EINO

Eino and her grandson
Eino and her 10 year old grandson live together. Eino’s son and the child’s father was killed by a land mine, both were watching. The mother, in her grief fled, leaving the child behind. Many grandparents love and raise their grandchildren, but in Eino’s case she is the one being taken care of by her grandson. Eino had a stroke three years ago and is bed bound, paralyzed on her left side. She will bake no cookies, play no games, never go on adventures to the park or to the “big city” of Sukhumi with her grandchild. Eino’s reality is to wait for food provided to her by her grandson while guiding, teaching, instructing him as best she can from her bed. Meahwhile, he feeds the pigs, milks the cows and tends to the property, which is high in the hills, another spectacular vista overlooking a majestic landscape of green mountains and wide open valleys.

The little boy in all respects is wild. He looks bewildered to me. A confused little emperor in his palace, the filthy fortification which keeps him safe from the world and in the protection of his invalid grandmother. He has never been to school, he does speak, although not much, and when he does it is understandably with hesitation, even suspicion. His austerity seems normal in a strange sort of way. He has cleverly rigged a rope on the end of the bed which will allow Eino to pull herself up, by using her right arm. She weighs no more than 70 pounds, is clearly malnourished and anemic and has a smile on her face when we greet her for the first time. We ask if we can assess the wound which covers her entire left leg. She agrees.

We glove and begin the process of unwrapping the dressing to assess the wound. The smell was disgusting, part of the wound was oozing whiteish- green exudate, the other part necrotic, black, dead tissue. The little boy uses a leaf found on nearby trees about 6 inches long and 4 inches wide to dress the wound. It is supposed to have antiseptic properties. We do some minor debriedment, but do not have proper instruments to do a reasonable job. We do use clean gauze to wrap the entire leg, to cover the wound. We then ask Eino if we could transport her to the hospital for surgical intervention, her only hope to survive. Soon she will be septic and will die if the infected tissue and the dead tissue are not removed.
She refuses. She oversees her grandson’s milking the cows and feeding of the pigs, running of the household. What will he do if she were not there? What will happen to the cows, pigs - they are a revenue source, a food source. Perhaps the neighbors can assist. We suggest he go with her to the hospital. He can sleep in the bed next to hers, as many family members do. He refuses. He is terrified someone will take him from his grandmother. We leave in sadness
Upon our return to the office we discuss the case with our social worker, LaLa and she says, “let me talk to the neighbors”. LaLa is our social worker, probably in her early 50s, lost her husband in the war, raised 3 girls (my mom will appreciate the challenges of raising 3 girls). Testy at times, rude other times, none-the-less she gets the job done when it comes to taking care our folks and she works hard. LaLa returns from yet another jaunt to this remote hillside home indicating the boy is willing to stay with neighbors. They are willing to assist him with milking the cow while Eino goes to the hospital.
Eino has to travel in the back of the Toyota 4 wheel drive truck, on the hard, dirty metal floor. MSF does not have an ambulance. No easy feat getting her into truck. LaLa is a miracle worker some days. With help from the neighbors they load Eino into the truck. .
Eino is now in the hopsital. The surgeon has conducted one surgery. Another is forthcoming next week. Last weekend we took a drive to the mountains. We walked in glorious terrain. We passed by Eino’s home. The cows were fine, the moma pig and her 2 babies were fine, and the grandson was presumably with the neighbors. The bedding that was on Eino’s bed was draped over a railing airing out - a good sign.
We do not know the future. None of us know the future. We do what we can do today, we try our best, we gather people to help, we make decisions, we allow others to make choices, we love, we work, we pray, we smile.
I’ll let you know how Eino and her grandson are doing .

Meanwhile I leave today for holiday. I will go to Tbilisi, Georgia, another border crossing. I will work in Tbilisi tomorrow discussing the handover plan for our program with the Head of Mission. I will meet Ballard in Vienna on Saturday. We will have a leisurely week together, given he has a broken leg and a torn medial collateral ligament. You can ask him for details!!!!!!!
So I will resume my adventures in Abkhazia in a couple of weeks.
Meanwhile, I am grateful for your thoughts, prayers, gifts you have sent, your lives as they bless me.
“See” you soon……………..
Love, genie