I happened to receive a phone call this morning from my pharmacist down in Sanur--quite unexpectedly, really, as I had not talked to her in quite some time. I had been waiting for an order for gabapentin, as I now recall, which she had long been unable to obtain from her supplier, and I had kind of just forgotten about it. Why had I wanted gabapentin? Well, surely it must have been connected to the neuropathic pain I had long been experiencing (not that gabapentin had done much good for that in the past, in any case).
Well, having her on the phone anyway, it occurred to me to ask whether she could recommend something other than Panadol for a headache. Panadol is what passes for aspirin in Indonesia, and is quite ineffective for headache pain or any other sort of pain. I had been getting Advil from Australia, thanks to the kindness of friends there, but had run out of my supply. As far as I was aware, Advil (ibuprofen) is not available in Indonesia, but it turns out that my knowledge was faulty. Yes, she said, she could get ibuprofen, either 200 or 400 mg.
My lucky stars!
So, I went on down to Sanur later in the day and met the apoteker in the apotek--which is to say that I met the pharmacist in the pharmacy. I still don't know the woman's name. It's a difficult one, as Indonesian names go. Still, I really ought to learn her name, as she is a very pleasant, very helpful woman who has always done her best to satisfy my requests, or to make her own suggestions based on symptoms.
Of course, as with all Indonesian businesses, one doesn't just go in and buy something. One goes in and exchanges pleasantries and converses for a while and then buys something. As it happened, therefore, the conversation moved toward new experiences and interests--such as cancer and the threat of amputated ears. My goodness!
"I have something for that," she said. "Very popular with the Australians who come here. Every time they visit, they buy another bottle."
It's called kunyit putih (and is, in other words, white turmeric)--a traditional medicine, the package insert tells us, which is very beneficial for the treatment of cancers and tumors. Of course, we who have MS already know that turmeric is also thought to be helpful for the disease.
Again, my lucky stars.
So I bought that, and the gabapentin, and the ibuprofen, and the subject turned to relationship status.
"How is your wife?"
"I no longer have a wife."
"Oh really!"
"Yes, nearly one year now."
"But what happened?"
"She ran off with an Australian."
"Ahhh!" The sort of 'ahhh' that says 'That figures, we all know how these Australians are!). "Well," she continued, "It just so happens that I am also in the process of divorce."
"Oh really!"
"Yes."
"Your husband--I mean, your ex--is a bule, right."
"A Jerman," she specified, accenting a distaste, or so it sounded, for all people of that nationality at this point.
What could I say?
"Yes, a German," I echoed, with a stress on germ.
"Wanted a young woman," she said. "A girl."
"Indonesian?"
"Yes, of course."
"Of course."
"Ah well, no more problems," I reassured her. "Just happy now, peaceful. A new start for you. Let the German have his girl."
"That's right, Papa. You're absolutely right. No more troubles!"
"Except for the cancer."
"Haha! That's right. Except for the cancer. But take one pill a day before dinner, Papa. And everything will work out just fine."
Well, having her on the phone anyway, it occurred to me to ask whether she could recommend something other than Panadol for a headache. Panadol is what passes for aspirin in Indonesia, and is quite ineffective for headache pain or any other sort of pain. I had been getting Advil from Australia, thanks to the kindness of friends there, but had run out of my supply. As far as I was aware, Advil (ibuprofen) is not available in Indonesia, but it turns out that my knowledge was faulty. Yes, she said, she could get ibuprofen, either 200 or 400 mg.
My lucky stars!
So, I went on down to Sanur later in the day and met the apoteker in the apotek--which is to say that I met the pharmacist in the pharmacy. I still don't know the woman's name. It's a difficult one, as Indonesian names go. Still, I really ought to learn her name, as she is a very pleasant, very helpful woman who has always done her best to satisfy my requests, or to make her own suggestions based on symptoms.
Of course, as with all Indonesian businesses, one doesn't just go in and buy something. One goes in and exchanges pleasantries and converses for a while and then buys something. As it happened, therefore, the conversation moved toward new experiences and interests--such as cancer and the threat of amputated ears. My goodness!
"I have something for that," she said. "Very popular with the Australians who come here. Every time they visit, they buy another bottle."
It's called kunyit putih (and is, in other words, white turmeric)--a traditional medicine, the package insert tells us, which is very beneficial for the treatment of cancers and tumors. Of course, we who have MS already know that turmeric is also thought to be helpful for the disease.
Again, my lucky stars.
So I bought that, and the gabapentin, and the ibuprofen, and the subject turned to relationship status.
"How is your wife?"
"I no longer have a wife."
"Oh really!"
"Yes, nearly one year now."
"But what happened?"
"She ran off with an Australian."
"Ahhh!" The sort of 'ahhh' that says 'That figures, we all know how these Australians are!). "Well," she continued, "It just so happens that I am also in the process of divorce."
"Oh really!"
"Yes."
"Your husband--I mean, your ex--is a bule, right."
"A Jerman," she specified, accenting a distaste, or so it sounded, for all people of that nationality at this point.
What could I say?
"Yes, a German," I echoed, with a stress on germ.
"Wanted a young woman," she said. "A girl."
"Indonesian?"
"Yes, of course."
"Of course."
"Ah well, no more problems," I reassured her. "Just happy now, peaceful. A new start for you. Let the German have his girl."
"That's right, Papa. You're absolutely right. No more troubles!"
"Except for the cancer."
"Haha! That's right. Except for the cancer. But take one pill a day before dinner, Papa. And everything will work out just fine."
1 comment:
I am trying to have my daily bottle of Jamu since I am here
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