Today I realized that I have a lot of things I want to get done, but not much more time to do them! I have the second part of my research project to finish, which consists of going through the lab book again, but this time looking up in the patient record all the patients who tested positive for HIV or Hep B. I also want us to make sure we film some videos for the hospital before we leave, because I know those will be very helpful.
This morning was sort of slow to start, so I went to the Theatre to see if they had started wound care, and while I was there a man wondered up and started asking us questions in a language I don’t speak. Dr. Erdi happened to be there, and kicked him out of the theatre and starting telling him to go to the OPD where all patients are check in. He just kept asking where we were going to put him and his family for the night, because he came from Guinea and his family is not going to sleep on the floor or outside. Dr. Erdi had to tell him that she’s a doctor with a hospital, not a manager with a hotel. He did not want understand her, but eventually they got him to head in the direction of OPD. Dr. Erdi left and not five minutes later he was back trying to get inside the theatre to know where he was staying that night, and I just shooed him out and kept telling him no, because I didn’t understand a word he was saying.
I decided to work for an extra long time on my research project today because I really wanted to finish it and start on the second part of it, since I think that part might actually take quite a long time. Since there wasn’t really anything going on, we were all just sort of hanging around at the guesthouse. I ended up finishing my data collection portion of my research project, and decided to figure out what videos we’re going to film and who’s going to do what and write the scripts. I also researched CPR to make sure I had all the correct information because the Matron wanted me to give part one of my CPR talk soon, possibly tomorrow at Morning Handover. I finished my CPR part one lesson, and wrote the script for my antenatal care video and started on my malaria script. By four I was exhausted. It was really hot and the heat can just zap your energy. I had also convinced myself that I had all the symptoms of stage one malaria, and thought it wise to stop researching the topic and continue when I was less tired and therefore more able to defeat my silly brain for trying to be a hypochondriac.
After dinner our newest resident, Gay, came over to chat and see what we’ve bought so far while we’ve been here. Gay is a woman from Oklahoma who is African American and about four years ago decided to research into her heritage, and specifically wanted to know what African country her ancestors came from. She already knew that her ancestors had been taken as slaves to the U.S. during the slave trade, but through DNA testing and through asking her family members and so on, she was able to determine that she is Sierra Leonean. Since then she has worked hard to save enough money to come and visit. She is here for two weeks, and so far is enjoying herself. At first I was just giving her advice like I was the other AC girls when they got here, but after a bit realized that because she looks like a Sierra Leonean, and looks like a local, that a lot of my advice might not be of value. It’s very interesting to see how the locals react to her, both in the market and at the hospital. One of her main sponsors helping her with the costs of this visit is a company that provided surgical equipment for the hospital as well. When other companies got wind of what this company was doing, they sent funds and equipment as well. Gay is a photographer in her spare time, so the companies that donated asked her if she would be willing to take photos in surgery and the wards that they could use to potentially get more funding and more sponsorship, so she will also be taking a ton of photos.
Anyway, we showed Gay our fabric and wooden carvings and so on, and she really loved it all. She kept asking how the money worked, and she seemed anxious about some of the things that many first time travelers worry about. We told her we would take her into town tomorrow, and show her the market, help her buy some things, and get it to the tailor to be made into dresses and so on.
In the evening some of the guests watched a movie about the Sierra Leonean Civil War, and Steve came over. Since our shower is still not functioning properly, Gay offered us her shower and I took her up on it because I was gross. It’s crazy how much you sweat here in just a day because of the heat!
This post is dedicated to the mother who gave birth to a still born child early this morning, and to the child who died of severe malaria and anemia during the night.
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