Hospitals in Vava'u

September 29 – 30

Our friend Michael, a volunteer on the main island of Tongatapu, came up to Vava’u to visit during the term break. Mike got to experience an amazing week doing rad things like swimming with the whales, island tapas dinners, and going out to one of the most beautiful islands in the country. However on the last day of the break Mike got hit with a really bad case of strep throat. We were all still on Ofu (an outer island) when Mike started to feel super sick. We came back to the main island and I told Mike he could come back to my place and try and sleep off his fevor (at this point we didn’t know it was strep). We were back at my place for just enough time for me to take a shower before Vava (my cab driver) was told to come take Mike to the hospital. I went with Mike to the hospital to help him out. This happened to be my first time actually in the hospital (when I was sick I saw the Docotor who works in the pharmacy in town). I didn’t think it was too bad but Mike has other thoughts. We get there and Mike can barely talk, I am trying to help check him in and jugle talking to the oncall nurse as well as on the phone with the PC doctor who is trying to give instructions to the nurse but can’t really. The whole time we were juggling the PC doc calling the Tongan Doc (who wasn’t going to be at the hospital until later) trying to get him to approve medicine for Mike. While all this is happening Mike is keeled over in the bed and I am having side conversations with the staff about moas (tongan slang for girlfriend) and wives because we are still in Tongan and just because I am around working professionals the environment is the same dirty joke, loud laughing place as anywhere else in Tonga. This male nurse shows up and he and I start a back n’ forth between him giving Mike shots in the butt.

Eventually we get the order the Mike has to spend the night in the hospital. Here’s the thing about hospitals in Tonga, you have to bring everything with you when you stay the night, that means sheets, pillows, food, water, soap, and of course toilet paper. Being nieve Americans we were clearly underprepared. Luckiy this is Tonga and not only Tonga but Vava’u where I am the Mayor. We get put into a room and in right across from Mike’s “bed” (one of the foam mattresses covered in ripped plastic) was a women from my village! I talked to her a bit and she, being very well prepared, gave some food to Mike and promised to keep an eye on him. I called Vava to tell him he wouldn’t need to take us back because Mike was staying in the hospital and I’d get a ride back (this is where I became overwhelmed with how amazing people can be), Vava asked if we had stuff to stay the night to which I responded no, Vava the guy who drives me home sometimes and we have chats comes to the hospital with his wife with a complete set of bedding, pillows, water, juice, food, and toilet paper for Mike. I love Tongans.

After staying with Mike a while and seeing the Doctor I made sure Pina (the lady from my village who was staying to look after her husband in the bed across from Mike) would keep an eye on Mike. Secured that Mike would be okay until I came back in the morning I left. When I came back the next morning there were even more people from my village. Mike was a sleep so I was just talking and joking with my people and the crazy male nurse from the previous night. They were telling me to go around the hospital and find oil so they could do some Tongan medicine on Mike, of course me, who has no shame went to look for some oil. On my search I also had to get information from the nurses to rely to the PC doc. The whole time I felt like such a champion because I was basically acting like a translator and I felt at ease with how I could communicate with people and how I had met people from my village who I felt comfortable with to ask for their help. I really felt integrated- I felt bad because Mike was so sick but it was definitely a good ego boost for me.

Mike woke up to a group of Tongans giving him some Tongan medicine (an oil massage on his throat) and a bunch of loud laughing as we were basically having a gathering in the room. He was given the OK to leave the hospital around noon and with the penicillin coursing through his body he rapidly recovered and we were able to salvage what was left of his trip in Vava’u.