I saw Dr. Abu Sinna today, he checked me by thumping my chest and stethoscope-listened to my complaint and said it was a “good sign”, that my lung was adhering to the chest wall. He said it was a normal feeling and should go away shortly. In the waiting room I met a young guy with the same problem, his collapsed after a motorcycle fall. I was lucky to have mine happen in bed by the look of the stitches all over his face. Otherwise I’ve taken to the streets again…
-Letter Home, September 11, 1978
I learned many specialized medical vocabulary words that week. Istirwāh ‘Afwi, Spontaneous Pneumothorax. Anbūba al-Ri’a, Trachea or Chest Tube. ‘Amal ‘Amaliyya, Perform an Operation. That last one came in handy on the Darb when we cauterized the camels’ sore ankles with a red hot branding iron.