Dr. Plumb Bulku
Second part
Memorie.al/ Dear readers, friends, my patients, who congratulate me and thank me at every hour of the day and night, for the work done and that I continue to do. Since some of my medical colleagues, and many well-wishers, have wisely and kindly asked to know something more about the activity of my 60-year career, I am trying to describe a little of my work as a doctor, which is a long, difficult journey. , with many obstacles, which required will, strength, dedication, faced and overcame this burden.
In this modest writing, I am telling you some bits of history from my life and work, at first as a popular doctor, which I started in September of 1961, when I was only 14 years old, I started making medical visits, where I also remember the first visit of a patient who came from the city of Fier called Mina Pano and a small child from N.I.Sh. Tulla Shkozet, whose name was Ajet Cakranji, who today works and lives in France. These are my first two visits, made on the third day of school, to the Mechanical Technical School in Shkozet, Durrës, these visits were made without the help of my father, Cen Bulku.
Continues from last issue
In the high school of Physical Culture in Durrës, after the request of the director, Vehbi Oketa
After these three years, in 1981, I was transferred to the Middle School of Physical Culture in Durrës, being motivated, that in that school, my help was needed, as a sports doctor, a request that was made by the director of that school, Vehbi Oketa. In this school, in addition to my work as an orthopedic doctor, I was given the opportunity to engage in and contribute to my professional growth in the field of Sports Medicine. Seeing that many Physical Education teachers had come to that school, chosen from all the schools in the district and from Tirana, a triple connection was created: ‘Doctor – Teacher – Sportsman’, where from this school, which then became national, students and sportsmen emerged as champions for young ages, as well as in terms of professional development, many scientific topics were realized on my part, as I can mention:
- Hidden traumas that occur in all types of sports, but especially in the sport of gymnastics.
- Seriousness after heavy physical loads.
- Contusions (collapses), dislocations (dislocations), and fractures (breaks).
- Drug knowledge.
- Health hygiene, importance.
- Vitamins – therapy, before and after sports loads.
- Emotions in sports, importance.
- Nutritional days for each sport, importance.
In addition to these, I also taught the subjects ‘Sports Anatomy’, ‘Sports Physiology’, ‘Sports Hygiene’, where I contributed to the review of these books, published by Prof. Dr. Luka Heqimi.
Also at that school, in the evenings (night school with no break from work), I taught for the qualification of nurses in the subjects: ‘Internal diseases’, ‘Normal physiology’ and ‘Normal anatomy’. Work which I did with extended hours and I also responded to orthopedic emergency visits that came from all over our country. I didn’t feel tired, I enjoyed the work I was doing, but what made me happier was the satisfaction that the patients gave me with their warm words, which seemed divine to me, since that work had turned into an education for me, which that man who was my idol, my father, Bab Cen Bulku had previously taken.
The tribute to Bab Ceni as: “Doctor of childhood” and “Symbol of Durrës Citizenship”
And in these working days in my city, where from many conversations from many friends, who give me satisfaction by appreciating me for the work I continue to do even now at this age, where strength, will, endurance, responsibility and humanity are needed, to show it to patients.
Regarding those who have remembered the work and great contribution of Bab Ceni in the service of patients, it is the occasion here to mention the well-known journalist, Mr. Bujar Qesja, who with his golden pen, wrote and engraved the name of Cen Bulku, calling him: “Doctor of childhood”, “Symbol of the Citizenship of Durrës”, and with many other titles, published these in the “Teuta Sport” newspaper, on the occasion of the awarding of the title by the “Durrësi” Municipality and Association, where Mr. The bag he was present himself.
Also today that I am writing these lines, showing a little of my long journey of my work as a doctor, I cannot sit without mentioning the well-known researcher and historian, the enlightened teacher, passionate about my father’s work, Cen Bulku and my as a human doctor, the Grand Master, Mr. Nikola Sudar, who considered my father, “Mother Teresa of Shijak”.
The evaluation of my medical colleagues, for Bab Ceni
“What about you Pullumb”, – said Dr. Petrit Kokalari, – you have Baba Cenin, a professor, he discovered in you a ‘mine’ that contained the ‘most precious metal’, that ‘gold’ that every doctor would want. He for you, – my dear friend – was Hippocrates, which you are applying rigorously and here in Spaç where you are working, putting in charge of your life’s work, the will, patience, sacrifice and humanity given by Baba Ceni , since he was 14 years old, when you accepted from your first patient, the golden word, ‘Thank you’, a word that Baba Ceni had also received at the age of 14, having it as a shining star throughout his life , until he closed his eyes forever, on December 27, 1988, when he quietly left this world.”
A few days ago, (October-November 1988), while Bab Ceni was sitting and silent in his work chair, perhaps seeing some beautiful dream, since his passion, he had inherited to me, as a doctor I realized something ……more of the labored and noisy breathing, I woke her up touching her and kissed her forehead…!
“Ah Pullumb, why did you wake me up, don’t let me die. How beautiful it was. Aman Pullumb, next time, don’t wake me up, because I want to experience that beauty…”! He said humorously to his friends and colleagues who came to see him. “No, no, Father Ceni, now you have to live, enjoy the hugs of your grandchildren, grandchildren: Cena, Nori, Beti and Ina, who drowned in tears on top of you that day, opening your eyes and with strength they only said these words: Don’t let our grandfather die, because we love you very much”, we told him! Unprecedented joy, Baba Ceni woke up.
“He remembers Baba Ceni”, they often told him. “I remember them very well and they never let me die, I love them so much…”, he answered. After three months, Baba Ceni told me: “Pullumb, it seems to me that the door is closing, go out and see who it is, go and serve the people, because they are in trouble and pain…”! These were his last words…! Although there were four doctors at home that day (me, my wife, Bayamja, pediatrician, Dr. Dafina Bici, and Dr. Sotiraq Petro from Vlora, who had come because there was a soccer match that day, (Vlora was playing with Durrës) and we we were having fun and the lunch was going well, the moment came that no one would want…!
“Come on Pullumb, look at Baba Ceni”, – called my wife, Bajamja, – “it doesn’t look good to me, how is she breathing…”?! I got up quickly, followed by my two doctors, colleagues and friends. Just at this moment, there was a loud knock on the door, we, the four doctors, were standing in front of Baba Ceni, silent, we didn’t understand anything, was he sleeping, or maybe he was dreaming, we hoped it was like that, it was a dream, while the door was knocking louder, we hesitated, should we wake him up or not…?! Our silence didn’t last more than a minute and I don’t remember who opened the door.
Enter Prof. Dr. Petrit Kokalari, what pain between us, only tears, only tears…! “Ah Baba Ceni, I came today to give you the news, but you didn’t want it, that we have decided to name our Institute after you. You are an angel, there is no death for you, and you are going to heaven, to that beautiful garden full of roses and carnations, which you loved so much, that the Great God has brought them, closer. In my hands and your son’s, how much I have loved you, will love you, as long as I live, our dear friend and companion…! It’s up to you, Pullumb, to continue the work left by Baba Ceni…”!
Those golden words that were congratulating Baba Ceni in those moments, not only pleased him, but also made my heart happy. That greeting and those words, motivated me, strengthened me, increased my will and confidence, to make it possible for my father, with the work I did with so much love, to take it from my patients, whenever they could be in serious condition, precisely at those moments, the divine Baba Ceni appeared before my eyes and I began the work with his prayerful words: O great God, help me to heal him, a prayer that even today as I am writing these lines, in this cold morning, with the first patient, Xha Liku from Golem (about 80 years old, who had pulled out his arm and who had not slept all night because of the pains and could not bear them, accompanied by tension high), which even though they had told him several times to send him to the hospital, he had not accepted…! “Go and get Doctor Pullumbi, because he is for this job”, he told his family members.
Appreciation and appreciation of patients for my work
Yes, Uncle Liku had a lot of faith in my hands. While I was in front of you, your eyes opened, your face brightened, your confidence increased, I lowered the tension that was high and I reworked your joint (Luxation) carefully. “Thank you Doctor Pullumbi”, – I heard Uncle Lik’s words – bless your hands, live your children”. Thank you, I told him, because I also have a holiday today, I turn 75 years old. “175 years old, I wish you to become a doctor”, said Xha Liku, with the words that came from his heart.
It’s been four months since that day and this writing, or rather these notes that I kept in the drawer of my desk, just to have for myself, a friend of mine saw and told me why I didn’t send it for publication, because according to him, it is a small piece of my life…?! Now, dear friends, patients and colleagues, I am telling you about my first patient who has remained in my memory, like a treasure, as if it happened to me today. I had just turned 14 years old, an age that also coincides with the beginning of Baba Ceni’s work, and this also coincided with the beginning of my daughter Betiola’s work as a traditional healer, visiting a child who had broken his hand at the wrist and she he adjusted his wrist and elbow before I visited him. “Well done dad, you fixed it very well”, I expressed my satisfaction.
It had been three days since I had started high school at the Mechanical Technical College in Shkozet, Durrës, after I had left Shijak and also from the job where I helped Baba Ceni, where he treated and cured patients who came to him from all over Albania. In the middle of the lesson, (with the teacher, Eng. Angjelin Marku), the school director, Eng. Odise Neço, who knew me well because I was Baba Ceni’s son and who also knew that I was skilled in the treatment of patients who had suffered trauma with various fractures, tells prof. Angelini: Allow Dr. Pullumbin to come out, because a patient has arrived who has broken his leg.
At that moment, all the classmates gave him a laugh. I felt like the ceiling fell on my head. “Enough” – said the director in a sharp tone, – he is crying and sitting in pain, you laugh…! Come on doctor, these friends of yours will know later”, said the principal, addressing all the students of the class, who came from all over the country and we had only three days since we started the first year of school, and we didn’t know each other.
I went to the teachers’ hall where the ‘patient’ was lying on the table and greeted everyone, especially the ‘patient’, whom I had to help, since I didn’t have Baba Ceni. I started straight away from work and first managed to calm him down from the pain he had been in. I fixed his broken leg after a large concrete pipe fell on him. I put a meringue bandage around the cartilage of the leg; on top of that I put a cardboard box of two cylindrical spressors, which took the shape of the cartilage. The card was given to me by the principal of the school who tore up an old register pad and gave me work.
When I raised my head and was helping the patient to get up, I noticed that all my classmates were gathered around me, who were looking at me in silence and were about to hug me and apologize for having laughed when the principal told me called “Doctor”. My benevolent look at them showed the best that “I had forgiven” the mistrust they had shown towards me while laughing and from that time, even my classmates started calling me ‘Doctor’.
This patient was called Mina Pano and was from the city of Fier. He shook my hand tightly and congratulated me, saying: “Thank you doctor, you really are a Pig of Peace, well done.” Well done Baba Ceni, for bequeathing his profession to his son, he was truly an excellent doctor”. As soon as he finished those words that seemed to come from his soul, all my classmates applauded him. Those congratulations and greetings of hundreds and hundreds of patients and their families have accompanied me throughout my life, where in a month and a few days, I complete 60 years of work and which coincides with my birthday, January 17, 1947.
What makes me even happier is the fact that this year is the birthday anniversary of my idol, Baba Ceni, who would have been 110 years old. The one who with his golden hands cured about half a million patients from all over our country. And both of us, father and son, received from these patients, the sweet and golden word: “Thank you Doctor”./Memorie.al
With honors and respect
Plumb Bulku
Durrës, on 10.XI.2022
