Sweet People

I can't believe that we are 1/2 way through the week already!  The days just keep checking on by! I keep reminding myself to enjoy and be present in each moment, because the time goes by so quickly.  Here is a little update on a few patients: There is a 17 year old girl here (she has been here as long as we have... she has sickle cell trait, and has extreme pain in her knee and hip... we are worried that she may have osteomyelitis, or arthritis... if that is the case... it is really sad... because she is so young... and that is usually a pretty degenerative and progressive disease for younger people... pray for her... her name is Natasha. Dr.Fuka did an ultrasound on her and thought it looked like arthritis...

Then I went around with Ginny to pray with the patients... I like doing that... since Ginny can talk to them in French/some Lingala I feel like more of a connection is made on a different level. There is a new little girl who was admitted yesterday who has severe malnutrition. She is 2 years old (looks like she is 1 years old) and her name is Virginia (pronounced Ver-geen-ee). She is so tiny... and so weak... hopefully she follows through with the treatment... usually the first week is the hardest because they don't like the formula they have to drink... until they have had it daily for about 7 days... then the children love it.  There are 4 little ones with malnutrition right now... so so sad... the usually what happens is that the mother gets pregnant before her youngest current child is weaned from the breast... then the child doesn't get proper nutrition... This little kids sometimes look like old people... they are so frail, they bald, they don't play at all... pray for these sweet little babies!

Later in the afternoon Olivia came from her house (3 mile bike ride) to help translate for me. We saw Virginia (the middle aged woman with burns on her leg). We did passive range of motion, and then I got her to stand, then we got her to walk about 30 feet! She is much stronger than she thinks she is... it is difficult however because the more she moves... the more her wounds bleed... and the more she is exposed to potential infection.. but the less she moves the more chance for contractures in her legs (not being able to move). Also, she is not getting enough nutrition... on the burn unit at home we pump the people up with calories because the body uses up so many calories to heal... here she is per scribed to eat at least 1 egg a day... for protein... that is not nearly enough... but there isn't enough money for her to buy more than that on top of the other food (which isn't much). Either way... she is working hard for me... even though I have to tease, and barter with her to be as active as I would like her to be! She has a great sense of humor... which is lost if you can't communicate fully... so I am thankful for Olivia!

Then Olivia went with me to see a woman in the post-partum ward who had had a baby a week ago... the woman was in labor for days... (her pelvis was too small to allow the baby to pass through the birth canal), and the baby died during the process, other people were pushing on her stomach to get the baby out... the baby finally came out... but the woman had a fistula (not exactly sure what that is), but it left her with "dead weight" legs. She can walk, but not well... and she has severe pain in her pelvis (no doubt!) Women here (especially in remote areas) are viewed as "weak" if they have to have a c-section... so they aren't taken to the hospital... they labor for days... the baby dies... and often the mother does too... unfortunately this situation is not uncommon here either... at least the woman is doing well... and her function in her legs will gradually come back... So I did some range of motion activities with here and talked about pain control, and walking safely.

We had a new member at our English class this week!  Mary Rose (a nurse here at the hospital who comes to English class) brought Paya on her bicycle!  It was the cutest thing!  He is the younger of the set of twins who are here being treated for malnutrition.  Thankfully he has completed his treatment and is doing fairly well now, but his brother, Kumo, is still on the malnutrition treatment schedule, and he has malaria. Side note: Paya means "second" and Kumo means "first" in Lingala... so the twins names are literally... Second, and First. :) This evening we made oatmeal raisin cookies and Ciska (the cook who cooks here for lunch each day) made bread... so we had fresh bread, cheese, and pineapple for dinner... and cookies for dessert while we played cards! We didn't finish the game because we got tired... :)

I'll have to tell you more about my Monday evening too... Sarah (who I haven't written about yet) took me with her on a walk through the village to see on of her friends who is home bound with club feet. It was amazing... to walk through the village and truly see how the people live. It is a gift to be able to experience such a different reality.

Fun Fact #8: There are highways here in Impfondo... but not like the highways we are used to driving on... I like to call them ant highways.  We have all seen a trail of ants before... you know on a picnic, or in the summer if you leave something out on the counter overnight.  Here there are HIGHWAYS and intersections, and off /on ramps... it is incredible! They follow the same paths along the walls in our house (and in the hospital buildings too!). The intersections are fascinating to watch... they are seriously like round-a-bouts... where about four highways intersect together; you would think that would be traffic jams, but everyone seems to know exactly where to go!  Maybe we should have ants teach drivers ed...