A Little Burkinabe Adventure---To The Infirmary..

I am currently in the Peace Corps infirmary in Ouagadougou(Ouaga). I came to Ouaga for the weekend to attend Siao--a West African week long artisan festival. After attending the festival, my friend, Amanda, and I were trying to buy mangos at a street stand. As I was talking with one of the vendors, I stepped back and my whole leg fell through a cement grate sewer-ditch thingy. As I was falling through the grate, I tried to turn my body and put out my hands to catch myself. This was not the best idea as it just twisted my body even more. I fell through the cement grate with my left leg going through one hole and my entire right arm going through the other hole. My falling happened out of no where and surprised both Amanda and the women selling the fruit. They tried pulling my body out of the grate but my leg was crushed between two cement blocks. Because my body was at an angle, every time they pulled I screamed out in pain. My first instinct was to start screaming in English telling them to stop because they were hurting me. Amanda immediately stopped but because the women did not understand me they kept trying to pull me out. By then about thirty people had surrounded me with three more men trying to help lift me out. By then I had remembered the word for stop in French was "arretez"; I was both screaming and bawling this to the people to stop pulling me out. I don't think they understood me or thought they were trying to help me by trying to lift me out even after I told them to stop. Amanda was then screaming "no" at them so they would stop. After a few minutes of trying to pull me out, the men then tried lifting the cement blocks out from around me but the blocks were too heavy. A man then ran to his house and grabbed a crowbar and then used it to pry me out. Still cyring, I grabbed the vendor women and started hugging them and saying thank you. I think they were kind of confused by my actions because no one hugs in Burkina---especially not strangers. Amanda then texted the Peace Corps Medical Officer(PCMO) that I was hurt and to call. About 15 seconds later Jean Luc calls and we explained what had happened. Luckily, we were only two blocks from the transit house(the house where volunteers stay during their travels). It was also lucky that the Peace Corps bureau was about a three minute car ride from the transit house. We hobbled to the transit house where a few minutes later Jean Luc and Doug, the PC Country Director met up with me. They informed me that I would have to go to the PC infirmary until a decision could be made. Jean Luc and a PC staff member carried me to the car and then once at The Bureau carried me from the car up two flights of stairs to the infirmary. Here, I have recieved amazing care. Jean Luc treated my wounds(my arm and leg) and looked at my leg(I have an inflamed bruise-cyst about the size of a large grapefruit on my leg as well as some other bruises). He brought me some yummy bagels and orange juice...never thought I would see those in country. Jean Luc also brought me ibuprofin and a list of restaurants/menus of places that would deliver food to the PC Bureau. Even on his days off, he visits me a few times a day to check up on me. Yesterday, Amanda stayed with me the entire day here in the infirmary. She was a God-send. We ordered grilled cheese sandwiches, fries, brownies, and cookies from the International School of Ouahadougou. It was so good! Today, before all of the health volunteers went back to Ouahigouya, Amanda and Colin stopped by to say goodbye and to drop off my bag. Tomorrow I will get x-rays of my leg and Doug says I should be able to leave on Tuesday. For at least a few days I will use crutches and for at least a week the PC will drive me between Ouahigouya and village. I am unsure as to why this happened to me but I believe everything happens for a reason. If anything, I got to know the PCMO and CD a bit better. I will be excited to get back to village and join the rest of the volunteers. Even though, I am currently by myself for the weekend in the infirmary, the PC infirmary is not your typical infirmary. In Burkina it's like living in a life of luxury; it kind of reminds me of an air-conditioned apartment. It has a tv, couches, about a two hundred movies, internet, comfy beds, magazines, a kitchen with a refrigerator, and a bathroom with a toilet! and bath tub. In Burkina, these would all be considered rare commodities. I will update this when I find out the results of the xrays.