A Doctor Visit in Mada

Last week I had an unfortunate accident with the stairs.  My friend, Natalie, would be quick to tell you that I had quite a bit of trouble with them in high school too...especially at her house!  In this case I was going down the stairs (I haven't fallen up them in quite a while in case you were wondering Natalie) without Ryleigh - thankfully!  My foot slipped out from under me and I proceeded to plummet down our stairs.  You can call me "Grace" I guess!  The result was immediate swelling and bruising which quickly led us to the doctor's office. 

We had been to this office several times to get Ryleigh's monthly measurements.  However, this was the 1st time we had noticed that there are several large steps to get into the doctor's office.  We looked around but unfortunately no "handicap accessible"  (aka "I think my leg might be broken") ramp was available.  As soon as the doctor saw my leg she said "Ohhhhhh Hmmmm" which pretty much translates in any language to "that doesn't look so great".  She said she was sending me to get an xray, but first wanted me to take some pain medicine.  The nurse/receptionist/pharmacist gal (yes, she's all 3) brought me a coffee cup of cold water/oil/sizzling medicine...our guess is some form of alka seltzer.  Let's just say that momentarily I forgot about the pain in my leg due to the taste of this medicine!

We were sent out of the doctor's office and up the street to where the xray would be taken...did I mention we had to walk there...with my hurt leg?  Oh the life of living in Mada!  The reciptionist there told us that we had to pay our bill upfront before we could recieve the xray.  The grand total was...$12.00!  We then walked up the stairs (yes, stairs are why I was there to begin with) and down a long hall to an almost empty room.  Picture an unfinished room in a new house...concrete walls, a few windows, and some wiring still hanging out in random places.  In the middle of the room was a giant machine, which we assumed was the xray machine.  The technician brought up a wooden kitchen chair for me to sit on and picked up my leg and placed it on the machine.  He quickly snapped two photos and praise the Lord it wasn't broken!!  We were then handed the xray...

and told to take it back downstairs to the doctor.  The doctor told us it was not broken or fractured ( Hallelujah!) and wrote up a prescription for 2 different medicines (some more alka seltzer stuff and ointment that's equivalent to muscle rub).  The grand total for all of the medicine...$6.00.  By far the cheapest doctor visit I've ever had!

The end result?  A very bruised and painful - but no longer swollen shin :)

Thanking Him for His protection through the prayers of all of you!!