Three words which sum up the last few weeks here in Chad and Mali too. We RETREATED
to Mali at the beginning of July leaving the hospital in the capable hands of two American doctors Mike and Noel , Mona and Tricia 2 nurses and Ward administrating along of course with all our Chadian nurses and midwives and other colleagues. It was a rather round about trip via Ethiopia as you can see if you look at a map This was then followed by the BMS spiritual retreat Psalm 84 5-7 Pilgrims , change-makers and visionaries were themes developed by Philip Halliday and inspired us to look again at our work in Chad .
RELAXING
surroundings a pool and fun for Ruth and Rebecca with Rebecca North and Rosemary Halliday helped as well.
Then it was time for rest we spent 5 days exploring the delights of Bamako this included making new friends, a very good park with trees and grass a very strange thing , an interesting museum an ice cream parlour with 36 choices and a natural bridge that could be climbed on. Also some good supermarkets to find rarities like sausages to eat !! The trip back ended with a night in the Hilton in Ethiopia not sure which VIP the Airline confused us with but the strawberries on room service were good.
RETURN
meant back to work with a rush as a lady needed a forceps the night we arrived. Mike left on the flight we came in on and Noel the next day so a handing over ward round had to take place straight away. The next day we were operating and it wasn’t until the following weekend that things slowed a little. We have had a lot of malnourished children and this weekend has been the sugar and snake weekend .The first was a little girl gone home the day before and back in after vomiting overnight with a blood sugar of 1 she woke up quickly with some intravenous sugar and is receiving intensive feeding on our malnutrition programme now.A lady then arrived with a really high sugar level seriously unwell but thanks to our medicine in Africa book with advice on how to treat comatose diabetics in low resource situations she is beginning to stabilise, but no rest the next case through was a man who had been bitten on the finger by a snake. We thought we could treat him with our stock of 2 ampoules of anti-venom but then discovered we needed 3 more ampoules. His family could only find one more in town and has just a badly swollen arm so we are hopeful he will do well.
The only thing that has been missing is rain and whilst we were away it was very hot as it didn’t rain at all .It is still much drier than last year and although it might sound good to you on summer holidays here it is needed for the crops. We hope it comes soon.
Well the RAIN
has come now in the couple of weeks that it has taken to post this blog, lots and lots every day. The frogs nearly deafened us with their delight and the roads are interesting, even going to church is an adventure .A 180 degree swerve in the mud meant we nearly turned back but we reached the road safely if not rather slowly. Then it was time to park the car near church and
meant back to work with a rush as a lady needed a forceps the night we arrived. Mike left on the flight we came in on and Noel the next day so a handing over ward round had to take place straight away. The next day we were operating and it wasn’t until the following weekend that things slowed a little. We have had a lot of malnourished children and this weekend has been the sugar and snake weekend .The first was a little girl gone home the day before and back in after vomiting overnight with a blood sugar of 1 she woke up quickly with some intravenous sugar and is receiving intensive feeding on our malnutrition programme now.A lady then arrived with a really high sugar level seriously unwell but thanks to our medicine in Africa book with advice on how to treat comatose diabetics in low resource situations she is beginning to stabilise, but no rest the next case through was a man who had been bitten on the finger by a snake. We thought we could treat him with our stock of 2 ampoules of anti-venom but then discovered we needed 3 more ampoules. His family could only find one more in town and has just a badly swollen arm so we are hopeful he will do well.
The only thing that has been missing is rain and whilst we were away it was very hot as it didn’t rain at all .It is still much drier than last year and although it might sound good to you on summer holidays here it is needed for the crops. We hope it comes soon.
Well the RAIN
has come now in the couple of weeks that it has taken to post this blog, lots and lots every day. The frogs nearly deafened us with their delight and the roads are interesting, even going to church is an adventure .A 180 degree swerve in the mud meant we nearly turned back but we reached the road safely if not rather slowly. Then it was time to park the car near church and
walk. Two minutes out of the car and I was on my back having slipped , (who needs ice)not deterred we continued. Next was a floating flip flop as we tried to jump over the puddles and thick mud. Mark bent down to get it and his mobile was in the puddle .(It still works) Another stuck flip flop recovered and we arrived at church to wash our feet under the pump with every one else. Church was half empty due to the rain its like snow really and the service just getting going. No rest for us though 20 minutes later we were called back to the hospital a baby with tetanus. This time I went bare feet and carried the flip flops
The baby is possibly turning the corner as we write but still very sick. All pregnant women are supposed to be vaccinated but they don’t always mange it and it’s especially hard at the moment as the Government has no vaccines which we found out when we tried to get some. That and the malaria season arriving as the free supplies of malaria treatment are difficult to come by and none available for sale in the Government pharmacies doesn’t make life very safe for women and children here. We have managed to get some in a private pharmacy not too expensively we are relieved to say.
A final progress report on our patients the diabetic lady has gone home well, also the malnourished baby did amazingly well and the snake bite man too will just lose the tip of his finger, all good news our only problem is we need some more of the second R !! The quiet August we expected with Ramadan and rain has not really happened roll on September and the return of Michaela.
A final progress report on our patients the diabetic lady has gone home well, also the malnourished baby did amazingly well and the snake bite man too will just lose the tip of his finger, all good news our only problem is we need some more of the second R !! The quiet August we expected with Ramadan and rain has not really happened roll on September and the return of Michaela.
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