Pitufa.at

Tonga’s a developing country, but the hospital is surprisingly well equipped, the staff friendly, services are free for locals and very cheap for non-residents, but they don’t have enough doctors (a few GPs, one ear-nose-throat specialist, a pediatrician, a radiologist, one surgeon who has to play specialist for everything else and two part-time surgeons) and therefore the waiting halls are full–we spent 30 hours in July just waiting for appointments. Dr. Kolini (the surgeon) was willing to find the reason(s) for Christian’s nonspecific symptoms (back problems, stomach pains, weight loss) and tried a blood analysis, ultrasound, a CT scan (yes, they even have a scanner) and even an endoscopy, but to no avail. Everything seems normal, but Christian’s still not feeling better. In Tahiti the medical system is at a European level–it’s just cheaper and waiting times are shorter than e.g. in Austria. In the meantime we try back exercises (well, not during this rough passage now) a
nd a gluten free diet (today I made a tapioca-rice-flour flatbread with Pitufa stomping 40 degrees on the wind in 25 knots apparent and heeling quite a bit).