The first time I left Senegal for the United States Virgin Islands, I was 12 years old. At that age, it was sad for me to leave all of my family and friends, and I knew that it was sad for me to leave all friends and family and I knew that I would miss them very much. Once we arrived at Internal Airport , Dakar, I knew that the time had come for me to say my final goodbyes to cousins, friends and family. The trip to New York took nine hours. It was very cold in New York, and the people that I saw looked different. I did that know at that time I was sick.
That night we stayed at my uncle’s house, only to continue our trip the next morning to the Caribbean Island St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. The trip between New York and St. Croix was three and a half hours and my temperature had soared to 101. When we finally reached St. Croix and I looked out the passenger’s window, all I saw was rows of windows. I told my father this place looks like a jungle. He said to me, “Mamadou, this is place where going to stay and you going to go to school and bet you my son you going to like it.”
I told him, “I am going get out of this plane”.
He said, “why?’
“Because I don’t want any lion to eat me”.
He replied, “My son, don’t worry about anything. You will be safe and there are no lion on St. Croix.”
When we reached our new home, I told my father that I was sorry. And he asked me why?
I told him, “Because I say to you that this place we lived in was like a jungle. I am sorry father for saying that to you.”
“My son,” he said, “I forgive you, of course.”
The next morning, my father saw me sleeping on the sofa. He felt my back, and said to my Mother, “Mamadou is really sick, I am going to take him straight to the hospital because his back is like fire.” We reached the hospital and we waited in the ER for about a half an hour for the doctors and nurses to see me. After the doctor examined me he told my father that he wanted me to stay overnight.
The next morning when my father wakeup and he saw sleeping on the sofa and he felt my back he said to my mom” Mamadou is really sick I am going to take him straight to the hospital because his back is hot like fire. “
My mother said” ok”.
When we reached to the hospital we sat in the ER (Emergency Room) we sit there like about half-hour for the nurses and doctor to come and see me what had happen to me. When nurse had come and say that the doctor want to see me my father was a little mad. When we reach to the doctor the doctor said to my father we are going to hold your son in the hospital.
Monday morning when my father came back to the hospital and talked to the doctor before he had come to see me the doctor told him that your son Mamadou has Malaria and he thought that he is going to die. Mamadou father replied oh no Mamadou is not going to die right know because my son mamadou had done a lot of good thing for me. You know what I will just leave everything in god’s hands. He will take care of everything.” When Mamadou saw his father he did not know where he was because he was so sick. He didn’t know how to walk and speak. Mamadou started to have a seizure. Mamadou’s Father was scared and he said to himself ‘’Oh god please make my son come back I really don’t want to loose him’’. Mamadou’s father came back next morning. He went see the doctor and the doctor told him we don’t have any medication for the treatment of Malaria. Mr.Thioune replied” so what are your guys going to do? The Doctor said he thought he was going to transfer me to Puerto Rico Hospital, or he will wait for the pharmacy’s order. So he asked my father what he wanted do you to do. Mr.Thioune said wants him to be transferred to the hospital of Puerto Rico; the doctor said on next day, a Friday night at 9pm he will be leaving St.croix for Puerto Rico.
My father came to me and said that I would be transferred to another hospital on next Friday. I asked my father when I was going to go back home? He said if I feel better I would go back home. I told him where my mother is. He said she is in the car with your brother and sister. I told him I wanted to see her. So, my father went out in the car and called my mother to come and see me. When father came back with my mother I had another seizure. My mother was crying. She was on the ground saying.” My son is going to die.” My father told her you need to believe in god (Allah) the one and only. When I woke up I saw my mother sitting next to my father. My mother said to me.” Son I hope you feel better.” My father was reading the Quran every day and praying and asking God to make me feel better.
On Friday August 25, 2000 at 8:45 pm my father told me the people from Puerto Rico hospital will be here soon. When the people from Puerto Rico came I had another seizure. When I wake up they carried me on the ambulance and took me to the Airport . When we had landed in to Puerto Rico, they took me out of the plane and carried me in the ambulance. On the way to the hospital I had another seizure. When we had reached the hospital I saw nurses rushing and they came and took me to a room and I saw the heart beat machine. I asked my father” What are these lined and when are they going to stop beating?” He said that was my heart beat. If they stopped you would be dead. On the next morning they put me on a wheel and took me to level five in a room because I was feeling worse. Everyday they wake me up at 2:00 am just to give me medication. They used to mess up my sleeping. One night they didn’t wake me up and I was so happy and ask my father why the nurse didn’t come to give me my medication. He replied, the doctor say that you are feeling much better we are going to go back home tomorrow. I was happy. I stayed on Puerto hospital to five days only and six nights. We are getting ready to go back home in st.croix to see my mother. When my mother opened the door she was shocked. She did not believe it was me. She thought that I was dead she said “Oh God thank you for everything. I’m so happy that my son is back
