Thank you Dr. Dennis

As most of you know, we have made it to the beach in Vietnam. We've been here a little over a week. Everything is cheap here. the foreign food isn't as cheap as other things, but it is still cheap in comparison to what I would pay for the same food in America. Most things like massages, nail care and hair care are super cheap! So, a couple days ago it was a rainy day... and a rainy day on the beach is no fun. So, we (me, Stan and Kevin) we just sitting around reading. It was raining off and on, so we went and sat out in the shade. I decided to go get a pedicure because, well...I wanted one, AND it's not like I could soak up any sun rays, AND it's cheap, AND I had the slightest start of an ingrown toenail (gross, I know). So I knew they could take care of it for me! I'm here to tell you, they're painful if you've never had one! You'd do the same thing if you only had to pay 4 dollars to get it taken care of and you get pretty toenails too! Ok, ok, I digress...

So, I went to get a pedicure. I didn't know where I was going to go, so I just wandered down the road but stayed close to our Bungalows. I found a little shop that did massages, nails, and hair (but most of them do). This one was just as cheap as the others so I decided to go on in. When I went in, there was the cutest little puppy dog. So I got to play with him while they finished my toenails! (Elise, don't take offense to this, but I was glad I got to play with the little puppy because I can't play with my nephew. lol... not that I'm comparing him to my nephew, I was just happy I got to play with something that is cute and cuddly if I can't play with my nephew! lol) Anyway, just look how cute he is!








He was getting restless on my lap... time to get down!


Cuddling up against the feet pan.


This is what he looked like when I left! He was all tuckered out!



While I was sitting there, puppy in lap, a man walked out from the back of the store and thanked the girl for his massage. He was talking to the girls in the shop like he knew them. I soon found out he lives here in Muine, Vietnam! And has for 3 years! We got to talking and found out his name is Dennis and he is from California. He came to Muine for the kite surfing! (I'll do another blog on that later!) After a while, the girl who gave him a massage walked out by the front steps and sat down beside him. I saw something on her leg, but I couldn't tell what it was. I heard Dennis say to her that she needed to clean it out. So, I thought 'I've been talking to him long enough... I can be a little nosey'. "What's wrong?" I said. He said, "She's hurt her leg in a motor bike accident and I'm trying to tell her to clean it out. What's that stuff I'm trying to think of that bubbles up?" Thankfully, my parents used that all the time when we were little so I knew exactly what he was talking about! "Hydrogen Peroxide," I replied. "Yes, that's it!" he said. The girl had packed crushed mustard seed into her wounds without cleaning them first and infection had set in. (First of all, I've never heard of packing mustard seed in anything to make it better, but this IS Asia.) So, as he was telling her she needed to clean it out, the girl was telling him that was not right. I could see on her face she thought it was bad for her. So I pitched in, "It won't hurt, it just looks weird. but I promise, it won't hurt." Dennis, "Yeah, it doesn't hurt at all." Nothing from the girl. She's just examining her infected wounds. "You need to trust me. I'm a doctor. I have some at my house. Let me go get it and I'll be right back." So he's a doctor? Oh ok, cool! So, he comes back and gives it to the girl, but she is still so reluctant about it. I can see the frustration in his face, but he never once acted frustrated, or angry toward her. He just wanted to help her. Both people thought they were right, but I could tell it was a friendship. As I was leaving, he said, "You tell her she needs to use this and take care of herself." I laughed and said, "It will help, I promise." I said goodbye and thought to myself, I have gotten so irritated at the Asian culture for their frame of mind about medicine. They way they think nothing is right but their way. He might have had the same feelings, but he never once let them show to her. So, thank you Dr. Dennis for showing me a little patience, even if you didn't realize it. Thanks for reading! I love you all!