, Lizzy, Katie, the American Frank (Poncho) Huddle and his wife, were all in the same hospital.
I must admit, the four and a half hours on a noisy and shaky plane made my leg hurt all the more, and I had not been given anything to eat for 48 hours.
The first doctor saw my original X-rays, and he said the leg had to be re-set within five minutes, as it will cause great problems later on. I did everything in my power to convince him the leg was set, and he soon confirmed that. So, he simply cut off the cast on my ankle, drilled a hole in the bone below my knee on my left leg, so the hip would be put in traction so it would heal properly.
Then, I ate a full meal and went to sleep, a very good, deep sleep, as the ordeal was slowly coming to an end.
