Aerophyte

This species of flower is an aerophyte (or epiphyte).  Epiphytes grow on other plants but are not parasitic - they derive their moisture from the air and nutrients from small pockets of dirt on the host tree.   

"Send that 'Old Navy' shipment, STAT!"

A very common sight

The ready-made-garment industry is huge here.  Doubtless you recall some the tragedies and news stories in the last few years centered around this industry.  Even so, I can't help but chuckle every time I see this on a car.

Petay Betha and Margin

resting 

Petay Betha (belly pain)

Opportunities to help abound.  Choosing how or when to help or whom to help is often more challenging.  Today was easy.  My tutor and I were out running a few errands and on the way home our rickshaw-wallah was clearly ill; I've never seen someone have as much trouble pedaling a rickshaw (though I'm not permitted to help - talk about uncomfortable).   Of course he must work even when ill, or he doesn't eat and probably his family doesn't eat.  Finally, at the corner near our flat he had to stop - he simply couldn't go any further.

We hopped off and I asked what was wrong and examined him, streetside.  Several people, including several other rickshaw wallahs stopped to watch, listen and offer opinions.  Patient confidentiality is little different here ;-)

He had belly pain, subjective fever, and very little else in the way of other symptoms. Picking the two most likely diagnoses (worms or typhoid) I ran upstairs grabbed our last two tablets of albendazole (for worms) and a bottle of clean water and brought them down.  I wrote out instructions for him that if he was no better tomorrow, to purchase ciprofloxacin and take it for a week.  He probably can't read, but the pharmacist can.

Margin

I often think about 'margin' in our life - the amount of space in which to rest, reflect, recharge or relate with others.  I can think of margin as a sort of emotional or mental bank account from which I draw to live, raise children or help people.  It's a good thing to not get so busy that there's no margin; I have not always managed it.

By comparison to our rickshaw-driver this morning, though, I have infinite margin.  He can't even afford to be sick for a day much less spend time simply thinking.  That does not mean that I should feel guilty about having margin, but rather that I should encourage and act, in the small ways that I can, to help others have margin.  

A Flurry of Consultations

A flock of geese, a parliament of owls, an ambush of tigers, a murmuration of starlings, a shrewdness of apes...

I worried I would get rusty, not actively practicing medicine this winter, and though we worked over Christmas it was a quiet winter - just an occasional thing here or there, but in the last two weeks I've seen: pneumonia, dysentery, urticaria (hives), intestinal worms, infected leg wounds etc.  Delightful, eh?  All just in time - we move up North in about 6 weeks.  I don't feel quite so rusty now.

Some other favorites:  A sleuth of bears, a kindle of kittens, a destruction of cats, a rake of colts, a scold of jays, a piteousness of doves.

Not Savage

Homemade paper doll by M

Notification that savage stuffed animals are not welcome at the party.

Sidewalk