The Rafikian

Kirk....

This trip was full of emotional moments, but perhaps the most poignant for me was the delivering of some medical supplies to the clinic in Unawatuna and the hospital in Galle (pronounced Gaul).

But first a little background...Kirk Leader was a good friend of mine, and although I only knew him for a relatively short time (about 3 years) we quickly developed a bond, perhaps due to our love of travelling and adventure. He was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma at the end of July 2015. This cancer is particularly rare, and even if found as early as possible, it remains untreatable. He was 48 years old and full of life, and it seemed unfair that he be stricken with this horrendous disease, and while he was given 4 to 6 months, he faced it with with poise and dignity, realizing that there was nothing he, nor anyone else, could do. He moved to Nanaimo from Regina only a year previous, and had no family here, and for whatever reason, I took it upon myself to be with him on this journey. We had great discussions in the months that followed, and while most of the time was spent discussing life's adventures, there were moments of sadness as well. He was an accomplished diver, spending a number of years in Australia, and more so in Thailand where he taught diving to countless number of people. He was a strong advocate of the Sea Shepherd Society and had a great concern regarding the health of the world's oceans. I worked with Kirk, where he was an advanced care paramedic, at the hydro project in Northern BC, and on his time off (he worked 3 weeks on and 3 weeks off) he was often gone to somewhere exotic in pursuit of another diving adventure. He lived a life that many of us could only dream of, and while his cancer was a death sentence, he felt he had walked to the beat of his own drum. He was the epitome of the saying "I would rather go through life saying I can't believe I did that, rather than I wish I had of done that". Life can be full of regrets, but he had none. 

Unfortunately Kirk succumbed to his disease on November 20, 2015, and while I feel both sorrow and happiness to have been part of this journey, he had taught me more about life in his last months than I had ever learned in the previous 50 some odd years...he will be terribly missed.......

Kirk was aware of our upcoming trip to Sri Lanka, and he was in possession of some first aid equipment that he asked we take to SL in order that it may be utilized by those that are in need. I am not talking about your basic first aid gear though, he had amassed over $5000 worth of supplies including a number of stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, IV kits, airways and virtually everything you would expect an advanced care paramedic would need. This generous donation truly shows the character of who Kirk was.....a citizen of the earth who knew no boundaries....

Prior to our departure, we had contacted Anoma and explained that we would be bringing this equipment, to which she replied that it would be definitely needed. Furthermore, she explained that it would be best utilized at government facilities rather than private, as they struggle the most. Healthcare in Sri Lanka is free for all citizens, although any medications are not. They do have a multi-tiered system, with the private clinics catering more to those that have the money, and therefore they are better equipped...

As we packed this equipment, it was discovered that I could not put it all in our luggage, and opted to leave some of it at home. I felt that bandages, compresses, tensors and other "less important" items would be more readily available in SL...but, as I later found out, I was wrong. I will keep this stuff and take it on the next trip.
 
 medical supplies laid out...

It was day 4 in Sri Lanka when we arranged to drop off the medical supplies at the clinic in Unawatuna (it may not have been in Unawatuna as it was hard to figure out where one place ended and the next started, it was however a short distance from where we were staying). This clinic catered primarily to people with mental illnesses, which we had discovered upon our arrival, although they do tend to people that are in need of a wide variety of other injuries and/or maladies.

Suitcase with medical supplies in back of tuk-tuk


 Entrance to medical clinic at Unawatuna

 
Doctor going through the suitcase of supplies

 
 Doctor explaining that these stethoscopes were among the best quality in the world, and while we had 5 of them, he only took 3 as that was all he would need. Sri Lankan's are very trustworthy....


 
Left to right, Doctor, me, Anoma, Feron and the head of nursing at the clinic.



The staff at the Unawatuna Clinic were extremely welcoming and gratefully accepted the donation of the equipment, although they did not require it all. In that regard, the Doctor made a call to the hospital in Galle and explained who we were and what we were doing. He explained to us that the remaining equipment would be welcomed at the hospital there. It would have been quite easy for the clinic to take it all, but they showed no sign of greed, and felt it best that we take the remaining gear to the hospital.

 
Outside the hospital in Galle.

The hospital at Galle, one of the largest in the country, was eye-opening to say the least, as I am convinced that half the population of Sri Lanka was there. Outdated equipment was seen everywhere, and absolutely no computing equipment was found. All record keeping is still done with paper and pen. In the interest of privacy, we chose not to take any pictures inside the hospital. It was a dimly lit, sea of humanity. People of all ages wandered seemingly aimlessly awaiting their turn. All kinds of illnesses and injuries were present, yet among the chaos there seemed to be some sort of order. I could liken it to the way people drive...all chaotic-like, but everyone knowing what everyone else was doing. Again even amongst the desperation, there were smiles...life can be harsh, but that's the way it is. Kirk had the same attitude....

Feron and Anoma were whisked to another part of the hospital while Gord, Amar and myself waited in what appeared to be an emergency entrance. We watched people come in, some mobile, others crudely bandaged and some wheeled in on cold steel gurneys with no padding or blankets. I envisioned that this is what a cold-war Russian hospital may have been like, yet the patients were quickly dealt with and taken to some other part of the hospital where care could be given. It struck me that their was an air of calmness to the place. No shrieking patients, no one calling out in pain...life is simple, but harsh all in the same breath. 

After a period of time, Feron returned to fetch us and the remaining medical equipment. We proceeded across an open air pathway and into another area of the hospital. Humanity was everywhere, and in the entrance to another wing, a dog was busy going through a bag of garbage carelessly left along the path. There are no entrance doors, at least in this part of the hospital, and we walked down a long sloping hallway, lead by an orderly that said nothing. He beckoned us into an elevator, reminiscent of something one might expect in 1920's Canada, closed both the doors and took us up one floor. Leading us down another hallway and into an office titled "Head of Pharmacy". It was a small office already occupied by 3 or 4 Sri Lankan's and the sudden appearance of the 5 of us made the quarters all that much tighter. Anoma explained that the staff was extremely grateful that we were there to donate the supplies, but it had to be inventoried first in order them to enable them to draft up an appropriate thank-you letter. It took some doing, but after a while, we had convinced them that the letter was not necessary, and we were just happy that the supplies would be put to good use. Again, they were extremely grateful, and after some handshakes and head bobbing, the orderly escorted us back to where we entered...

I cannot explain it, but I had the feeling that Kirk was with us, and pleased with the outcome. The hospital was unlike anything I have ever witnessed, yet there was an air of peace and contentment. The gratitude extended to us at both the clinic and the hospital was beyond my expectations, and extremely humbling. Again, our actions were done solely out of the reason that we could do just so. We do not wish to have accolades or recognition in any way, shape or form. We feel that we are just as fortunate as the receivers of the gifts, we are equally as fortunate to be in the position to give. This was an unselfish gift from a dying man, something we all are grateful we were able to fulfill. 

Thank you Kirk, you still continue to educate me....... 

 
Nurses manning the emergency entrance. They gave us permission to take this photo.

  
Director of Nursing, Emergency Department with a ward in behind.