Construction and Hospital Observation

Today we woke up and walked up the stairs to the roof for our morning yoga session. The stretches felt wonderful, but I was sweating at the end due to the high humidity. Afterwards, we went downstairs and breakfasted on rice cakes over which we spooned a coconut curry sauce, egg "frittata", watermelon, and the wonderful spiced coffee or tea.

Then it was off to work. Aneesh and I were transported to SEAM to resume our construction jobs. So once again, we sifted sand and then carried bowls of sand up to the second floor of the dormitory building. Heat, humidity, sweat. Ameesh got a break from the sun when they called him upstairs to help pass mortar to the man doing the "plastering." I, however, got to sift and carry sand.

We got a lunch break at the guesthouse and we were able to cool down in the air conditioning. Then it was back to work. More sand. At the end of our afternoon session, we were given a chance to help sling mortar against the walls - much to the amusement of the two workmen. The main workman, Moonian, insisted that Aneesh take a picture of me with my camera. Oh my God!!! The picture shows me with my hair pinned up, sweat dripping down my face and my tee-shirt soaked with sweat and clinging to my body. I'm standing with a trowel in my hand and mortar is flying. The picture very likely will be deleted. However, I'm getting very possessive of the mortar; the sand in that mortar is MINE.

After our afternoon mortar tossing session, Aneesh and I went back to the guest house and warned our team mates that the showers were OURS. I felt better after a long shower, even if the water was cold. I dressed in a long skirt to go to the hospital and before I left the guest house, Sheeba (Stephen's wife) placed a bindi on my forehead. A bindi is a decorative dot placed low on the forehead between the eyes. OK, I could get into this bindi thing. I think I look quite beautiful with my bindi - it beats the sweat soaked tee-shirt look.

At the hospital, Aneesh and I met Dr. Sister Rexline again. She took us to tour the physical therapy department, after which the therapist was to escort us to meet one of the general surgeons. The physical therapy department was very basic, approximately 5 cots separated by curtains. We were shown a traction machine, an electrical stimulation unit, a unit which resembled a large heating pad, and a range of motion machine used after knee replacements. After viewing these machines, the therapist took us to a long hall off which were man curtained doorways. Each doorway was labeled with the name of a doctor and his/her specialty. We were shown to the general surgeons curtained doorway and waited for the surgeon to arrive.

More later. People are lined up to use this one laptop we share in the guesthouse.