Our vacation cut SHORT

We moved to Samoa 3months ago to stay for 6months. We were doing some major bonding time with the family, expose my children to the ways of the 'kuabackers', sibling arguments, Mama's voice ringing in our ears every day and the usual 'vi' & 'mango' party under the vi and mango trees.

Unfortunately, our 6months stay's been cut short to 3months. Thanks to some incompetent doctors, we are now on the first flight out to seek medical help for my darling Tauilagi.

On the 1st week of December, baby was coming down with a bad cough and runny nose. I had been calling to make an appointment with the supposedly best pediatrician on island, Dr Adam, only to find out that he was on vacation for 3weeks.
Guuuuureat, it'll be christmas when he returns so good luck trying to get him at the hospital.
So baby's first doctor's visit on island was with Dr. Aisoli at the old Chan Mow building next to Lotemau.
He listened to baby's chest and immediately after, prescribed Ammoxicilan and Paracetamol.
"Take it every 8hours for 7days" and that was it, we weren't even in there for 5minutes.

7days later, baby was coughing up a storm again. Amoxil NOT working.

2nd visit-  straight to Medcen, Dr Adam still wasn't back at work so we had to see Dr. Puni (yes, the one who checks women's vajayjays)
He did the same thing as Aisoli, prescriped the same medicine, even though I clearly told him that we got the same thing a week earlier and it wasn't working.
"His chest is clear, you just need to give him the antibiotics. O ma'i masagi a ia o kamaiki"

7days later, same thing happend, cough came back, this time getting worse.

3rd visit - Dr Peters at the Chan Tung Building - Pesega. If you're a mom and reading this, DON'T EVER take your babies to this guy. He needs to call it quits!!!!

I explained to him what was going on the previous doctor visits and the medicine we been getting.
Dr. Peters went for his prescription pad and prescriped the exact same medicine I just told him. You know, the same medicine baby's been taking from the last two doctors, WITHOUT even so much as listening to his chest or an examination. WTF??????
I asked him after he gave me the prescription and quote his $22 bill "uuummm, aren't you suppose to listen to his chest first?"
Dr Peters: "OH I thought I already did"
Me "No you didn't" sharp irritating tone
Dr Peters listens then says, "his chest is clear so just give him the amoxil for 7days and he should be fine"

I didn't even bother to get that darn medicine and I didn't even want to pay for that visit. WTF???? I wanted to reach over and slap him over the head.

Same thing, same medicine-Amoxil must be the in thing.

So I did the good ol' VICKS and warm cloth trick. It worked, just for a lil bit.

The next week, Taui started vomitting and just this past week, he conked out after vomitting and was taken straight to Esmay @ Samoa Medical Clinic behind Pinati's restaurant.
She did a thorough examination of baby and concluded that baby's chest was filling up with 'gunk' aka 'mucus' blocking his airways, and he had caught phneamonia too because he was given wrong treatment to begin with. SAY WHAT?
Bronchiolitis and Phneumonia- I was ready to shoot the previous doctors in the heads. No wonder poor chubs hasn't been sleeping well and no wonder everytime he coughs, he screams like he's running out of air. And yet, the last 3 old foggies said that his chest was good and clear.. hhmmmppphhh

The next day, I still wasn't feeling good about Esmay's diagnosis, so I took baby to Dr Tanya Petaia for a 2nd opinion. She explained everything that was going on and she put me mind at ease (just a lil bit)
For the next 2nights after that visit with Tanya, I became a zombie mom with no sleep at all as bubba was up all night vomitting.
It was expected as his chest needed to be cleared of the mucus-BUT, I still felt hopeless for my poor child. Up to yesterday - Taui was still vomitting, still diarhea and still not taking any food/fluids.
He was getting so pale and yellowish and his body was so soft. I almost had a nervous breakdown.
My grandma came over from Savaii yesterday, saw what happened and told us to take the boy to this one fofo Samoa (natural healer) in Vaiusu.
Thank God we did and thank God Mama came to town yesterday- the healer literally 'healed' baby.
Took him again this morning and baby is home almost back to his normal self.

BUT, the worrying momma that I am, I immediately changed our return flights to next week Friday.
After all the antibiotics this boy's been on, he really needs better medical attention (blood draws and everything just to make sure he's ok and his lungs aren't infected)

So thank you to those incompetent doctors, you almost killed my child and you've cut our trip short. (yes, that's my overly-dramatic self talking)

DO NOT: take your children to see general doctors
               - don't go to the old foggies - they need to pack up their clinics and retire

ALWAYS: seek the nearest pediatrician
                  - ask for explanation (doctors here don't explain anything - what's wrong with your child? some of them get irritated when you ask too many questions about your child's illness)
                  - get a second opinion if you don't feel good about the diagnosis
                  - Natural healers are always available
                  - If you're given the same medicine 3times and still NOT working, then there's something seriously WRONG with the picture

If all else fails, fly your child to seek better medical attention in a different country..HA! (but REALLY!!!!)

eh aueee...la'a kau pa mai lou head i gei shits