The chilly Boulder night helps me to realize that I’m home from Haiti. My three weeks (28 Oct - 18 Nov) in Deshapelles at Hôpital Albert Schweitzer (HAS) in the Artibonite River Valley linger; I find this “re-entry” challenging. Trying to relax, my dreams are pummeled with Haiti and cholera.
As you have surely noticed by now, I was really lame about communicating during this trip. My computer was a TOTAL brat, so I couldn't compose emails at the guest house. And my only access to email was in the hospital library and quite limited. I was usually so exhausted by the time I could get on-line, I could barely read through my emails before I trudged home to get a blessed “bucket bath,” beer and dinner. I have posted more pictures on Facebook.
I’m here to tell you that the Haitian roosters started their cock-a-doodling at 2:30 AM - not even my ear plugs helped me sleep through them. True confessions: I actually got up and threw ROCKS at them, perched up in the tree ri Jason has twin boys. What kind of coincidence is that??
Dr. Ian Rawson, director of the hospital oriented us to the layout and sent us by car to nearby Petit Trou de Artibonite, where the Doctors without Borders Cholera Treatment Center was receiving more than 100 patients per day. I was thrilled, also, to meet the CDC team, who worked so hard to scope out how this horrible bacteria had come back to haunt Haiti. Now this is a good way for my tax dollars to be at work!
Cholera is a bacteria that essentially sucks all the body’s fluids and eliminates them first, through diarrhea and then through vomiting. If the fluids are not replaced immediately, death will happen – and can happen in hours to days. Treatment is simple: oral rehydration solution. We triaged patients: If they were “only” having diarrhea, we assigned them to an area where we encouraged them to “bwe bwe bwe!” that is, drink! If they had already started vomiting, we started at least one IV line of Lactated Ringers and put them in a bed where we could keep tabs on them. The protocol is to get 6 liters into a person in a couple of hours, so it takes incredible diligence. And when there are half a dozen patients like that, it is almost impossible to keep up.
The extreme need, the intensity of caring for patients who are beyond oral rehydration, the frustration of not being able to communicate with my Haitian co-nurses when we needed to move quickly, the satisfaction of seeing someone on the brink of death come back to life…I am yet again humbled and grateful for being a nurse, for being able to help, for all the teachers I have had, for the support from friends and family to allow me to do this work.
Almost all patients arrived with family member (who provided sheets, food, personal assistance, etc.). But the ones who didn’t were on their own. Haitian nurses don’t touch patients or provide any direct physical care. I carried hundreds of bedpans to the toilets and did my best to clean patients who were alone. One young fellow had been lying in 4 inches of diarrhea on a cot for hours. The Nursing Director got him into a real bed, we stripped him and got paper sheets over and under him. He couldn’t get out of bed for a day – it was heartbreaking. BUT, he got better and I was thrilled to see him, dressed and smiling as he left 4 days after he was all but dead. This is the joy of cholera – people get better quickly.
A team of 4 nurses from Project Hope had arrived 2 days prior to my arrival, during a time when there were only about 5-10 admissions per day. They didn’t speak any Creole or French and were frustrated by the Haitian way of delivering care. I think they were a bit disappointed. So, by the luck of the draw, their 2 weeks ended 2 days before we got slammed with triple that number of patients in one day and I was the only non-Haitian nurse available. But it was fine.
I found great connection with many of the people with whom I worked. The medical director is an energetic Swiss doctor, Silvia, who quietly works to improve the delivery of health care in a situation beyond our imagination. Of course, the nurses and I bonded in ways that transcend the language barrier; sharing the struggle to save a life, seeing the bright outcome of a patient waking up and then walking out of the hospital when he had been so close to death...I felt so grateful for being part of that effort. The guys who kept our unit free from body fluids - they were heroes in my book! And the patients, of course. I don't even know their names or how far they had to walk or be carried to the hospital. When a patient reached the point where we could remove his IVs, I would say "Bon travay! Orevwa cholera!" "Good work! Good-by, cholera!" And we would all beam in gratitude.
A new group of 6 Project Hope nurses arrived 2 days before my departure. The medical director asked me to orient them. I feel really good aThey didn’t speak any Creole or French and were frustrated by the Haitian way of delivering care. I think they were a bit disappointed. So, by the luck of the draw, their 2 weeks ended 2 days before we got slammed with triple that number of patients in one day and I was the only non-Haitian nurse available. But it was fine.
I found great connection with many of the people with whom I worked. The medical director is an energetic Swiss doctor, Silvia, who quietly works to improve the delivery of health care in a situation beyond our imagination. Of course, the nurses and I bonded in ways that transcend the language barrier; sharing the struggle to save a life, seeing the bright outcome of a patient waking up and then walking out of the hospital when he had been so close to death...I felt so grateful for being part of that effort. The guys who kept our unit free from body fluids - they were heroes in my book! And the patients, of course. I don't even know their names or how far they had to walk or be carried to the hospital. When a patient reached the point where we could remove his IVs, I would say "Bon travay! Orevwa cholera!" "Good work! Good-by, cholera!" And we would all beam in gratitude.
A new group of 6 Project Hope nurses arrived 2 days before my departure. The medical director asked me to orient them. I feel really good about their willingness to work hard for the cholera patients and to ease the load on the Haitian nurses. I specifically counselled them about this not being their turf and to be respectful of the nursing culture here. Not to compromise their professionalism, but to respect the Haitian nurses for where they are professionally. And I reminded them that "we" will leave; the Haitian staff will remain with the fullness of challenges on a daily basis.
If I could have a magic wand, my wish for Haiti would be instant healing of all the suffering; and for me - instant fluency in Creole…oh! And finding work that would allow me to be in Haiti full time.
Thanks for making it all the way to the end of this tome!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Sunday, November 28, 2010
How to support my cholera work
October 28 - November 18 found me working at the Hopital Albert Schweitzer in the heart of the cholera epidemic. Many people have asked about supporting that work.
The Mountain Forum for Peace, a Colorado 501(c)3 organization that has helped to fund several of my international aid trips, again has offered to receive donations, so that any contribution will be tax-deductible.
If you are moved to make a donation, please make your check to "MFP" and mail it to:
Beverly Lyne
3370 34th Street
Boulder, CO 80301
I will be deeply grateful for your help in supporting my efforts to ease the suffering.
"Mesi anpil" - Thank you so much!
The Mountain Forum for Peace, a Colorado 501(c)3 organization that has helped to fund several of my international aid trips, again has offered to receive donations, so that any contribution will be tax-deductible.
If you are moved to make a donation, please make your check to "MFP" and mail it to:
Beverly Lyne
3370 34th Street
Boulder, CO 80301
I will be deeply grateful for your help in supporting my efforts to ease the suffering.
"Mesi anpil" - Thank you so much!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Back in Boulder 5 July 201
Flying back home, the cacophony of sensations from a month in the poorest country in the western hemisphere began to bubble up as I anticipated the luxury of home -- hot water flows every time I turn on the faucet, lights turn on when I flip the switch, the air I breathe and the environment are protected and monitored, roads are smooth, traffic obeys stop lights and usually wait for pedestrians, roads are smooth, the timer on my coffee maker has strong, hot coffee ready for me as I wake in the mornings, my first language is spoken everywhere I go, I can drink water from the faucet and I only have to open my computer almost anywhere and can connect on the internet. If I want to drive to Moab, I know the road will be smooth and I will find good friends, the high desert slick rock and peace.
The juxtaposition of children taking bucket baths (with water they've carried quite a ways) right on the streets, a mom sitting on the sidewalk, nursing her cachectic baby, a man pulling broken metal from the rubble - bare-handed, bare-footed, a toothless woman tugging at my arm begging for some small help to get food, a child sleeping alone on a sidewalk, men, women and children somehow making do in a world that betrayed them.
I’ll write more, but for now, I am very happy to be safely home (not sweating). AND I am very much aware of the people who I left behind in Haiti. My landing brought a surprise of tears - relief to be home and finally allowing myself to begin feeling some of what I’ve been seeing and hearing for the past month.
The juxtaposition of children taking bucket baths (with water they've carried quite a ways) right on the streets, a mom sitting on the sidewalk, nursing her cachectic baby, a man pulling broken metal from the rubble - bare-handed, bare-footed, a toothless woman tugging at my arm begging for some small help to get food, a child sleeping alone on a sidewalk, men, women and children somehow making do in a world that betrayed them.
I’ll write more, but for now, I am very happy to be safely home (not sweating). AND I am very much aware of the people who I left behind in Haiti. My landing brought a surprise of tears - relief to be home and finally allowing myself to begin feeling some of what I’ve been seeing and hearing for the past month.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
There Will Be Other Concerts / 29 June Tuesday
Thought I was to give at least 3 coaching sessions today and help with 2 beginning primary groups. After I worked in the Music Library from 7:30 til 10 and took a shower to get ride of the dust and bugs, I learned that a big ordination ceremony was to take place in the space where we rehearse, so all the students got bumped. Bummer. But Bernadette and I played duets – Dotzauer and Kummer. It was such a blast. How lucky can one person be?
My disappointing news is that next Sunday’s concert is cancelled because the venue decided to charge $2,000 US for the space. There is not money here for that. I told Pere David Cesar, the director of the school and the orchestra conductor (and plays viola), that I could put out a plea to folks and probably come up with at least a thousand dollars. BUT he has a bigger perspective. The school desperately needs a temporary structure – one that has practice facilities and an adaptable performance hall that will protect the students, instruments and music from the weather. IT is so frustrating for one’s music to be blown off the stand right in the middle of a practice session. Sometimes the dust to pelt my eyes so hard I can’t stand to open them, not to mention the NOISE. My 3 private students yesterday were having a hard time with their intonation and I think that a part of it is that they actually can’t hear what’s being played. Fundraising efforts need to be focused on the REAL needs. The music school and the performance hall and Holy Trinity Cathedral were demolished in the quake. Two students died, several instruments, music, stands, etc., were salvaged. Some of the cellos have cracks. The bows are hideous – there isn’t enough rosin in the world to get any kind of tone with them. One is missing a C string. The endpin is inside another. The instrument repair man, Williams (a base player!) said that he can take care of both.
Today I worked in the music library from 7:30 to 10 and finished organizing one whole section of music. It’s really satisfying to work a couple of hours in the morning - I’m up before 5 anyhow. There is time to bathe afterwards, to get ride of the bugs and dust and who knows what all…I’ve gotten more bug bites since I started working in there!! Now I use bug spray in the morning instead of just in the evening. This morning I woke with 3 little bites on my face, so I washed the pillow case and pounded the pillow and left it out in the sun for a couple of hours. Cross your fingers for me tonight, eh?
Saturday, among other things, I got to rehearse with the orchestra. The 25 voice boys choir sang with us on “We are the World” and it just gave me tingles. The Haitian composer’s “After the Earthquake” just pounds away, with a soaring, beautiful melody threading its way through…ends with Taps. I’m really sad to not be getting to perform with these guys. But, that’s just the way it is and I have to defer to the broader perspective of Pere David. There will be other concerts.
Last Friday changed from what I had expected. I got to coach a string trio in the morning. It was their first read of the piece and was really fun to participate with them in that creative time. The flute teacher and I did do a little shopping. Mostly just fun. I got a bag of 6 mangos for 20 goudes (about 50 cents!). I’ve had some in my oatmeal: talk about over the top delicious!
Sunday I went to church here at St. Jacques, as they have an English service at 8 am. The priest asked me to play for church next Sunday…I was going to ditch, but guess I better not. Three of the teachers from here took me up to Fort St. Jacques, about a 45 minute drive up the mountainous roads out of Port au Prince. We got rained out, but still got to see the fort – cannons are still there from when they were trying to roust the French (my hostesses didn’t have a lot of details!) The road had turned into a raging torrent during our drive down. When we passed this little hole in the wall store that was called “Everything You Want” I asked the gals if they thought they would have a single guy over 50 and, luckily, they howled with laughter.
My attention bounces around. Music, the students, frustration not having the language I need to talk directly with the students…seeing a skinny mom sitting on the sidewalk outside the crumbled National Palace, holding an infant with straw-like reddish hair, scrawny legs, both needing water, food, love, security…a man, sitting on a step, holding his head in his hand, apparently sleeping…a well-dressed man striking the “pose” and peeing against a wall.
I realized this morning that, as much as I enjoy quiet, alone time, I miss having an English speaking friend to process some of these things with.
Bernadette and I played cello duets today – some Dotzauer and Kummer. Really beautiful music. The Music Librarian, Thara, has been chosen to play in a Colorado Bicentennial Youth Orchestra in Denver on July 9. I’m thrilled! Put it on your calendars! There will be musicians from 18 countries.
An update on the water situation. Both water and power seem to be present now. However, there seem to be green things that flow out of the faucet with the water. I keep reminding myself that I bathed in a river in Nicaragua with pesticides flowing from Honduras, grazing cows, trucks being washed. Somehow, here where there are NO water treatment facilities (at least that’s the rumor I heard) and there are heavy rains every day, water flowing through garbage, human waste, probably still unfound bodies…it’s no wonder I itch after I bathe! Oh, well. Just what are you going to do? I got some eye shadow during my “shopping spree” so I’ve started putting a little on each morning – I think it counterbalances whatever is in the water, don’t you? (I hate to confess that I was drinking this water, using a SteriPen. No more...ick).
OK, over and out for now!
My disappointing news is that next Sunday’s concert is cancelled because the venue decided to charge $2,000 US for the space. There is not money here for that. I told Pere David Cesar, the director of the school and the orchestra conductor (and plays viola), that I could put out a plea to folks and probably come up with at least a thousand dollars. BUT he has a bigger perspective. The school desperately needs a temporary structure – one that has practice facilities and an adaptable performance hall that will protect the students, instruments and music from the weather. IT is so frustrating for one’s music to be blown off the stand right in the middle of a practice session. Sometimes the dust to pelt my eyes so hard I can’t stand to open them, not to mention the NOISE. My 3 private students yesterday were having a hard time with their intonation and I think that a part of it is that they actually can’t hear what’s being played. Fundraising efforts need to be focused on the REAL needs. The music school and the performance hall and Holy Trinity Cathedral were demolished in the quake. Two students died, several instruments, music, stands, etc., were salvaged. Some of the cellos have cracks. The bows are hideous – there isn’t enough rosin in the world to get any kind of tone with them. One is missing a C string. The endpin is inside another. The instrument repair man, Williams (a base player!) said that he can take care of both.
Today I worked in the music library from 7:30 to 10 and finished organizing one whole section of music. It’s really satisfying to work a couple of hours in the morning - I’m up before 5 anyhow. There is time to bathe afterwards, to get ride of the bugs and dust and who knows what all…I’ve gotten more bug bites since I started working in there!! Now I use bug spray in the morning instead of just in the evening. This morning I woke with 3 little bites on my face, so I washed the pillow case and pounded the pillow and left it out in the sun for a couple of hours. Cross your fingers for me tonight, eh?
Saturday, among other things, I got to rehearse with the orchestra. The 25 voice boys choir sang with us on “We are the World” and it just gave me tingles. The Haitian composer’s “After the Earthquake” just pounds away, with a soaring, beautiful melody threading its way through…ends with Taps. I’m really sad to not be getting to perform with these guys. But, that’s just the way it is and I have to defer to the broader perspective of Pere David. There will be other concerts.
Last Friday changed from what I had expected. I got to coach a string trio in the morning. It was their first read of the piece and was really fun to participate with them in that creative time. The flute teacher and I did do a little shopping. Mostly just fun. I got a bag of 6 mangos for 20 goudes (about 50 cents!). I’ve had some in my oatmeal: talk about over the top delicious!
Sunday I went to church here at St. Jacques, as they have an English service at 8 am. The priest asked me to play for church next Sunday…I was going to ditch, but guess I better not. Three of the teachers from here took me up to Fort St. Jacques, about a 45 minute drive up the mountainous roads out of Port au Prince. We got rained out, but still got to see the fort – cannons are still there from when they were trying to roust the French (my hostesses didn’t have a lot of details!) The road had turned into a raging torrent during our drive down. When we passed this little hole in the wall store that was called “Everything You Want” I asked the gals if they thought they would have a single guy over 50 and, luckily, they howled with laughter.
My attention bounces around. Music, the students, frustration not having the language I need to talk directly with the students…seeing a skinny mom sitting on the sidewalk outside the crumbled National Palace, holding an infant with straw-like reddish hair, scrawny legs, both needing water, food, love, security…a man, sitting on a step, holding his head in his hand, apparently sleeping…a well-dressed man striking the “pose” and peeing against a wall.
I realized this morning that, as much as I enjoy quiet, alone time, I miss having an English speaking friend to process some of these things with.
Bernadette and I played cello duets today – some Dotzauer and Kummer. Really beautiful music. The Music Librarian, Thara, has been chosen to play in a Colorado Bicentennial Youth Orchestra in Denver on July 9. I’m thrilled! Put it on your calendars! There will be musicians from 18 countries.
An update on the water situation. Both water and power seem to be present now. However, there seem to be green things that flow out of the faucet with the water. I keep reminding myself that I bathed in a river in Nicaragua with pesticides flowing from Honduras, grazing cows, trucks being washed. Somehow, here where there are NO water treatment facilities (at least that’s the rumor I heard) and there are heavy rains every day, water flowing through garbage, human waste, probably still unfound bodies…it’s no wonder I itch after I bathe! Oh, well. Just what are you going to do? I got some eye shadow during my “shopping spree” so I’ve started putting a little on each morning – I think it counterbalances whatever is in the water, don’t you? (I hate to confess that I was drinking this water, using a SteriPen. No more...ick).
OK, over and out for now!
Friday, June 25, 2010
24 June 2010 Thursday No water or too much
24 June 2010 Thursday No water or too much
OK, my hope is that someone will be laughing by the time they finish reading this. When I got home Tuesday, I did my little dinner and went to the hotel next door to try to get on the internet. After over an hour, no luck. Started to leave, tried to ask the guard to watch me walk “home” (about 50 yards max) and a street vender started hitting on me. I just turned around, went back inside and approached 3 people speaking English in the bar (ok, they were drinking, too.) (OK the 2 guys were cute, too.) I apologized and gave them the Cliff Notes version of why I was interrupting them – I just wanted someone to watch me until I got the door open at my place, as it's quite dark. I did have on my evening jewelry – my head lamp around my neck. One of the guys jumped up and said absolutely, no problem. You shouldn't go out there alone. He walked me back AND the guard accompanied us, too! Did I ever feel safe. Turns out this guy is here on contract from the US Government looking at building BRIDGES!! I gotta find him and talk more about getting a couple of bridges out to Petit Trou! (that wasn't the funny story, just tragic, in my lack of success in getting connnected.)
Last night, I came home to no water. Luckily I had filled a large basin when I first arrived and was able to take a modified bucket bath. Then I realized I didn't have my phone. Not tragic, but I am here in this building pretty much alone – my worrying mind goes into action – what if there's another earthquake or if I get sick or??? Then I was silly and tried the internet at the hotel again. Not only did I not get on, I ran my battery down and my computer totally went to sleep. I was afraid that I had lost it, but I'm typing on it now.
Tonight, I came home wondering if the water was back (they had to buy diesel for the generator so the water could be pumped up to the holding tanks on top of the building). No water in the faucets, but the floor was flooded. I'm still not sure what happened, but I can tell you the floor is really clean now. I swept and swept the water out the door – thank goodness there's no threshold, so it just gushed out and down the spiral staircase outside my door. It kinda reminded me of last summer when we were sucking water out of my dad's basement in KC, in preparation for selling it. Gives some perspective. Anyhow, as I finished sweeping and set the fans blowing on the floor, I heard water GUSHING out of the bathroom shower. I couldn't believe it. Even when the water had been present, it had never come out of the shower head – and it was powerful! I jumped right in and am now quite clean as I write to you all!
Today, my sister got to talk with my friend, Priscilla's daughter, Ginny. Priscilla has been a friend for 33 years. Many of you know her. She'll turn 91 the end of this month. She is the energizer bunny with at least nine lives. Anyhow, her health tanked just before I left for Haiti and I was thinking about her so much this morning. My sister called Ginny for me and found that Priscilla is hanging in there, now with Hospice, but enjoying reading and such. I hope, Ginny, that you will be able to read this to her and tell her I'll come with my cello Tuesday morning the 6th of July to play music for her, ok? I think one of the hardest things for me about doing international work is being so far from the people I love.
Just one more thought about my water situation. Kitty-cornered from where I'm staying and directly across the street from that hotel I mentioned is one of the camps set up after the earthquake. It's in what they tell me was a beautiful park, probably like Washington Park in Denver. Now, it's wall to wall tents, tarps, little coal cookers, people vending trinkets, candies, some fruits, vegetables. Any little thing to try to make some money. How would I even dare to whimper about my water challenges? At least the roof is over my head, the fan is blowing cool air, I have screens in my windows, a clean tiled floor and a comfy bed. Oh, and coffee in the morning. I saw a guy sitting on the curb today, wiping his bare foot, looking at what I suppose was a wound...another guy was sound asleep on a long step. A bilateral amputee in a wheelchair at an intersection, I suppose trying to get money from passers-by. Oh, me.
Tomorrow, I have half a day off and may do a little fun shopping with the flute teacher who speaks great English. The other half of the day I'm going to edit an application to begin rebuilding the Holy Trinity church and the school. Bernadette is drafting it and I can polish her English. That will be great – makes me feel useful.
Bernadette and I shared some of the Malbec finally this evening. She told me that a week after the earthquake they went out and played in the camps. First half was quiet, solemn music and in second half they played fun, lively ones – even Michael Jackson! She said it was the first time that people smiled and danced. And she talked about working with the students, that she helps them feel the music, the joy, the fun, the fullness of it. She said “We need music to help heal Haiti.” I think I've found someone who cries as much as I do.
OK, my hope is that someone will be laughing by the time they finish reading this. When I got home Tuesday, I did my little dinner and went to the hotel next door to try to get on the internet. After over an hour, no luck. Started to leave, tried to ask the guard to watch me walk “home” (about 50 yards max) and a street vender started hitting on me. I just turned around, went back inside and approached 3 people speaking English in the bar (ok, they were drinking, too.) (OK the 2 guys were cute, too.) I apologized and gave them the Cliff Notes version of why I was interrupting them – I just wanted someone to watch me until I got the door open at my place, as it's quite dark. I did have on my evening jewelry – my head lamp around my neck. One of the guys jumped up and said absolutely, no problem. You shouldn't go out there alone. He walked me back AND the guard accompanied us, too! Did I ever feel safe. Turns out this guy is here on contract from the US Government looking at building BRIDGES!! I gotta find him and talk more about getting a couple of bridges out to Petit Trou! (that wasn't the funny story, just tragic, in my lack of success in getting connnected.)
Last night, I came home to no water. Luckily I had filled a large basin when I first arrived and was able to take a modified bucket bath. Then I realized I didn't have my phone. Not tragic, but I am here in this building pretty much alone – my worrying mind goes into action – what if there's another earthquake or if I get sick or??? Then I was silly and tried the internet at the hotel again. Not only did I not get on, I ran my battery down and my computer totally went to sleep. I was afraid that I had lost it, but I'm typing on it now.
Tonight, I came home wondering if the water was back (they had to buy diesel for the generator so the water could be pumped up to the holding tanks on top of the building). No water in the faucets, but the floor was flooded. I'm still not sure what happened, but I can tell you the floor is really clean now. I swept and swept the water out the door – thank goodness there's no threshold, so it just gushed out and down the spiral staircase outside my door. It kinda reminded me of last summer when we were sucking water out of my dad's basement in KC, in preparation for selling it. Gives some perspective. Anyhow, as I finished sweeping and set the fans blowing on the floor, I heard water GUSHING out of the bathroom shower. I couldn't believe it. Even when the water had been present, it had never come out of the shower head – and it was powerful! I jumped right in and am now quite clean as I write to you all!
Today, my sister got to talk with my friend, Priscilla's daughter, Ginny. Priscilla has been a friend for 33 years. Many of you know her. She'll turn 91 the end of this month. She is the energizer bunny with at least nine lives. Anyhow, her health tanked just before I left for Haiti and I was thinking about her so much this morning. My sister called Ginny for me and found that Priscilla is hanging in there, now with Hospice, but enjoying reading and such. I hope, Ginny, that you will be able to read this to her and tell her I'll come with my cello Tuesday morning the 6th of July to play music for her, ok? I think one of the hardest things for me about doing international work is being so far from the people I love.
Just one more thought about my water situation. Kitty-cornered from where I'm staying and directly across the street from that hotel I mentioned is one of the camps set up after the earthquake. It's in what they tell me was a beautiful park, probably like Washington Park in Denver. Now, it's wall to wall tents, tarps, little coal cookers, people vending trinkets, candies, some fruits, vegetables. Any little thing to try to make some money. How would I even dare to whimper about my water challenges? At least the roof is over my head, the fan is blowing cool air, I have screens in my windows, a clean tiled floor and a comfy bed. Oh, and coffee in the morning. I saw a guy sitting on the curb today, wiping his bare foot, looking at what I suppose was a wound...another guy was sound asleep on a long step. A bilateral amputee in a wheelchair at an intersection, I suppose trying to get money from passers-by. Oh, me.
Tomorrow, I have half a day off and may do a little fun shopping with the flute teacher who speaks great English. The other half of the day I'm going to edit an application to begin rebuilding the Holy Trinity church and the school. Bernadette is drafting it and I can polish her English. That will be great – makes me feel useful.
Bernadette and I shared some of the Malbec finally this evening. She told me that a week after the earthquake they went out and played in the camps. First half was quiet, solemn music and in second half they played fun, lively ones – even Michael Jackson! She said it was the first time that people smiled and danced. And she talked about working with the students, that she helps them feel the music, the joy, the fun, the fullness of it. She said “We need music to help heal Haiti.” I think I've found someone who cries as much as I do.
St. Jacques without coffee 22 June 2010 Port au Prince
St. Jacques without coffee 22 June 2010 Port au Prince
Am sitting in the guest room at St. Jacques in Petion Ville, up on the hill above downtown Port au Prince. Looking forward to my hostess's arrival with her promise of a coffee maker. This might be a record – 9:45 and no coffee. Breakfast has been granola bars, turkey jerky and the little box of raisins from the airplane (wow, was that really over 2 weeks ago now?)
I've been in Haiti with 2 Colorado Haiti Project teams. (The blog is chpmission.blogspot.com.) I supported each team in different ways. It was such a gift to be able to go out into 2 of the surrounding communities to arrange sites for the women's health clinics. Pat Laudisio, many times in Haiti and the leader of the Mental Health/Trauma team, drove over unbelievably rutted and rugged roads up into a community we had planned to hold clinic for 2 days. A couple of the Women Volunteers from those communities as well as Patrick Desir, a local school teacher and interpreter went with us. I loved being out in the beauty of the Haitian mountains. Especially because I am told there are no poisonous snakes here...
For the women's health team, I managed budget details in Petit Trou and fielded a lot constant bombardment of logistical issues. I am here to tell you that I am not sorry to be done with those responsibilities! I also took blood pressures and did most of the initial intake interviews with the patients. My thumb is recovering from some 250 times of pumping up the BP cuff!
Yesterday afternoon, the Women's team dropped me off at Holy Trinity Church (or the remains thereof) where I was to meet Bernadette. She was a couple of hours late, so the conductor of the youth string group let me help tune cellos. This is a group that is funded by the OEA and the students just began in December. They are about middle school to high school aged and are really doing remarkably well. They rehearse in what was the courtyard of the church, under a newly constructed roof that also serves as the church on Sundays. I think that they just resumed playing in March.
I got to work with 2 “advanced beginner” students, remember that I'm doing this in English and they're doing it in Creole! Both girls made headway. As I said before, I wish my sister, Jennifer, and my cello “coach”, Andras could be here instead of or with me. At least 2 of the string teachers left after the earthquake, and are looking for work – any kind of work – to bring in more income.
Bernadette drew up a schedule that keeps me occupied most every day. I am hoping that the language barrier becomes less of an issue as the kids and I become acquainted with each other. And I hope that I actually get to play some chamber music and not just teach every day! Sorry if I've mentioned this already, but there is a Philharmonic concert on July 4th and Bernadette has asked me to play in it! They have a rehearsal on Saturday and I'm looking forward to finding out what is on the program...oh, and PRACTICING, too!
My guest room is on the third floor of this church compound. It's spacious and airy, plus I have 2 fans and a small refrigerator, gas burners and “kitchen” sink. It's a little odd, after being with so many people 24/7 to now be alone. The cacophony from the streets only kept me awake for about 45 seconds last night. And I was able to sleep in til 5:30! Bernadette wants me to coach her first thing this morning (but she's already 45 min. late!) and then will take me to a market to buy some little groceries (maybe some beer, too, but we'll see about that!) Then we'll be off to Holy Trinity to get to work.
Evening addendum: Got a triple espresso in a plastic to-go cup from a ritzy hotel that turns out to be just across the street from me. That's where I'm sitting as I write my evening piece. Got to help with a beginning primary string orchestra, and coached 3 cello students (coached one 2 times!) I got to play with them, too, a real treat. Miraculously, I got my sister on the phone on my way to teach and she gave me a couple of hints that really came in handy: watch the left hand/arm position and the bow arm. And play with them. That's what I did. The kids are so danged polite, it would be hard to know if they were annoyed.
The music school is being held in the courtyard of what had been the Holy Trinity Church...rubble is still all around as the children play music. I helped with a primary school beginner string orchestra. Helped the cellists with their hand positions. Coached 4 or 5 students of varying abilities...and they adapt and change, EVEN with the language barrier coupled with my marginal abilities, they are improving. I almost cried with one student's improvement. But I have managed to hold back. Haitians don't show a lot of emotion and it would be disturbing to them if I cried. I just put on my sunglasses.
On the way home, I got my driver to stop at a really awesome market to buy a corkscrew (I forgot my Swiss Army knife.) This morning I had bought a bottle of Chilean Malbec - Bernadette said she likes wine, so I chose that over beer. NO LUCK finding a corkscrew. BUT, they had cold Prestige (the Haitian beer) club soda so I was really happy! I got a beer for my driver, too – AFTER he gets home! He's really great and somehow manages to keep his cool through the hellacious traffic. Dinner was tuna, dijon mustard and sliced beets...capped with a few fig newtons. Wow, it's nice to have something that's not drenched in fat. AND tomorrow I get to make oatmeal – with bananas! (oh, and did I mention anything about my coffee...tomorrow I will be able to make my own!)
I'm doing OK, but pretty danged tired...driving through the streets, seeing what people are doing day to day...it is so danged hard to live here. Guys digging through rubble piles, pulling out metal to sell or use – a little hack saw used to cut pieces apart. A woman carrying a live turkey, holding onto the feet. Children bouyantly flooding out of school and on their way home...A man, walking his daughter to school because he has no work. The streets are still filled with rubble, really bad smells and pollution, trash, noise, air pollution...at least I'm seeing latrines along side of some of the camps.
Gotta stop and go for the horizontal mode. g'night!
Am sitting in the guest room at St. Jacques in Petion Ville, up on the hill above downtown Port au Prince. Looking forward to my hostess's arrival with her promise of a coffee maker. This might be a record – 9:45 and no coffee. Breakfast has been granola bars, turkey jerky and the little box of raisins from the airplane (wow, was that really over 2 weeks ago now?)
I've been in Haiti with 2 Colorado Haiti Project teams. (The blog is chpmission.blogspot.com.) I supported each team in different ways. It was such a gift to be able to go out into 2 of the surrounding communities to arrange sites for the women's health clinics. Pat Laudisio, many times in Haiti and the leader of the Mental Health/Trauma team, drove over unbelievably rutted and rugged roads up into a community we had planned to hold clinic for 2 days. A couple of the Women Volunteers from those communities as well as Patrick Desir, a local school teacher and interpreter went with us. I loved being out in the beauty of the Haitian mountains. Especially because I am told there are no poisonous snakes here...
For the women's health team, I managed budget details in Petit Trou and fielded a lot constant bombardment of logistical issues. I am here to tell you that I am not sorry to be done with those responsibilities! I also took blood pressures and did most of the initial intake interviews with the patients. My thumb is recovering from some 250 times of pumping up the BP cuff!
Yesterday afternoon, the Women's team dropped me off at Holy Trinity Church (or the remains thereof) where I was to meet Bernadette. She was a couple of hours late, so the conductor of the youth string group let me help tune cellos. This is a group that is funded by the OEA and the students just began in December. They are about middle school to high school aged and are really doing remarkably well. They rehearse in what was the courtyard of the church, under a newly constructed roof that also serves as the church on Sundays. I think that they just resumed playing in March.
I got to work with 2 “advanced beginner” students, remember that I'm doing this in English and they're doing it in Creole! Both girls made headway. As I said before, I wish my sister, Jennifer, and my cello “coach”, Andras could be here instead of or with me. At least 2 of the string teachers left after the earthquake, and are looking for work – any kind of work – to bring in more income.
Bernadette drew up a schedule that keeps me occupied most every day. I am hoping that the language barrier becomes less of an issue as the kids and I become acquainted with each other. And I hope that I actually get to play some chamber music and not just teach every day! Sorry if I've mentioned this already, but there is a Philharmonic concert on July 4th and Bernadette has asked me to play in it! They have a rehearsal on Saturday and I'm looking forward to finding out what is on the program...oh, and PRACTICING, too!
My guest room is on the third floor of this church compound. It's spacious and airy, plus I have 2 fans and a small refrigerator, gas burners and “kitchen” sink. It's a little odd, after being with so many people 24/7 to now be alone. The cacophony from the streets only kept me awake for about 45 seconds last night. And I was able to sleep in til 5:30! Bernadette wants me to coach her first thing this morning (but she's already 45 min. late!) and then will take me to a market to buy some little groceries (maybe some beer, too, but we'll see about that!) Then we'll be off to Holy Trinity to get to work.
Evening addendum: Got a triple espresso in a plastic to-go cup from a ritzy hotel that turns out to be just across the street from me. That's where I'm sitting as I write my evening piece. Got to help with a beginning primary string orchestra, and coached 3 cello students (coached one 2 times!) I got to play with them, too, a real treat. Miraculously, I got my sister on the phone on my way to teach and she gave me a couple of hints that really came in handy: watch the left hand/arm position and the bow arm. And play with them. That's what I did. The kids are so danged polite, it would be hard to know if they were annoyed.
The music school is being held in the courtyard of what had been the Holy Trinity Church...rubble is still all around as the children play music. I helped with a primary school beginner string orchestra. Helped the cellists with their hand positions. Coached 4 or 5 students of varying abilities...and they adapt and change, EVEN with the language barrier coupled with my marginal abilities, they are improving. I almost cried with one student's improvement. But I have managed to hold back. Haitians don't show a lot of emotion and it would be disturbing to them if I cried. I just put on my sunglasses.
On the way home, I got my driver to stop at a really awesome market to buy a corkscrew (I forgot my Swiss Army knife.) This morning I had bought a bottle of Chilean Malbec - Bernadette said she likes wine, so I chose that over beer. NO LUCK finding a corkscrew. BUT, they had cold Prestige (the Haitian beer) club soda so I was really happy! I got a beer for my driver, too – AFTER he gets home! He's really great and somehow manages to keep his cool through the hellacious traffic. Dinner was tuna, dijon mustard and sliced beets...capped with a few fig newtons. Wow, it's nice to have something that's not drenched in fat. AND tomorrow I get to make oatmeal – with bananas! (oh, and did I mention anything about my coffee...tomorrow I will be able to make my own!)
I'm doing OK, but pretty danged tired...driving through the streets, seeing what people are doing day to day...it is so danged hard to live here. Guys digging through rubble piles, pulling out metal to sell or use – a little hack saw used to cut pieces apart. A woman carrying a live turkey, holding onto the feet. Children bouyantly flooding out of school and on their way home...A man, walking his daughter to school because he has no work. The streets are still filled with rubble, really bad smells and pollution, trash, noise, air pollution...at least I'm seeing latrines along side of some of the camps.
Gotta stop and go for the horizontal mode. g'night!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
18 May Monday
Home in Boulder
Guess this is my last entry for this trip. Home and enjoying springtime in Boulder: green, but chilly. Am having a bit of that disorientation that comes with leaving Africa and re-entering the land of overconsumption. Going to the grocery store yesterday just about put me over the edge. My next 3 weeks will be spent in a mixture of soaking up the mountains, preparing to go to Haiti for June/July, and practicing my cello to play for a friend’s wedding in mid-August. I am eager, too, for quiet, quality time with my good friends in Boulder. Each moment I am filled with appreciation for the connections with good people all around this globe. Why am I so fortunate? Thanks to you all for caring ~ Beverly
Guess this is my last entry for this trip. Home and enjoying springtime in Boulder: green, but chilly. Am having a bit of that disorientation that comes with leaving Africa and re-entering the land of overconsumption. Going to the grocery store yesterday just about put me over the edge. My next 3 weeks will be spent in a mixture of soaking up the mountains, preparing to go to Haiti for June/July, and practicing my cello to play for a friend’s wedding in mid-August. I am eager, too, for quiet, quality time with my good friends in Boulder. Each moment I am filled with appreciation for the connections with good people all around this globe. Why am I so fortunate? Thanks to you all for caring ~ Beverly
15 May Saturday
San Francisco International Airport
Am waiting to board my 7:20 pm flight to Denver. Just a few words about my return flights. It began in a Nairobi downpour with the taxi driver coming at 6:30 pm to get me to the airport for an 11:30 pm flight. Seem excessive? It actually wasn’t! What should have taken 20 minutes to get to the airport took over 1 ½ hours due to HUGE traffic jams! I checked in and entertained myself in the airport gift shops. Boarded, sat next to a quiet man who slept almost the whole 4.5 hours to Dubai. In Dubai I had an exquisite cappuccino during my 3 hour layover. Flight to San Francisco was 16 hours and went over the North Pole! Emirates Airlines has cameras that provide real-time “TV” viewing of the ground from one’s seat. I loved it! My aisle seat was next to 2 Indian women – very compatible seat-mates, though one had a pretty awful cough. I slept maybe a total of 2 hours. My attention is definitely shifting from Africa and I hope I don't fall asleep and miss my flight to Denver.
Am waiting to board my 7:20 pm flight to Denver. Just a few words about my return flights. It began in a Nairobi downpour with the taxi driver coming at 6:30 pm to get me to the airport for an 11:30 pm flight. Seem excessive? It actually wasn’t! What should have taken 20 minutes to get to the airport took over 1 ½ hours due to HUGE traffic jams! I checked in and entertained myself in the airport gift shops. Boarded, sat next to a quiet man who slept almost the whole 4.5 hours to Dubai. In Dubai I had an exquisite cappuccino during my 3 hour layover. Flight to San Francisco was 16 hours and went over the North Pole! Emirates Airlines has cameras that provide real-time “TV” viewing of the ground from one’s seat. I loved it! My aisle seat was next to 2 Indian women – very compatible seat-mates, though one had a pretty awful cough. I slept maybe a total of 2 hours. My attention is definitely shifting from Africa and I hope I don't fall asleep and miss my flight to Denver.
14 May Friday
Going to Nairobi
Our early morning rising was rewarded with a fleeting, but total view of Mt. Kenya! We were thrilled. We had scheduled for our driver to pick us up at 7:30 to drive to Nairobi (2.5 – 3 hours). He showed up late and somehow the half-filled fuel tank that we had left him with was empty. And he reported no fuel available in the local town. Meaning: he had blown a half a tank of fuel and we lost 1 ½ hours because we had to drive north to the nearest available fuel. But Nairobi was south east of our location. I was not happy. Also meant that we wouldn't make it to the 11 am viewing at an elephant and hippo orphan rehab facility at the Nairobi Game Reserve. I was more than disappointed. Then, with heavy rains, road construction and our driver’s ignorance of Nairobi, what should have taken at MOST 3 hours took 5! My friend had booked a hotel room for Saturday night, so we went there and sent the driver on his way. We regrouped and basically gave up any idea of getting out in Nairobi. As the locals said, “the jam is bad!”
Our early morning rising was rewarded with a fleeting, but total view of Mt. Kenya! We were thrilled. We had scheduled for our driver to pick us up at 7:30 to drive to Nairobi (2.5 – 3 hours). He showed up late and somehow the half-filled fuel tank that we had left him with was empty. And he reported no fuel available in the local town. Meaning: he had blown a half a tank of fuel and we lost 1 ½ hours because we had to drive north to the nearest available fuel. But Nairobi was south east of our location. I was not happy. Also meant that we wouldn't make it to the 11 am viewing at an elephant and hippo orphan rehab facility at the Nairobi Game Reserve. I was more than disappointed. Then, with heavy rains, road construction and our driver’s ignorance of Nairobi, what should have taken at MOST 3 hours took 5! My friend had booked a hotel room for Saturday night, so we went there and sent the driver on his way. We regrouped and basically gave up any idea of getting out in Nairobi. As the locals said, “the jam is bad!”
13 May Thursday
Naro Moru River Lodge
There is no doubt of why this lodge is named “River” lodge. Last night, after heavy rains here and torrential rains on Mt. Kenya, about 9 miles upstream, the river just outside our door rose at least 5 feet. As we left dinner to return to our cabin, the night guard walked with us, leading us along higher walks, over a fence and past the rising river – already it had covered part of the sidewalk that we normally would have used.
So, here you have 2 public health nurses, both mountaineers and used to “being prepared”. We launched into securing the things we would want to have with us in case we had to evacuate in the middle of the night. Passport, money, clean undies, toothbrush, sunglasses and hat. We laid out the clothes we would jump into (just like firemen) and decided to go with tennies rather than hiking boots, as the boots would make swimming harder!! We set the alarm for 1 am to check the status. Up we got, raincoats over nighties, headlamps and sandals. River was holding just a few inches above a spot on a tree that normally stood on the river bank. Now it was in about 4 feet of water.
We repeated our alarm-rising river-checking at 3 am and were exceedingly relieved to find that the water had begun to recede – at least it was going in the right direction! Slept in till almost 7! The pay-off for the heavy rains Wednesday was almost 24 hours without rain on Thursday.
There is no doubt of why this lodge is named “River” lodge. Last night, after heavy rains here and torrential rains on Mt. Kenya, about 9 miles upstream, the river just outside our door rose at least 5 feet. As we left dinner to return to our cabin, the night guard walked with us, leading us along higher walks, over a fence and past the rising river – already it had covered part of the sidewalk that we normally would have used.
So, here you have 2 public health nurses, both mountaineers and used to “being prepared”. We launched into securing the things we would want to have with us in case we had to evacuate in the middle of the night. Passport, money, clean undies, toothbrush, sunglasses and hat. We laid out the clothes we would jump into (just like firemen) and decided to go with tennies rather than hiking boots, as the boots would make swimming harder!! We set the alarm for 1 am to check the status. Up we got, raincoats over nighties, headlamps and sandals. River was holding just a few inches above a spot on a tree that normally stood on the river bank. Now it was in about 4 feet of water.
We repeated our alarm-rising river-checking at 3 am and were exceedingly relieved to find that the water had begun to recede – at least it was going in the right direction! Slept in till almost 7! The pay-off for the heavy rains Wednesday was almost 24 hours without rain on Thursday.
8 May Saturday
Soroti to Eldoret, Kenya
Leaving Soroti at 5 am (really!) in Martin’s (the clinic’s finance officer) friend Herbert’s van. Herbert’s family is from the area of Kenya where we are headed. Martin has never been out of Uganda. We are all excited! Crossing the border only took a little more than an hour. All of us were amazed at the large farms – much larger than the commonly seen farms in Uganda. The weather held for us, with little rain along the way. We arrived in Eldoret around noon, welcomed by my friend who is a volunteer professor at the School of Nursing at Moi University. She has been here since January and we are her first house guests.
Kerio View
Sunday morning we drove about 30 minutes away to have breakfast at Kerio View, a luxurious restaurant and lodge perched on the edge of the western ridge of the Rift Valley! We totally enjoyed the food, views and company. Well, except for the 3 bugs in Herbert’s coffee that I thought were cardamom seeds…oh well. Martin and Herbert had to return to Uganda in the afternoon. My friend took me around Eldoret and we even did a little shopping. Monday I was treated to an informal morning meeting with most of the Nursing School faculty. I was humbled to hear of their various interests – HIV was a theme, with intimate partner violence, community assessment and women’s health all important. Our afternoon was spent packing in preparation for the next four days.
Mt. Kenya
Tuesday morning our driver arrived (late) to take us to Nakura National Park and then on to Mt. Kenya. Nakura gave me my first views of African animals in Africa! We saw flamingos, zebras, impalas, gazelles, waterbucks, baboons, monkeys, rhinos, giraffes and a COBRA!! Luckily we were in the car. The roads deteriorated horrendously after that and our driver was visibly anxious as we entered terrain populated by a tribe that was made notorious by their violence after the most recent Kenya elections. We didn’t arrive at our destination til 8 pm! But it was well worth it. Understated elegance – we even had a fireplace in our room. We were disappointed to learn that the fee for doing a day-hike on Mt. Kenya was $345 per PERSON. That, plus the weather was AWFUL, made us agree that we were going to have to face a forced time of relaxation. Something that neither of us is very accustomed to doing. I went swimming in the lodge’s swimming pool and had a sauna.
Leaving Soroti at 5 am (really!) in Martin’s (the clinic’s finance officer) friend Herbert’s van. Herbert’s family is from the area of Kenya where we are headed. Martin has never been out of Uganda. We are all excited! Crossing the border only took a little more than an hour. All of us were amazed at the large farms – much larger than the commonly seen farms in Uganda. The weather held for us, with little rain along the way. We arrived in Eldoret around noon, welcomed by my friend who is a volunteer professor at the School of Nursing at Moi University. She has been here since January and we are her first house guests.
Kerio View
Sunday morning we drove about 30 minutes away to have breakfast at Kerio View, a luxurious restaurant and lodge perched on the edge of the western ridge of the Rift Valley! We totally enjoyed the food, views and company. Well, except for the 3 bugs in Herbert’s coffee that I thought were cardamom seeds…oh well. Martin and Herbert had to return to Uganda in the afternoon. My friend took me around Eldoret and we even did a little shopping. Monday I was treated to an informal morning meeting with most of the Nursing School faculty. I was humbled to hear of their various interests – HIV was a theme, with intimate partner violence, community assessment and women’s health all important. Our afternoon was spent packing in preparation for the next four days.
Mt. Kenya
Tuesday morning our driver arrived (late) to take us to Nakura National Park and then on to Mt. Kenya. Nakura gave me my first views of African animals in Africa! We saw flamingos, zebras, impalas, gazelles, waterbucks, baboons, monkeys, rhinos, giraffes and a COBRA!! Luckily we were in the car. The roads deteriorated horrendously after that and our driver was visibly anxious as we entered terrain populated by a tribe that was made notorious by their violence after the most recent Kenya elections. We didn’t arrive at our destination til 8 pm! But it was well worth it. Understated elegance – we even had a fireplace in our room. We were disappointed to learn that the fee for doing a day-hike on Mt. Kenya was $345 per PERSON. That, plus the weather was AWFUL, made us agree that we were going to have to face a forced time of relaxation. Something that neither of us is very accustomed to doing. I went swimming in the lodge’s swimming pool and had a sauna.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
7 May Friday
4 May evening
No Power.
Tuesday evening. No power in my guest house for over 24 hours. Rest of town has power – nobody really know why we don’t. The generator is “spoiled” which meads not even minimal lights…and I won’t be able to boil water for my coffee in the morning. Will have to wait til I get to breakfast for my first cup.
Julius – Surgery
The young man who came to us with a worsening 2-month old leg wound arrived at TSMP clinic early on Monday. He, the driver (Richard) and I went to the private clinic where he had gotten a wound culture done on Saturday. At 9:30 we were rthe first to sign in to see the orthopedic surgeon (who is only here 3 days/week) Julius saw the doc at 11 – not a bad wait (though I was eager to be back to our clinic)! Xray showed no bone involvement, but the tissue needed debridement. About 300,000 shillings ($150) later and at 5 pm, he was waking up. Somehow, Richard had located Julius’s wife and year-old daughter (the 4 orphans of Julius’s brother were left at “home” in the hut in the camp.) Here, a patient’s family has to provide food, water, help with the bathroom…since Julius and his wife actually have NOTHING, we arranged for meals to be brought to them in the evening and tea and donuts to be brought in the morning.. The wife was prepared to spend the night – she had a sheet to sleep on the cement floor.
The surgeon was highly suspicious of the tissue and sent a biopsy to Kampala ($15). He thinks it may be TB. The results will be back when Julius sees the doc on the 14th. Meanwhile, we transported him to TSMP, where he spent one more night in a bed and in a clean environment, with food and clean water. His wife arrived on Wednesday morning and was there fro the first dressing change. The wound looked good – it was dry and the tissue is pink. But it is really big and the tissue around it is extremely fragile. The gellow has at least a month of healing ahead of him. I decided to give money to Richard to pick up beans, posho (like polenta), cooking oil and charcoal for them as he drove them home. Richard is one of those amazing angels – he know the people, is really spiritually connected and is incredibly dedicated to the poor people who were displaced by the civil war and who now have been pushed out of the camps by the government, but still are somewhat homeless. It is not a good scene here.
A bit more about this situation with Julius. Generally, my approach is to focus on community level needs. There is so much need here that helping one person feels a bit like a drop in a very huge bucket. And how does one decide who is meritous and who is not? I crossed over that line with Julius and am feeling quite conflicted. He’s only 21 and lost his ability to earn money with this leg injury. He most surely would have lost his leg, even though he had been to our clinic right after the accident and was treated. At our all-staff meeting on Wednesday morning, I talked about this with the staff. I acknowledged that I had made a mistake and should have consulted with Martin and Dr. Nathan before launching into the wound culture and all that ensued. One of the problems that this could lead to is people in the community expecting that the clinic will be able to provide this for everyone. And of course, we cannot. I both wanted to let the staff know that I had made this mistake and was totally owning it. AND I wanted to demonstrate that making mistakes is quite human. In talking with one of the staff about this later (Esther), she said “when you don’t have open communication with people and they can point out your mistakes, how can you ever learn and avoid doing something wrong?” I totally love these guys and am constantly inspired by their wisdom.
Outreach Day – Thursday
Thursday we packed into a van and drove about 40 minutes north and east of Soroti where we did an outreach clinic. Four doctors saw medical patients (155); a midwife saw antenatal women (30?), a midwife did childhood vaccinations (I have no idea how many) and the lab did some malaria tests (we ran out of test strips) and the dispensary nurses counted out tablets and gave injections! WOW! I helped with registration and was very popular with the docs when I showed them how to change the new thermometers to Centigrade! I also helped with the vaccinations – filling out the cards and escorting sick Moms to the medical docs, when needed. Then I helped in the dispensary, something that is always needed, but not my favorite thing to do.
Friday
How can it be my last day in Soroti? I woke at 4:30, the power is off, again. (It had been on for about 24 hours.) I plan to be at the clinic this morning, will see Julius and change his dressing. I am hoping it will be busy enough that I won’t have time to cry. I am so full of many emotions – gratitude for Charles Steinberg’s invitation to come here 6 years ago, for the “Gails”, for these strong and dedicated staff who provide such loving care for people who have suffered so much and for Jennifer Braun and her willingness to partner with us and then take over the clinic. Without her dedication, none of this would be as it is today.
As I sign off, I will be heading to Kenya tomorrow. I’ll be meeting with a friend there who is teaching at a school of nursing. I’ll try my best to report in about that road trip and the possibility of a job interview! And then actually having some fun.
HOME ON the 15th. I am actually going to be home on May 15, not the 5th. I made a type-o. Sorry for that!
No Power.
Tuesday evening. No power in my guest house for over 24 hours. Rest of town has power – nobody really know why we don’t. The generator is “spoiled” which meads not even minimal lights…and I won’t be able to boil water for my coffee in the morning. Will have to wait til I get to breakfast for my first cup.
Julius – Surgery
The young man who came to us with a worsening 2-month old leg wound arrived at TSMP clinic early on Monday. He, the driver (Richard) and I went to the private clinic where he had gotten a wound culture done on Saturday. At 9:30 we were rthe first to sign in to see the orthopedic surgeon (who is only here 3 days/week) Julius saw the doc at 11 – not a bad wait (though I was eager to be back to our clinic)! Xray showed no bone involvement, but the tissue needed debridement. About 300,000 shillings ($150) later and at 5 pm, he was waking up. Somehow, Richard had located Julius’s wife and year-old daughter (the 4 orphans of Julius’s brother were left at “home” in the hut in the camp.) Here, a patient’s family has to provide food, water, help with the bathroom…since Julius and his wife actually have NOTHING, we arranged for meals to be brought to them in the evening and tea and donuts to be brought in the morning.. The wife was prepared to spend the night – she had a sheet to sleep on the cement floor.
The surgeon was highly suspicious of the tissue and sent a biopsy to Kampala ($15). He thinks it may be TB. The results will be back when Julius sees the doc on the 14th. Meanwhile, we transported him to TSMP, where he spent one more night in a bed and in a clean environment, with food and clean water. His wife arrived on Wednesday morning and was there fro the first dressing change. The wound looked good – it was dry and the tissue is pink. But it is really big and the tissue around it is extremely fragile. The gellow has at least a month of healing ahead of him. I decided to give money to Richard to pick up beans, posho (like polenta), cooking oil and charcoal for them as he drove them home. Richard is one of those amazing angels – he know the people, is really spiritually connected and is incredibly dedicated to the poor people who were displaced by the civil war and who now have been pushed out of the camps by the government, but still are somewhat homeless. It is not a good scene here.
A bit more about this situation with Julius. Generally, my approach is to focus on community level needs. There is so much need here that helping one person feels a bit like a drop in a very huge bucket. And how does one decide who is meritous and who is not? I crossed over that line with Julius and am feeling quite conflicted. He’s only 21 and lost his ability to earn money with this leg injury. He most surely would have lost his leg, even though he had been to our clinic right after the accident and was treated. At our all-staff meeting on Wednesday morning, I talked about this with the staff. I acknowledged that I had made a mistake and should have consulted with Martin and Dr. Nathan before launching into the wound culture and all that ensued. One of the problems that this could lead to is people in the community expecting that the clinic will be able to provide this for everyone. And of course, we cannot. I both wanted to let the staff know that I had made this mistake and was totally owning it. AND I wanted to demonstrate that making mistakes is quite human. In talking with one of the staff about this later (Esther), she said “when you don’t have open communication with people and they can point out your mistakes, how can you ever learn and avoid doing something wrong?” I totally love these guys and am constantly inspired by their wisdom.
Outreach Day – Thursday
Thursday we packed into a van and drove about 40 minutes north and east of Soroti where we did an outreach clinic. Four doctors saw medical patients (155); a midwife saw antenatal women (30?), a midwife did childhood vaccinations (I have no idea how many) and the lab did some malaria tests (we ran out of test strips) and the dispensary nurses counted out tablets and gave injections! WOW! I helped with registration and was very popular with the docs when I showed them how to change the new thermometers to Centigrade! I also helped with the vaccinations – filling out the cards and escorting sick Moms to the medical docs, when needed. Then I helped in the dispensary, something that is always needed, but not my favorite thing to do.
Friday
How can it be my last day in Soroti? I woke at 4:30, the power is off, again. (It had been on for about 24 hours.) I plan to be at the clinic this morning, will see Julius and change his dressing. I am hoping it will be busy enough that I won’t have time to cry. I am so full of many emotions – gratitude for Charles Steinberg’s invitation to come here 6 years ago, for the “Gails”, for these strong and dedicated staff who provide such loving care for people who have suffered so much and for Jennifer Braun and her willingness to partner with us and then take over the clinic. Without her dedication, none of this would be as it is today.
As I sign off, I will be heading to Kenya tomorrow. I’ll be meeting with a friend there who is teaching at a school of nursing. I’ll try my best to report in about that road trip and the possibility of a job interview! And then actually having some fun.
HOME ON the 15th. I am actually going to be home on May 15, not the 5th. I made a type-o. Sorry for that!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Uganda Kenya Spring 2010
2 May 2010
Greetings from Soroti, Uganda! It is Sunday morning as I write, realizing I left Boulder just a week ago. Seems like a lifetime.
Brief History: In 2005, 3 Canadian nurses and I founded a primary health clinic in eastern Uganda to serve the “Internally Displaced Persons” who were sheltering in camps around Soroti. There were about 20,000 people in the camps then and little health care available. Since those lean days, we have gratefully turned over the funding and the oversight to the International Midwife Assistance (IMA) and our clinic has organized themselves as an Uganda Non-governmental organization Teso Safe Motherhood Project(see their website: www.TesoSMP.org )
It’s been 2 years since I was in Uganda. I was thrilled to combine several projects in this trip. First, though, a bit about the trip here. I had been scheduled to fly through London, but a miraculous travel agent helped me land a reservation on Emirates – Denver-Houston-Dubai (13 hours)-Addis Ababa-Entebbe (42 hours!) My flights all went incredibly smoothly – no hassle from Emirates Airline for big bags AND all bags arrived in Entebbe with me. This was my first time to fly through Dubai and I spent the night in the Arab Courtyard hotel in a historic section of this incredibly friendly and modern (and clean) city. The flight from Houston to Dubai was 15 hours and it turned out that we flew over Britain, Belgium, the Black Sea, Turkey, Iraq to get there (guess the ash had dispersed). I sneaked peaks out the window as we moved into daylight – I loved seeing the differences in agriculture, the city layouts and the mountains turning to desert.
As part of the clinic program planning, we had conducted a Community Needs/Resource Assessment in the camps and community in 2006. My first order of business in Kampala was to give a presentation to the International Health Sciences University class. One of our very first employees at the clinic is now enrolled in a Health Administration degree program there and I was invited to speak at his Health Research Class. I presented to about 100 students and faculty, including the Dean of the Public Health School. It was thrilling, to say the least! Martin (the clinic’s Finance Officer and also an original employee) was also able to be there for the talk. How far we have come from those early days! Martin and Patrick and I found it very emotional, remembering what we have all been through, especially in those early years.
Now, after a 6-hour car ride with Martin and the 2-month supply of medications for the clinic and the driver, I am back in Soroti, a quiet town of about 15,000 people. I feel like I’m coming home. This trip, 5 years after we first opened the doors of the clinic to serve IDPs around Soroti, has been so full! I’m so taken with the maturing of the staff, their dedication and great attitudes. Arriving Thursday evening, we found that 2 babies had been born at the clinic that very day! The TSMP is in full operation, providing primary health care, antenatal, births (for low-risk moms), family planning (including IUDs!), vaccinations and HIV/AIDS counseling and testing. One day a week, they do an outreach clinic. Most of the IDPs have been sent away from the camps and are in a bit of “limbo”. I’ll be going with them on Thursday and am extremely eager to observe the conditions.
Friday, the clinic began with everyone gathering and Dr. Nathan greeting me warmly on behalf of the staff. He talked about their appreciation for the original nurses who came to Soroti to open, of all things – a clinic for IDPs! I felt so lucky to be here and I sooooo wished that Gail, Thea and Marie could have been sitting there with me (The 4 of us basically co-founded the clinic in 2005, but there were others – Adam & Shawna!). All the staff talked about how much they love being able to work at the clinic and how grateful they are for the original 4 nurses, as well as International Midwife Assistance to now support and fund the work. These 5 years have seen some drama and we are all so incredibly amazed that we weathered it and continue! (We need to keep the funding rolling into IMA!!)
I spent Friday putting away the drugs that we had brought back from Kampala. Martin and Esther and I had a great time thinking about the early days when the drug order was 2 boxes! This time it filled an 8-passenger van! The clinicians were also seeing patients – plenty of chaos with the boxes filling the main entrance room, Dr. Nathan on the front porch checking in the drugs in the proper notebook as Martin and Leonard opened and counted box after box after box! Yikes!
We had a young man come who had a leg wound from being hit by a rock while making gravel. People make money by chipping big rocks by hand into gravel. His wound had been treated a couple of months ago, got better, but now was really having a problem. He has an open wound, about the size of a quarter and about a centimeter deep. The leg is swollen around it and down to his foot. I sent him with an interpreter to a private clinic for a culture and when he returned, I had him lay with the foot elevated (on a comfortable bed in the clinic) for about an hour. He said it gave the pain some relief. Then we soaked it in warm water for about 20 minutes. I dressed it and sent him back to his camp on a boda (bicycle taxi). He went back to the doctor Saturday morning and Martin and I found that they actually did the culture then and will have the results back on Tuesday morning. Martin and I are going to try to find him this afternoon and do another dressing change and give him some vitamin C. The clinic gave him some emergency food, as he has no way to make any money now and there is NO way that wound will heal without some protein getting into him. This guy would be in the hospital with IVs, high protein diet and maybe a wound vac or eventually skin graft. And he’d be dry, well rested and not stressed. The overlay of malaria is always hovering and his immune system does not need any more stressing. I pray he does not get malaria.
My time in Soroti is short (10 days), and I am scurrying about to greet old friends and catch up on life, even for just a small bit of time. Our Lab Tech, Leo Odiit and his wife Helen have a 2-week old baby boy and a son that is just about 2 years old. Yesterday we spent about 3 hours together and I got to give her hand-me-downs from by good friends in Boulder, Marie and Chris, whose twin boys turn 3 in August! It was so much fun! Helen put the baby in a white “onesy” and white sox and he looked like he was going out for soccer! I read a sweet book to Helen and the baby that Marie gave me – “I love you this much”. It was soooo sweet!
This week will be spent at the clinic, finishing putting the drug order away and then working with the nurses in the dispensary. They are moving into the electronic age and I will work with them on using a spread sheet to keep records of their daily, weekly and monthly drug usage. You can take a look at their web site: www.tesosmp.org.
The 3rd leg of my journey will take me to Kenya. For the first time (this is my 7th trip to Uganda), I’m going to take an incredible opportunity to do some hiking and relaxing (I hope)! I will be meeting up with a friend who is teaching at a School of Nursing in Eldoret. She’s helping them move to PhD quality curriculum. She and I will spend some days exploring the area around Eldoret and I’ll get to meet the faculty with whom she’s been working. We plan to spend a few days hiking around Mt. Kenya before I have to come home! Probably won’t attempt to summit this trip as it’s the rainy season.
Well, Martin is coming back soon and he tells me there are 2 women in labor in the clinic and we still need to look for our patient with the leg wound!
I look forward to hearing from you! Take care & asodo ber (bye for now)!
Beverly
Greetings from Soroti, Uganda! It is Sunday morning as I write, realizing I left Boulder just a week ago. Seems like a lifetime.
Brief History: In 2005, 3 Canadian nurses and I founded a primary health clinic in eastern Uganda to serve the “Internally Displaced Persons” who were sheltering in camps around Soroti. There were about 20,000 people in the camps then and little health care available. Since those lean days, we have gratefully turned over the funding and the oversight to the International Midwife Assistance (IMA) and our clinic has organized themselves as an Uganda Non-governmental organization Teso Safe Motherhood Project(see their website: www.TesoSMP.org )
It’s been 2 years since I was in Uganda. I was thrilled to combine several projects in this trip. First, though, a bit about the trip here. I had been scheduled to fly through London, but a miraculous travel agent helped me land a reservation on Emirates – Denver-Houston-Dubai (13 hours)-Addis Ababa-Entebbe (42 hours!) My flights all went incredibly smoothly – no hassle from Emirates Airline for big bags AND all bags arrived in Entebbe with me. This was my first time to fly through Dubai and I spent the night in the Arab Courtyard hotel in a historic section of this incredibly friendly and modern (and clean) city. The flight from Houston to Dubai was 15 hours and it turned out that we flew over Britain, Belgium, the Black Sea, Turkey, Iraq to get there (guess the ash had dispersed). I sneaked peaks out the window as we moved into daylight – I loved seeing the differences in agriculture, the city layouts and the mountains turning to desert.
As part of the clinic program planning, we had conducted a Community Needs/Resource Assessment in the camps and community in 2006. My first order of business in Kampala was to give a presentation to the International Health Sciences University class. One of our very first employees at the clinic is now enrolled in a Health Administration degree program there and I was invited to speak at his Health Research Class. I presented to about 100 students and faculty, including the Dean of the Public Health School. It was thrilling, to say the least! Martin (the clinic’s Finance Officer and also an original employee) was also able to be there for the talk. How far we have come from those early days! Martin and Patrick and I found it very emotional, remembering what we have all been through, especially in those early years.
Now, after a 6-hour car ride with Martin and the 2-month supply of medications for the clinic and the driver, I am back in Soroti, a quiet town of about 15,000 people. I feel like I’m coming home. This trip, 5 years after we first opened the doors of the clinic to serve IDPs around Soroti, has been so full! I’m so taken with the maturing of the staff, their dedication and great attitudes. Arriving Thursday evening, we found that 2 babies had been born at the clinic that very day! The TSMP is in full operation, providing primary health care, antenatal, births (for low-risk moms), family planning (including IUDs!), vaccinations and HIV/AIDS counseling and testing. One day a week, they do an outreach clinic. Most of the IDPs have been sent away from the camps and are in a bit of “limbo”. I’ll be going with them on Thursday and am extremely eager to observe the conditions.
Friday, the clinic began with everyone gathering and Dr. Nathan greeting me warmly on behalf of the staff. He talked about their appreciation for the original nurses who came to Soroti to open, of all things – a clinic for IDPs! I felt so lucky to be here and I sooooo wished that Gail, Thea and Marie could have been sitting there with me (The 4 of us basically co-founded the clinic in 2005, but there were others – Adam & Shawna!). All the staff talked about how much they love being able to work at the clinic and how grateful they are for the original 4 nurses, as well as International Midwife Assistance to now support and fund the work. These 5 years have seen some drama and we are all so incredibly amazed that we weathered it and continue! (We need to keep the funding rolling into IMA!!)
I spent Friday putting away the drugs that we had brought back from Kampala. Martin and Esther and I had a great time thinking about the early days when the drug order was 2 boxes! This time it filled an 8-passenger van! The clinicians were also seeing patients – plenty of chaos with the boxes filling the main entrance room, Dr. Nathan on the front porch checking in the drugs in the proper notebook as Martin and Leonard opened and counted box after box after box! Yikes!
We had a young man come who had a leg wound from being hit by a rock while making gravel. People make money by chipping big rocks by hand into gravel. His wound had been treated a couple of months ago, got better, but now was really having a problem. He has an open wound, about the size of a quarter and about a centimeter deep. The leg is swollen around it and down to his foot. I sent him with an interpreter to a private clinic for a culture and when he returned, I had him lay with the foot elevated (on a comfortable bed in the clinic) for about an hour. He said it gave the pain some relief. Then we soaked it in warm water for about 20 minutes. I dressed it and sent him back to his camp on a boda (bicycle taxi). He went back to the doctor Saturday morning and Martin and I found that they actually did the culture then and will have the results back on Tuesday morning. Martin and I are going to try to find him this afternoon and do another dressing change and give him some vitamin C. The clinic gave him some emergency food, as he has no way to make any money now and there is NO way that wound will heal without some protein getting into him. This guy would be in the hospital with IVs, high protein diet and maybe a wound vac or eventually skin graft. And he’d be dry, well rested and not stressed. The overlay of malaria is always hovering and his immune system does not need any more stressing. I pray he does not get malaria.
My time in Soroti is short (10 days), and I am scurrying about to greet old friends and catch up on life, even for just a small bit of time. Our Lab Tech, Leo Odiit and his wife Helen have a 2-week old baby boy and a son that is just about 2 years old. Yesterday we spent about 3 hours together and I got to give her hand-me-downs from by good friends in Boulder, Marie and Chris, whose twin boys turn 3 in August! It was so much fun! Helen put the baby in a white “onesy” and white sox and he looked like he was going out for soccer! I read a sweet book to Helen and the baby that Marie gave me – “I love you this much”. It was soooo sweet!
This week will be spent at the clinic, finishing putting the drug order away and then working with the nurses in the dispensary. They are moving into the electronic age and I will work with them on using a spread sheet to keep records of their daily, weekly and monthly drug usage. You can take a look at their web site: www.tesosmp.org.
The 3rd leg of my journey will take me to Kenya. For the first time (this is my 7th trip to Uganda), I’m going to take an incredible opportunity to do some hiking and relaxing (I hope)! I will be meeting up with a friend who is teaching at a School of Nursing in Eldoret. She’s helping them move to PhD quality curriculum. She and I will spend some days exploring the area around Eldoret and I’ll get to meet the faculty with whom she’s been working. We plan to spend a few days hiking around Mt. Kenya before I have to come home! Probably won’t attempt to summit this trip as it’s the rainy season.
Well, Martin is coming back soon and he tells me there are 2 women in labor in the clinic and we still need to look for our patient with the leg wound!
I look forward to hearing from you! Take care & asodo ber (bye for now)!
Beverly
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