Dubai Consumer Mirror

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

To Saudi bloggers: Help Rawan Abu Shadi!

Ok, seriously, this is one of the sickest things I've ever come across for quite some time. If you can read Arabic, check it out here.

If not, this is a snapshot of the story:

- Rawan Abu Shadi, 21, Saudi, was badly hurt after a slip-and-fall accident on the stairs at her home.
- The closest medical facility to her house was a private hospital.
- Immediate treatment was needed to save her life. Her mother, widow with 6 other children, was asked to pay SRL 4k for initiate tests and X-rays before they do anything to treat the young lady.
- The mother managed to gather the money to save her daughter’s life.
- Then the mother was asked to pay 10k for immediate surgical procedures. The mother managed to gather 9k only.
- The surgical doctor abandoned Rawan and left the OR without performing surgery - he claimed that he will not do so because - check this out - the patient got her period!!!!!
- Rawan stayed bone-shattered for 10 days before a good Samaritan decided to donate the extra SRL 1k and get the procedure done
- With 4 double fractures, 2 in the hip, 1 in the leg and one in her heel, the treatment bills mounted to about SRL 128K.
- Not being able to pay up immediately, the hospital decided to lockup Rawan.
- Hospital is currently holding off food, disconnected Rawan from the outside world, doesn't allow any access to visitors, clean clothes or any even cleaning services .
- Rawan has been like that for the past 40 days.
- Not only that, the hospital is now threatening to draft a report that the incident was a suicide attempt and file it to the police.

I don't know about you guys, but i am disgusted to the bone...

[via Arabianbusiness.com]

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

... and we are back

Blogging PTO is over... news sharing time:

My wife and I were blessed with our second child and first baby boy. This is still taking all my time - but i am loving it. Thankfully, baby is doing great and his mother is back to her normal shopping habits. So, all is well.

At work, i kindda got to carry more responsiblities of a global "perspective". Some people think its a promotion, to me, well its the same cr@p, but with and for more people/places.

I've been traveling alot - though, i won't be travelling much for the coming few months with the company trying to cut down on expenses. Awesome!

We bought a new car...

I was in the US when Obama won the elections.. the streets were wild. I also did some shopping while I was there. But things weren't the same this time around. Walking into shops was a bit off. Once the sales staff detects a splinter of 'true buying intentions', they were all over me. Anyhow, i can't say i didn't enjoy the discounts.

I saw most of the The Atlantis fireworks from my balcony. Can't say i didn't enjoy it as well. Not too excited with some of the bad press it received globally. Lots of haters out there.

I am playing it safe with whatever moneyz we have left these days. You never know.

Anyhow, its good to be back to normal.