Getting ready for the next aid run
Today we had another experience of Ukraine's health service, which was as impressive as previously. Bob though he might have a chest infection. A message to a friend, asking if he knew of an English- speaking doctor, resulted in four female paramedic responders crowding into our small kitchen. They said that Bob, as well as having a chest infection, had high blood pressure. Bob said, "Was it any wonder?" Every possible test was done. They took us in an ambulance through the snow to a community hospital as a precaution, despite Bob's protestations that he only needed a prescription and the address of the nearest chemist!! He was put on a drip to lower his blood pressure, and given a chest x-ray and other examinations. All within an hour and at no cost. There were no further concerns and prescriptions were given.
Just two further mentions regarding this hospital experience. First, the woman sitting behind a desk in the lift - her only job being to press the numbers of the floors! We realised afterwards that this may be because there is no indication of which floor any of the departments is on. They could have stuck up a sign but, instead, gave this woman a job - that seems like a good thing. And, second, as we were waiting for our taxi home, a group of women filed out into the snow with a number of trolleys and 2 wheelchairs. Shortly afterwards they returned with cauldrons and trays of hot food, piled onto both the trolleys and the wheelchairs!
We asked the hospital doctor, who spoke reasonable English, how they are coping. She said that they are managing ok, with some support from abroad. Earlier today I read an online Guardian article about the continuing power cuts, country-wide, as a result of missile attacks on energy infrastructure. This included a video of surgeons in a hospital in Kyiv, conducting heart surgery on a baby in torchlight. Their determination and dedication in continuing to operate in these conditions is nothing short of amazing.
Tomorrow morning we will pick up the gas stoves that we've bought with donations, which will be added to the load in our van. Then, we had planned to set off and see how far east we got, depending on weather conditions, before heading south. This will now be dependent on health.
We will be delivering aid to villages that were all but destroyed by shelling, before being liberated by the Ukrainian army. Our last aid run was to these communities, with Polish volunteers - we learned how important it is to people that their village remains on the map, despite the level of destruction. Once the van is empty the plan is to fill it again with wood-burning stoves to deliver to the same area.
This aid run is made possible by a church community in Krakow and a Polish charity, Paczki dla Ukrainy, both mentioned in yesterday's blog - if anyone would like to donate to a registered charity (rather than us!), then I can't think of any better. Paczki dla Ukrainy ("Packages for Ukraine") is run by Tomasz, with the support of his family and friends, and the university students he teaches. There is no office, no overheads and all money donated goes directly on humanitarian aid to Ukraine, which is often taken by Tomasz, himself, to more dangerous places than we would venture. Check it out:
https://zrzutka.pl/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/857948128246751/
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