Baby Greg

After my morning at Sisters I went to work. I was in A ward, and orientating a new nurse to the ward and it's unusual ways! At dinner time I had a conversation with Ali who is one of our paeds nurses who has looked after Baby Greg for many many weeks. She had expressed how he continued to struggle his way through each day.

A little later in the evening, after staff doing as much as we could, Baby Greg passed away. He went quietly and quickly. Despite him being so unwell since his surgery, the little one had continued to persevere every day, and it was a shock to all of us when it happened. Greg's mother was deeply distressed as any mother would be.

My heart and the hearts of the nurses here were so very heavy, all of us having been part of his little world as we worked around his bed area. The beeping machines, hum of the oxygen and occasional crys, as well as Greg's mum's laughter, tears and prayers were so much a part of everyday, not one of us could not help but be touched and moved at his death.

We can all question, wonder and plead with God for reasons why this happened and why he had held on for so long just to be carried home to his father in heaven. What I know to be true is that his Mum Marion, virtually a child herself, has had the most phenomenal times of prayer, sharing, and being ministered to whilst being with us. She has an amazing story. Her father for reasons I will not go into had proclaimed over her life that she had disgraced her family and that she would never keep hold of a live baby in her hands. A curse that has been true in her past pregnancies. She has been gripped by fear by this. We know that this curse has been broken despite baby Greg's recent death. As one of her family put it when we carried Marion, Baby Greg home the night he died "some of the babies just have to go back" - to the hands of their father. I can not explain this situation more in my blog, I only know God is bigger than this.

The next day we had a time to share and talk about what happened. It seemed strange for many as they had met in a similar situation only the day of Greg's death and made a plan for the next week to fit a tracheostomy, as a step in the right direction for when the ship leaves at the end of the year, in order to continue his care. Clearly Greg and God had other plans! The meeting was a really important healing time for us all. Our ward supervisor shared with us how at Marion's home the night before, that the family had thanked and thanked us as a team for giving them 'more than the best care'. Each of us hold on to the fact that now Greg is in more than the best place.

Our contact with Marion and her family has continued, in order to continue to support her. Just now Ali shared with me how they have just visited her house. One of our ship crew happened to drove our discipler and Ali to see them. He shared his families testimony of experiencing the exact same 'curse' placed on his mother, and how through God's Grace and Mercy, the curse was destroyed, his birth being the result of it being broken. Being able to be a living testimony of God's work is astounding and can only have encouraged her. God is evidently continuing to work in this family and I don't believe this is the end by any means.

I did not come to this ship realising the extent to which I would be shown new, wonderful, difficult and challenging things. Every day my God gets bigger and more astounding. I am but a tiny small and insignificant part in God's intricate plan, yet I am here, he called me into it. I only hope I remeber these life changing things I am sharing as time passes.

Sisters of charity

I went again to my regular Mercy Ministry this week - a home for adults and children affected by HIV, malnourishment and TB run by Sisters. The week before I came home from the kids section absolutely exhausted and feeling pretty like I had done very little to help. The kids were WILD! It had been raining intensely the whole time we were there which probably didn't help, but I felt I just spent the whole time there just policing the box of activities we took with us.
This week, we were able to use a slightly larger covered area, but chose to spend the first 15 minutes with the activities out of sight and just play with the children, giving them plenty of hugs and tickles. It worked brilliantly! They responded so well. There are some triplets there at the moment who are a real handful, but we managed to get them occupied by a heads, shoulders, knees and toes rendition!
I still just love this place, despite th ebad days, it is a place where they are so well and humbly looked after. The children are visibly chubbier, better behaved adn healthier the longer they are there. Last week there was a small boy, maybe 8 or so, looking extrememly ill. He is HIV positive, His bones poked out, his eyes were filled with pain, and he was lying on a bench with a blanket under him, scrunched in the foetal position. My heart physically pained to see the agony it was for him to lift his head. This week, the boy was so different. He was sitting up, shy but interacting, there was a little glint in his eye, and occasionally a little smile crept across his face. The sisters are vigilant in administering medication, vitamins, and in feeding regularly through the day. His progress is testimant to that. Obviously, this child will never be 'cured', and I don't know his home circumstances. His family may not have been able to care for him properly. What I know now for sure is that he is in excellant hands.
I decided that rather than trying to interact with all the children I would focus on a few littlle girls. They were squabbling for my attention between eachother but then we began to play games all together They loved 'round and round the garden' and I managed to read a story book to them too. a little later, 2 of the boys about 4 years old had started to draw pictures. They were so proud of their scribbles and kept coming to me for encouragement, big smiles all around when I told them how good they were! It is so humbling to see how little these children want in some senses. A hug, a smile, a happy encouragement. This I can do in abundance!
A while before we left, I went to see the tiniest babies. Currently there are 3 babies under 5 months who's mothers are in the other area of the home and unwell. I had a cuddle with one of them, showing the older chidlren how to be jus a bit gentle as we started playing with the play dough and bubbles.
Leaving is always the hard part, but a day at work was to follow that I will never forget...

Day with the HIV team

One of Mercy Ships off ship programmes is the HIV team. Their main way of working is through workshops for local pastors/churches, with an emphasis on the managebility and prevention of HIV. Pastors are invited to bring together 4 or 5 of their congregation to the 6 day workshop, following which they will have been taught and empowered to teach those in their church and their families, then going into local communites. There is a huge focus on how to integrate, accept and encourage people with HIV to be open and honest. I went along to the second day of the latest workshop. 22 people attended, and it was an absolutely fantastic day!
The day began with a traditional African worship time, which I love so much! The team had then asked a local counsellor who works at a catholic clinic, where HIV testing, treatment and counselling is available to come and talk to the people. It was an amazing 3 hour session. Johnny talked about a huge array of things; the discovery of HIV in the 80's, how it is transmitted, how treatment programmes run, how to encourage people to get tested. Currently in Liberia the known rate of HIV is 8-10% but because of the war and the situation of the country there is very little data available.
It was absolutely awesome to watch the interaction of the pastors as Johnny challenged them about the stigma attached to HIV. All of the people were open about their own experiences of HIV and how they would prevent their children from playing with those they knew to be positive, they would not share food etc. It was amazing to see what false beliefs about the disease that they had. What was amazing was their obvious hunger to know more. They all spoke out and asked question after question. No stone was left unturned! I was so moved by their desire to know and have the knowledge that they needed. Johnny, also a Christian was amazing at integrating Biblical principles and really challenged them to think about the way they treated people from a Christian perspective also.
We had a break for lunch (which began my renaming session...see previous post!) in which we sat outside the simple school building beneath a tree in a wonderful breeze despite the scorching heat! It was wonderful. The building was tucked amidst a small quiet village surrounded by trees and small tin roof houses all focused on a central point, a real community. We tucked into our hot and spicy African meal (hot in both senses!!) and enjoyed just listening to the continued chatter and discussion.
Each night, those attending are asked to do some homework. A group of them had been asked to perform a short play. I have never seen anything like it. 10 grown men and women (mainly pastors), with tabbards with labels like 'fever' 'white blood cell' 'cough' played the part of bugs invading teh body of a 'healthy person' (also a 'character'). They then demonstrated how the presence of HIV in an otherwise healthy body, made it more susseptible to other problems. The white blood cell character literally acted out 'beating up' the fever, pain, cough characters. They absolutely threw themselves into it. I was in awe! I'd like to see my pastors and people at my church strutting their stuff with so much vigor! The best bit though, was that when they talked about it afterward they had learnt so much it was untrue.
Following the sketch, Anoukke and Claire who are the HIV team members did some consolidatory teaching and then they began to talk to them about how they can teach themselves. They encouraged the group to think of ways they could reproduce the flip chart drawings and information. The group were so resourceful, picking out people in the church who had artistic skills. They were then asked to go and spend an hour or so with poeple from different churches (a cunning way of networking) practicing with some of the teaching aids they were given, teaching eachother.
I sat in with one group, and they were each so gifted in certain areas. One young mother was clearly concerned for the topic of mother to child transmission and spoke from the heart about the best way to protect mother and child in and after pregnancy. Another pastor had a great way of bringing everyday Liberian cultural themes into their teaching. I was astounded for this a first try. Tucked away in a dark, unlit, cool classroom, their time and efforts took on new meaning. This group will impact so many people around them, they will share with their family members, and they will bring the hope of Christ with them as they do it.
At the end of the workshops, the group is encouraged to go together to be tested so that they know their status, and as a way of starting to break down the stigma by helping with counselling of fellow group memebers if necessary.
I was privaleged and amazed at the enthusiasm and concern each person had. They all spurred one another on as they began to teach, they all shared openly and honestly about the things that had come across. This is an awesome programme!

I have been renamed...!

Yesterday I spent the day with our HIV team (much more on that in another post!). It was another of my most enjoyable days off ship. We went to a place in Upper Caldwall to a smaller more rural village area. The journey there was the bumpiest I have ever had, no opportunity for dosing! we spent the day with 22 pastors/leaders of nearby churches, and it was fanatastic. There was one moment that stuck out for me a little more than the rest on a personal level and taht was during lunch.
We were eating a traditional African meal of rice and 'meat' (!!) in spicy sauce (and I mean spicy...in the blazing sunshine that was around today!). Debbie one of the pastors wives looked at me quite deeply and asked my name again. A few minutes later after she had been sitting in thought, she said to me I am going to give you your Liberian name in Pele (a West African dialect/language). It is 'Lelah'. She smiled profusley and knowingly...We all continued to chat and relax and that seemed to be the end of it.
Before we left she shook my hand and said 'Don't forget your Liberian name...Lelah'. 'Remind me what it means' I asked: and there it was plain and bold as day
"I am satisfied" She said as she looked right into my eyes, with a look that felt like she was seeing inside my heart!
Kind of took the wind out of my sails and made me stop in my tracks. Satisfied. Am I, will I be, have I been? Questions tha have been running through my mind since she said the words.
I don't know why she gave me that name but it certainly fits in with a lot of my thought processes recently.
Where am I looking for my satisfaction and is it enough?
Well I am not there yet, but one thing I know for sure, particularly whenI am working and being in a place like Liberia, my satisfaction is not coming from any earthly thing.

Night shift

Last week I did my set of nights and I had a really great night shift. Lately I have been quite tired and I am embarrased to say have felt myself 'living' for my days off. It has been quite a challenge to think about that mindset in a place such as this, and it's hard not to judge myself and my attitude and feel pretty horrible. So after some rest and some determination on my part to try and change my attitude, I went to my night shift praying hard and with a renewed attitude.
The shift began with me as always introducing myself and explaining I was their nurse for the night. As I went around, it was obvious that a couple of my female patients understood very little English. So the sign language ensued. Both ladys had had goitres removed from their necks and so I spent a lot of my time going round doing all sorts of checks of their necks and faces, prodding and poking, trying to explain what I was doing was pretty hard but they were very tolerant! I have noticed that often people with the same types of problem will group together, and my ladies were no different. We had 3 other ladies on the ward with massive goitres who were having their operation the next day. This is the place where their large swollen necks (and whatever else they have problems with!) are not looked down upon, and someone else knows exactly what it is to be rejected, stigmatised and made fun of.
Somehow my night with these ladys was different. Sometimes language and having to point, gesture and simplify can be really hard and a huge effort, often to no avail. But my ladies were patient, and somehow with smiles, points, and showing eachother what we meant we were able to get by, and what's more is that it was fun.
I was also looking after Kossi again, so we had a bit of a play as I went round, he is turning into quite a live wire! He loves to be cheeky now and is a lot of fun.
As I turned the lights out and prepared for the long night ahead, I remembered my intentions to pray for my patients. I snuck around the curtains which we set up to dull the night lights to a comfortable level, I went to see who was still awake. I offered to pray for 2 gentlemen who had been quietly resting for most of the evening from 7pm when I arrived. They were most enthusiastic and so I prayed, one of them ferevently agreeing for all I was praying. Yet again I think the patients were more of an encouragement to me than the other way round! Often you will find that during the day but particularly in the mornings, many of them will dig out their bibles and quite openly pray or read psalms out loud. I love to hear that, and am reminded of their focus every day as they get up, by the first thing that they do.

Everyone works together

In my last post I forgot to mention one of the most 'warm heart' moments of the day. After the admissions for the next day arrived, we asked the translators to prepare some patient activities. We have thread which we use to teach and make friendship bracelets with the patients, so on occasions we spend time bagging up thread of the right length and attaching safety pins etc. Well, this was an amazing sight. Within 5minutes of the new kids and the bubblefest, the mums and dads of the new arrivals were sat with the translators in a circle, cutting measuring and bagging thread.
This was a community event. A time of just chatting and sharing. Mamas (many just young girls) laughing and joking, sharing I expect the events leading up to the big white ship, and these funny white people. There was no complaining, only joy, laughter, and a great sense of purpose amongst the new group.
Many times I think we miss the simple pleasures of being with others. The people of Africa are daily teaching me how important community is. This is how many have survived the war in one piece. Everyone pitches in and gets on with the dull tasks by making an event of it. The young girls help out their elders. I have also witnessed men, being men, but also being the most amazing fathers.
we had a young lady with a baby who was having surgery, and the young man in the bed next to her was ready and waiting whenever she needed a hand. He comforted the child, played with her, entertained her and fed her whenever needed, without being asked.It was just an innate response!

I love to witness these moments. I will never tire of them. We may 'be bringing hope and healing to the forgotten poor', but what this experience is giving me I can't even articulate!

On the ward

Tuesday was just 'another day' on the ward, I use that term carefully because I am so conscious that nothing I do here is just another day...I began my day with 5 patients. As the patients woke from their deep slumbers, I tiptoed round checking charts and getting my brain in gear for the day ahead. We are assigned patients according to level of care rather than a certain area of the ward so it is a habit of mine to introduce myself to each patient so they know who to ask for! When I first arrived, I wasn't quite so clued up on this and how important it is to them to know your name. On the odd occasion I forget they will remind me. I find that quite a challenge because sometimes I am the world's worst at remembering translators names, and even the patients sometimes.
2 of my patients for the day were men who had had hernia repairs, and they were to be discharged. One of the big things we have to do is teach wound care to each patient. It may seem like an easy thing to do, but I have had to learn the right words to use; water from the pump, put pan in fire for 10 minutes etc etc, and then teach it in very short sentences. We English know how to make things complicated just by using lots of words! I am slowly developing my Liberian English, 'wait small' 'it hurting you?' 'you whan pan?' but often have to rely on the translators to help when I teach. It is so important that they are taught everything from how to wash hands (and with soap and 'clean' water) to not touching wounds with fingers, and making clean salt water ever day.
The two men I spent time explaining this to picked it up pretty quickly. I recently spent some time designing a 'how to make water for wound care' leaflet in words and also in pictures. It was a challenge to come up with pump pictures instead of taps and a fire showing how they usually boil water. It has taught me to think a lot about the lifestyle here.
Having discharged the 2 men I thought I might have a quiet day, not so! I had one lady going for thyroid surgery (oh how I love those...??!!) She was quite nervous so I spent some time talking to her about things. When I finally took her to surgery, we walked slowly down the long corridor, so alien to her, carrying her fluid bag in the air, heading towards 'the bench' outside the anaesthetic room. As we sat down, she let out a quivering breath. I forget this moment is even more strange to people here than a 'first surgery timer' at home. Many having not stepped into a medical environment before, let alone a ship or anything air conditioned! As the theatre nurse arrived we asked, as we do all patients, if we could pray for her. She agreed, and we prayed for peace, rest and guidance for the surgeons. No where else have I ever seen prayer so readily received than 'the bench'.
Returning to the ward I spent sometime with Kossi my little boy who has had bilateral osteotomys. He was sporting a woolly jumper, donated from somewhere, a bit of an 'off the shoulder number' as it was a little too big, but he loves it. He previously had to have one of his eyes removed and a false one is now in it's place. Somehow that false eye gives him an even more deeply beautiful look about his cheeky smile. Every now and again, I feel a little dig in the back of my legs. He is behind me in his wheelchair, with crutches and pillows rigged up for leg supports. It's his cheeky way of just letting you know he's still there! Kossi loves playing 'pee po' despite him being 10!
In the afternoon there was an influx of patients for the next days surgery. Laura our assistant ward supervisor had found stacks of bubbles so because of the influx of kids, we had a big bubble blowing session. The shiny bubbles were flying in all directions and even the smallest of kids were following them carefully and reaching out to pop them.
One little girl that arrived was quite shy, but such a sweet spirit. She
sadly had had an infection in one of her eyes. It bulged out in quite an ugly manner, she was to have the eye removed the next day. Completely used to just using her one eye, she will bounce back after her surgery, and she joined in the games no problem.
Ali (of team awesome!!) was a gem and talked to one of my little ones about his surgery the next day. Each person gets a teddy in their admission pack, so Ali dressed up his bear with dressings to show him how his tummy would look after his surgery. He was a little nervous, but was put ease seeing what he would look like.
My patient who had thyroid surgery returned a little later, and so ensued the pointing sign language that I am developing quite admirably! She was so relieved if a little shell shocked. Some time after she returned I got a mirror to show her her neck. The lump she had removed was the size if a melon. As she looked in the mirror her eyes glazed over but she said nothing, gently touching her neck, I could read it all in her eyes. A small time later her family came to see her, and is often the case, thanked and thanked us profusely. At times like that, I find it so hard to 'accept' the thanks. It's a struggle to feel like we have done anything more than these wonderful people deserve.

The ward

One part of our ward. We have a no ward photo policy so this was after team awesome Ali Grace and Katy had just finished the major ward clean a while back.

My friend Katy

This is my closest friend Katy. She's a gem. We have the same schedule and always have lots of fun when we work together.

A game of pairs

We try and do interactive games, particularly with the kids. They love it One of the favourites is the game 'pairs', where we have lots of picture cards turned upside down and the aim is to find by turning over 2 at a time, the matching card. Unfamiliar pictures of purple monkeys, dinosaurs, birthday cake, rag dolls and such keep the kids particularly interested.
Last night I had a few games with two of my patients. One little girl speaks only French (and those who know me know how much French I remember...), the other little boy speaks Liberian English (which to be fair can be as undecipherable as French to me sometimes!). Konhu has a large mass on her neck and has been waiting over a week now for our CT scanner to be fixed so she can be scanned before they go ahead with her operation. Fixing tings here can be painfully slow but with her home being 3 days travel away, the little girl and her Mama have decided to sit it out on the ship. Kossi had bilateral osteotomys on his legs, which before surgery were so bent he was virtually sitting in the floor. He is now wheelchair bound until his casts are removed after 3 months and he begins physio to get him walking again.
Both children are quite shy, but they love pairs. With games like that, language is no barrier, and we settled down to several rounds with plenty of laughing and giggling as the 2 tried to cheat sneaking a look at cards before they turned them over. I am sad t say, I am particularly horrendous at the game, and I lost every time!
It is such a nice thing to have time to invest just being with my patients. They all love just spending time with us. I can't quite imagine how I will adapt to such a different way of working at home, generally with so little time just to sit and 'be' with the patients. It's sometimes means as much to the people here as the surgery itself. I think everyone should get a taste of this...

Have you ever seen me dancing I mean really dancing....?!!

It is a fact here, that white people are thought of as pretty 'special' when they dance. I don't know if it's that there aren't many white people so they don't see them dance or that they just think we can't, but whenever one of us puts our hand to dancing, there is uproar!
Two nights ago I was passing through B ward with some medicine, and spotted half of the ward focusing on the nurses' computer screen. There was some kind of African music pumping out of the speakers, and on the screen some people dressed in traditional outfits dancing to the beat of the traditional drums. On the screen one of the men started doing some kind of bandy legged manoeuver, and shaking his arms, so instinctively, not really paying attention to what I was doing, I thought I'd give it a try as I passed the screen...well, you'd think I was the worlds best comedian as the cheers, hysterical laughter, pointing and general astonishment erupted! I sneaked out of the door to the ward still dancing glad that I had 'entertained' the masses for a few minutes...

James and Moses

The twin stories continue! James has now had his second surgery to repair his hernia, following his diagnosis of Malaria. Moses' cerebral malaria has settled and has not had any seizures for sometime.
I have been on night shifts this week and B ward was a hive of activity all 3 nights. James and Moses had their 'family bed' right near the nurses station. Last night I witnessed 2 hilarious and touching moments in the twins day. They are both now feeling a whole lot better and are up and about on their feet and back to mischief.
In the evenings we let the kids play or wander between the wards providing they behave themselves, as I was tending to on of my patients in A ward, the door opened and in wandered 2 little figures with chocolate skin and chubby cheeks. The boys dressed, one in red and white stripes and the other in tie dye mini theatre gowns, a little too big for them, wrapped almost twice around their podgy waists, the gowns virtually touching the floor, entered the room clearly on a mission. heading straight for the corner they retrieved the big yellow physio exercise ball. Then began the hilarious ball exchange between the twins, uttering some little phrases with much indignation, the 2 boys loved every second of their playtime together. One of my friends Katy began playing pee-po with the boys as they buried their faces in to the big yellow ball, giggling with delight. It is hard to imagine that these 2 little boys had just over 24 hours ago both been clammy, grizzly, lying pretty much motionless in their 'family bed', with us trying our best to make them smile to little or no avail.
The next of the delightful moments came a little later in the evening, and I popped to B ward to speak to someone. I stopped in my tracks as I heard James and Moses' mother say 'Go!' What was before my eyes? The twin boys, in their slightly too long and too big gowns, in their little sandals, trudging one behind the other toward the bathroom door. Moses was carrying a large shiny rustling bag crammed with soap and towels and toothbrushes, James with a big blue washing-up-esque bowl, both piled on top of their heads, held secure by their squidgy little arms straining up to the top of their loads. We were all laughing and delighting in how the 2 foot something boys carried on not a care in the world. Then their Mum did it, she brought the tears to mine and Ali's already unstable emotional cascade...She piped up, singing loud and rhythmically, dancing a little with one of the songs we often here in church and on the ward...'He will carry my load...'
I think Ali and I could have had an aneurysm at that point...
Another 'this is why I am here' moment!

A song

One of our Mum's this week (Mum to twins Moses and James) asked to share her thanks to God at ward Church. She began to sing the most spine tingling, hairs standing on end song. People here grasp music in a way we don't often see back home. They are not concerned for the right notes, pitch, key or even rhythm. They just care for what it means to them and to who they are singing it to. The words roll out rich and heartfelt, deep and yearning for something deeper than human contentment. For much of this song, I did not understand the words that were sung, they were in a local dialect, what I did know was that she truly beleived every word she spoke in praise to her awesome God.

Her baby Moses had to come back to the ship because he contracted cerebral Malaria and started having seizures after his hernia operation. He has improved, but his twin brother who has had the same operation (who had to come back with Moses to be looked after by Mama) was found to have popped his hernia again, and when doing his pre op blood work to repeat the surgery, he was found to have Malaria too.

The saga just keeps continuing, yet Mama's praise keeps coming! The two boys, though a little grouchy with their fevers continue to be precious, in matching Christmas Red gowns, they are bright eyed and mischievous. Their story continues...

Baby Greg update...

Baby Greg who has been quite sick has had a good weekend. In fact, on Sunday when I went to ward church, I found out that he had actually had a bottle feed and had spent several hours on nasal cannulae rather than the CPAP mask. A pretty exciting moment for us all, and quite frankly, a miracle in his little life. He is still ill adn only time will tell how he will do, but for now, his Mama and Papa can rejoice in these miracles.
Last week, Greg's Mama had wanted to share her testimony with us, but Clementine one of our crew who runs ward church said she could share the next week as we didn't have time left. Several of us were pretty distressed, thinking that Greg may not be here this Sunday, and that his Mum would not have had a chance to share her thanks to God despite everything. I guess we all learned that sometimes God wants us to hold back until the right time and we need to trust the wisdom of others, because this week Greg's Mum had an amazing opportunity to rejoice for God's hand at work in her baby's life.

Courage and something a whole lot more powerful

This last week I was listening to some stories one of the Mercy Ships crew had gleaned from some of our patients. They were remarkable stories. Often the people here are suspicious of what we do, possible from a lack of knowledge and maybe from the stories made up by other people. One person was told that if she came to the ship she would have her hea completely shaved by us. Another man was needing an operation and believed he would be circumcised whilst he was having his other surgery that he needed. Another lady had been told that the ship would sail away with her still on it.
But you know what, each of these people still came, so desperate for their surgery and for some hope, they were willing to come anyway. What is even more remarkable is that the lady who was told she would have her head shaved, shaved her own head before she came to the ship...
To know that people come despite their fears, tells something about the need here. So many of our patients tell us of how God has spoken to them and told them to come to the ship.
One of our patients told us about his journey to the ship in ward church yesterday. He had had to wait and take a long time to get here to be seen, but he was determined and has had his surgery and is so thankful.

Running on the dock!

Well, I am pretty sure many of you will be quite surprised but I have started running several times a week now. I don't mind telling you that muscles I didn't even know I had are hurting, but my word it's pretty satisfying!
Days as I am sure you can imagine can be quite intense, and getting some time out to go and pound my frustration out on the dock is a lifesaver!
Normally I try to go in early evening or when it's dark, but that dock has heard many a thought about my day, and been subjected to many a cry out to God. It's quite freeing to be alone with my thoughts and God, and I certainly need it.
The dock from the end to the main gate by the road and back is a mile apparently. I am managing to run between 2 and 5 of those depending on the day, amidst a bit of walking. Also gives me time to discover songs I don't even know I have on my MP3 player!! Thanks to Emma for many of those!!
Hopefully I'll be bringing this habit home with me...watch out the streets of Brum, my orange t shirt will be coming!!

Baby twin Moses

I heard a little sad news yesterday. One of the gorgeous twins who had a hernia repair that I wrote about a few days back was readmitted yesterday. Overnight at home he began to have seizures and was fitting for the majority of the night.
He was brought back to us and was diagnosed with cerebral malaria. It is obviously not to do with his surgery, and ironically I believe he was tested for Malaria whilst he was with us and nothing showed up.
Right now his fits have settled, but it's not exactly what you want to hear. Because of rainy season, Malaria is around in abundance. Patients arrive to the ship with fevers and we have to test a large number of them. Many of them end up having surgery cancelled or delayed until they have had treatment. Although obviously there is always some risk, it is hard when you think that so many people contract malaria which could be preventable, and with it there are so many deats. Mosquito nets are as far as I can tell not widely used. Another factor is that actually trying to afford or get to clinics for treatment here is difficult, especially for those in far off villages. Thankfully we are able to try and help Moses, but in reality if he hadn't just been a patient with us it is likely it would have been a very different story.
What we take for granted just being able to pop to the chemist in a car eh?!

Baby Greg

One of the great things I witness every day is our ward disciplers. They come around the ward to talk to each person, to lead them in a time of prayer and to sing with them. It always happens when you need it most. Well this week has been no exception. We have a tiny tiny baby called Greg who has been with us for several weeks now. He had a large mass attached to his trachea which was removed in major surgery. He appeared to recover quite well from it initially, but in the last weeks his situation is becoming more desperate. His trachea is such that it is too 'floppy' to support itself for him to breath and do everything else his body does. He is on a mask which assists in forcing the air into his lungs.
At home there would be more that could be done for this little one, but sadly the country does not have the hospital care needed to go down such routes, because the care he would need after we left could not be given.
We are doing the best that we can right now, but the situation is so hard. His parents are young and frightened. The disciplers on the ward have been an absolute beacon of light. Every day they pray for Greg and every patient is interested and concerned for him, and asked to join in with praying. Each day the prayers that go up in the ward from patients for patients gets me right in the gut. Why we have so little gusto and faith when we pray sometimes is beyond me when I see these guys!
People may well ask me how I can believe that what is hapening to this little baby is right, all I can say is that I can only trust in My Creator, that he has this little boy in his hand. He needs a miracle, and I can only continue to pray for that miracle to happen, and soon.

Thyroidectomys........ Eeeeeeeeeeek!

Ok so, along with the new 'general surgeries' has come thyroid problems. Around here, thyroid problems are not uncommon. For me, this probably has to be one of the most nerve racking post op care situations...
Thyroidectomys involve removing massive swelling from peoples necks. Because of where the surgery takes place the airway is something that has to be carefully thought about. Having not been party to caring for such a patient before I was given lots of information on what to look for, incase bleeding or a drop in calcium occured. There is the potential for massive bleeding in the neck which can occlude the person's airway pretty quickly (ie less than a minute). You have to keep an eye on swelling so that if needed you can open up the incision line straight away there at the bedside...
Hmmm...not so keen on that idea I can tell you. So I guess you could say i am learning new skills at the very least...

Oo, in case you wondered, my patient was fine, all went to plan and I didn't have to get my scalpel out - thank the Lord!!

A different kind of surgery

This last week has seen a change in the surgery that we do. Sadly, all the orthopaedics have finished for now, but general surgery has begun. Yesterday I had several patients going for hernia repairs. Many of them are young little ones.
I had one of a set of twins, James and Moses. James was the 'chubbier' of the two twins, but before their surgery they were playing together so beautifully with our huge yellow exercise ball which the physios use. One of our nurses was telling me that she remembered the twins from screening, The smaller of the two had been quite sick, but Moses was actually looking really well right now.
When tey came in we pushed 2 beds together so Mama could continue to look after both boys in close proximity, so there was a big family set up in the corner of the ward. The boys are 18 months old, but here it is common for Mama's to continue breast feeding for a long time or until another child comes along (they may even continue feeding different aged children!). So we figured, having this set up would make life easier.
They are a funny pair. As part of a premedication, both of the boys were required to have some pain relief and a mild sedative. James, the twin I was looking after went second, and had a little longer for the medication to work. Consequently he had a few minutes desperately trying to sit up and comically rolling over on the bed instead. The things we do!! What was really lovely was that James started to call out for Moses about 10 or so minutes after Moses had gone for his surgery, realising his twin wasn't there.
When they had both returned to the ward they greeted each other with drowsy nudges and the pair settled to sleep wrapped up in their fleece blankets. The patients here often complain of the coldness because of the air conditioning. As the boys came around, Mama did a great job of handling the twins, consoling and feeding the pair of them. Pretty admirable! Their crys were exactly the same whch was a little disconcerting for the other nurse and I (who happens to be called Grace too...!) because we kept looking to see if it was our patient crying!