Hello again. Well, the best laid plans of mice and men and women and orangutans…
If you read the last blog, you’ll remember that I was supposed to go to the Orangutan Conservation and Reforestation meeting in Sengatta, but when I arrived at Samboja, my friend Wiwik (Coordinator of Animal Care for BOS Samboja) was sick. Wiwik had very bad pains in her lower left abdomen. Come to find out that she has been this way for months! At first the local doctors told her she had such intense pain because of a cyst – so they operated and wow no cyst…AARRRGGGHHHH!
So, many tests later, she is still in pain, no clear diagnosis and no pain treatment – and I mean doubled over in pain for hours every day for months. So I did the only thing I could – I skipped the trip up north (sent my apologies) and Citra (another friend) and I kidnapped Wiwik and flew her to Jakarta where we are now. We went immediately from the airport to the emergency room where they gave her intravenous pain meds so her body would finally un-clench. Today an internist will see her and hopefully will be able to help her.
On a happier note, I have attached two photos of one of my favorite orangutans, Ciu, then and now! My how they grow!
Raff
Orangutan Board member Dr. Raffaella Committante is in Indonesia this month to stage the fifth OC/OVAG Veterinary Workshop in Bogor. Our blog will feature several posts written by her this month as she heads for the workshop.
