Blood taking in Khartoum

I just want to share my experience of 'blood taking' in Khartoum. Normally, we have to obtain a visa to go to other countries, right. Here in Sudan, it's a little bit different. You can come into the country (without visa), but to get out of the country you have to obtain a visa. It's very easy to get in, but difficult to get out...

During my first week here, I had to go and have my blood checked for HIV. Actually, I had done numerous checkups in Malaysia, including a blood test. Never mind, I went to the crowded hospital and while I was waiting for my turn, I had a panicked attack, the needle was so big...there was no such thing as a room to shield the patient from the others...heheh...so we could see what was going on from where we were sitting.

In the next instant, I was called. The medical assistant was a very big and black man. The next thing I knew, he was grabbing my arm and putting the needle in (no warning whatsoever and definitely no chance for me to clench my hand...like we used to do in Malaysia). But, hat's off to the man, I didn't feel a thing, but the scariest moment was when he didn't get enough blood in the tube...he just pumped the blood out. Just imagine this, to parents out there, I'm sure you know how to pump out the medicine from the bottle (especially a near empty bottle)...it's something like that.. in and out..in and out...But as I said earlier, it didn't hurt at all.

It was done in a few minutes, but my husband was smirking at me, probably he guessed how terrified I was. Hehehe..at least that's done and over with...