The update on Pulalay Khelefi. She is now out of the hospital, still trying to come to terms with her paralysis. She is also wanting to return to her home country in Sudan, but is afraid what will happen to her.
Guess who I saw the other day when I was leaving work for the day..none other than Pulalay Khelefi!
She was coming to the Rehab part of our hospital for ongoing physical and occupational therapy; and when she saw me, she smiled and called out my name. I saw her, and I went right on up to her, where I gave her a huge, bear-style hug.
Pulalay, as you may recall, was the young woman who had been shot in the back by an unknown assailant. She was left permantly paralyzed, and relying on a wheelchair (or crutches for shorter trips) for mobility purposes. She had been homeless, ever since coming to America, but now she tells me she is now living at the local YWCA. She is busy looking for a job; but so far has found nothing. She seems rather discouraged; but I tell her not to worry; something is BOUND to pop up sooner or later!
She is still as tall and as thin as I remember her; and she still wears her brightly colored garb. She was born in Africa, in Sudan, and she is a member of the Dinka tribe, who are known for being thin and extremely tall in nature. She raised cattle for a living, and she lived off the land, foraging for food for herself and her family, as well as for her cattle.
But strife and ever-increasing violence in her homeland forced her to come to America; and she now has a green card, which allows illegal immigrants to stay in our country for a period of time. She still misses her homeland, and she wonders if any of her family is left. I can only tell her that I hope all is well with her family back in her homeland, and I tell her that I will continue to keep her in my prayers. She smiles shyly at me as she takes my hands in hers, and she hugs me a second time, although awkwardly, seeing the differences in our height is so great. (She is 6'8"; I am only 4'7 1/2" tall.)
Pulalay is learning English; she is teaching herself from a book, and she is also having friends teach her. Her English has improved dramatically since the last time I saw her, and I am both amazed and impressed. She tells me that I was so nice to her when she was in the hospital, and she had to come back to the hospital, to thank me for caring for her. She seems so nice, and she is still somewhat shy. She asks me if I am still married, and she asks me if I still have the children; I tell her yes, and I then show her pictures of my family. She smiles as she looks at the photographs, and she says that I have a "very beautiful family, like a rainbow", she tells me.
I wish I could have stayed with Pulalay for a longer period of time, to catch up on what has been going on with her these past few months; but time is constrained, and besides, I had to get home to my family. I told her that I would stop by the YWCA to see her; and she smiles; she tells me that she would like that very much.
In the meantime, the man who shot her is, at last report, still on the lam; police are still looking for him. Eventually he will be charged, but until the man is found and then caught, this can't happen. There will then be a trial, and I know Pulalay will be fearful as she once again will face the man who shot her; but this is down the road, and right now I try not to think about this.
A page-turning novel about a relationship between best friends that is interrupted because of betrayal , deceit, sexual promiscuity and pregnancy happens!
A poignant story about letting go of a narcissist in your life. Have you ever been attacked FULL force by a narcissist? It's the closest thing to being stabbed over and over in the back.
