KERRYN REYNOLDS got the VIP treatment when she accompanied a patient home to her very hospitable family.

A warm welcome to the Middle East

An elderly female living in the Middle East suffered a cerebral vascular accident and was initially treated at a local hospital. The patient had presented with acute onset paralysis with speech impairment and required a full neurological assessment.

As there was limited medical intervention available locally, the patient required an emergency air ambulance evacuation to a tertiary care facility that specialised in stroke management. She was quickly evacuated to Europe where she was evaluated, treated and underwent intensive rehabilitation to regain her mobility along with her sensory, cognitive and motor skills.

Because this specialised care was not available locally, the rapid evacuation allowed her to receive expedited treatment along with intensive rehabilitation to achieve an optimal recovery.

At the completion of treatment, the patient still had impaired mobility and intermittent confusion. It was determined she would require a medical escort to assist with her return journey, a logistically complicated repatriation involving several flights and airport transfers.

Happy to be of assistance!

I was lucky enough to be the nurse escort for this delightful patient and her family on what transpired to be one of my most interesting and insightful missions to date.

We had several international changes as there were no direct flights to the patient’s rural desert home. Due to the length of the journey, I was able to develop a good rapport with the patient and her family. They were really pleased to be heading home finally after a prolonged stay at the rehabilitation hospital.

The patient was desperately missing her children and extended family, and was grateful for the arrangement for a nurse to come and assist in her speedy return home. We spent quite a large part of the journey discussing local traditions, families, relationships, culture, education and life in general as we had plenty of time to pass between the connecting flights. It was an interesting insight to their everyday lifestyle which proved to be much different to my Australian upbringing.

As the flight touched down in her home country, it was necessary for the patient to completely cover up in a full length black burka. I was also required to cover from head to toe in long clothing due to the cultural considerations. The initial plan for the repatriation was for me to hand over the patient to her personal nurse then continue to the hotel for a much needed rest after the long day.

However, this most gracious family had other ideas!

We were encouraged to disembark from the back of the plane onto the tarmac where a private vehicle was waiting to take us to a VIP customs and immigration building separate to the rest of the airport. The other passengers had exited through the front of the plane and were slowly walking across the tarmac to the distant main body of the airport terminal.

Meet the family

We were hailed by a range of important officials who welcomed us profusely and greeted us as long lost family. They ushered us into the waiting vehicle for the short trip across the tarmac to meet even more officials in the VIP area. Several other male members of family were also present to greet us, including two older sons, the husband and some grandchildren.

After a seamless exit through the VIP building, we were driven with the husband back to the family home in a chauffeured white limousine . En route I was shown the main sights of the city. Although late at night, the beautiful and historic Islamic architecture was clearly visible, and the busy and bustling city gave way to the quieter and more refined suburbs where the family home was situated.

On arrival, we were greeted by yet more friends and family, and I was taken to what turned out to be a mansion of palatial style! Despite my polite attempts to take a taxi back to the hotel and my waiting bed, I was introduced to a large and very thankful extended family. There were around 20 family members present, all of them exceptionally excited to see the patient, and there were much joyous cheering, hugging and embracing.

The younger children had decorated the entrance and family room with brightly coloured balloons and streamers to welcome their long awaited relative home. They were very proud of their afternoon’s efforts and eager to show me throughout the home as if on a tour. I was able to see the traditional prayer room, three exquisitely decorated family rooms, a room full of expensive rugs and carpets along with another three floors of elegant decorations and structural design.

No hospital food here!

We were then ushered through to the lavish dining room adorned in gold and silver furnishings for a sit-down meal. I took my place on a gold chair for a sumptuous buffet complete with all the local aromatic delicacies including freshly skewered baby chickens from the garden.

It was a lively and entertaining meal full of conversation and local stories, with all the adults sitting around the main table while the younger children sat separately at the end of the room. We were waited on by uniformed servants who ensured we were totally satisfied. Towards the end of the meal I was sure I would never need to eat again!

After my delicious dinner and tour of the home, I was chauffer-driven to my hotel for a well earned rest on a very full stomach.

The following day the family absolutely insisted on taking me on a tour of the surrounding desert and old city as they were keen to further express their gratitude for the return of their loved one.

The main city was even more impressive during the day. It was full of activity and appeared to be even busier than it had seemed on the journey the previous night. The sights and smells of this ancient metropolis, surrounding the looming antique buildings and bustling markets, were even more magnificent in the daylight and I wished I had more time to stay and explore properly.

At the end of the tour I was delivered virtually to the door of the aircraft, avoiding the busy and chaotic airport.

It certainly was an amazing experience and I was treated like royalty by their most generous Middle Eastern hospitality. I returned to London knowing I have one of the best, most interesting and rewarding jobs in the world!

Kerryn Reynolds is Nurse Manager with International SOS.