Louisiana continues the story of the Somalian woman she is presently taking care of at the hospital where she works as a nurse.
Zakiyyah Al Mohammed seems to be doing somewhat better today. It seems as though the pain medications are finally doing their job; but Zakiyyah is giving me a run for my money because she keeps trying to disengage the tubes that are attached to her. She is also worried about people seeing her naked body because she feels it is "immoral" to be uncovered in front of strangers, especially men.
She is also adamant about seeing Dr. Stryker, who is a man, and she doesn't like being uncovered while he is in the room. She lets her opinions be known, calling him every dirty name she can think of.
I calmly try to pacify Zakiyyah and tell her that it is necessary to be uncovered because it is the easiest way to treat her wounds; but somehow she isn't very convinced.
(Ah, the joys of being a nurse. It can be SO fun at times....)
Zakiyyah then proceeds to tell me about her husband, Ali, who is still back at home in Somalia, and how mean he is to her. She says she has had enough of his abuse and rantings, and she is seriously thinking of getting a divorce and is even thinking of moving to the United States. She says Ali treats her like a slave and nothing can be done without his approval first. She also tells me that she has two children, Tamar, 12, and 2-year-old Tariq, and how badly Ali treats them. At this, she starts to cry helplessly.
I hug Zakiyyah, and try to reassure her by rubbing her arm and holding her hand; and I also wipe the tears from her eyes. I feel the tears pricking at my own eyes as I listen to her tell me her story, and I desperately try to blink them away.
Zakiyyah then tells me how bad life is back in her homeland; how people fear for their very lives because of rebels and terrorist threats; and she also tells me of how she was brutally circumcized when she was pregnant with her firstborn, Tamar, and because of it, she still suffers from "female problems" today. She says that it was done against her will, and how incredibly painful it was; and how she still suffers nightmares because of it. I wince as I think of this because in that part of the world, female circumcision is commonplace, and often it is done without any form of anesthesia or pain killers, and the conditions are often diplorable and unclean. Too many female children, some as young as 2 years old, are also subjected to this brutal practice, and many are left disfigured and scared. They are also very susceptible to infection, and many have died as a result of their being circumcized.
After she tells me this part of her life, she starts to cry harder. I am at a loss at what to say or how to reassure her; but I try my best and try to be there for her by holding her hand tightly in mine as I listen to her cry heavily. My mind is a tangle of emotions, and deep down inside, I wish there was a way I could help her stay here in America and get a green card for her, so she can escape the uncertainty and violence that rules her homeland.
(~To be continued.~)
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Reviewed by serenety L
5/21/2003
Can't wait to read part III of that story. Please continue. Great job. Love it. With love. Serenety
(((karen))) sad continuation of zakiyyah's story...i hope things improve for her...i look forward to part three...well done! you capture this woman's pain in detail. (((HUGS))) and love, karla. :(
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