The business and constant load of the last few days have left me totally exhausted and drained, being able to sleep is a dream that is always "almost ready to come true"!!!!! Just as soon as I want to catch a quick nap, bang bang bang, goes the rock on the gate, another person asking for something, so of I go, I do have to share that I have strength to keep going that's not of myself, and I can say that about the rest of us here this week, being short staffed is not a small thing, especially when we all don't know the language well.
Monday morning was very muddy, still raining on and off, but people came in droves to the clinic, I believe there were around 75 that came through, so I spent most of my time there helping out, some of the workers weren't there. In the meantime I was getting Stev's bobcat ready to take a lady with eclampsia to town as soon as clinic was out, so Miss Leida and myself left around 2:30 to slip and slide to town with our patient, it's interesting how rough the road is again now with all the rain, the dirt washes out between the rocks and only rocks and ravines are left, so it's a lot slower going again. Also I never quite get used to the moans and groans of the sick person, often times its exaggerated, apparently it's the culture, but I would quickly ask them, ou bien? (you well?) and they would say, "wi wi". (yes yes). Then they'd be totally quiet for a few minutes till they forget that they're well, then of they would go again.
2 days ago, (Tuesday) was a slower day because people are at the market and then some tend to trickle in after lunch, just before clinic is out, so the day wasn't going to bad, but after 3 I took some school food, picked the "head guy" up, because he said he was bored, and drove up to Madame Pastors house with the school food, as I backed up to the house I noticed a gathering of people who were looking at an older lady sitting on a chair, I unloaded and then went to look and beheld a "broken wrist", so I radioed home, and we took her to clinic, Miss Leida said to get ready to take her to town. So of I cruised with her and her caretaker again, got to the hospital and the guard told me, "no way, we can't take her, take her to Laogone", of course it's dark, 7 o clock by now, and no Steve to call for advice, so I secretly pushed through the crowd and somehow entered the hospital where I found doctor Felix, he is Direks son, Direk works in the clinic, he is around my age, and I also found Dr. Edgar also a young doctor, both were nice and exclaimed that I was their friend, and that they appreciated what we did here in the mountains, (they've both been here already at different times) Dr, Edgar knew English well, so I told him whats going on and he said, "bring her in". I didn't dare get hopes up because nothing ever goes easy here, and sure enough nothing did, the lady told us before we left home that she had money and could pay for everything, so I didn't bring nothing with, just some personal money, so I called Pastor Levy and between the two of us, we finally scraped enough together, to pay for x-rays, pain meds, injections, cast etc etc etc. (Her money suddenly wasn't anymore, not sure how it disappears so quickly, maybe on the rough trail!!!!!!!!!!!!) So by the time we left the hospital it was around 9:30 PM.
Just to add, this lady was even more funny then any I had taken in before, she was moaning loudly and no amount of distraction from me stopped her, she did have pain though, but I noticed that every time she seen someone about 100 feet in front of us she would shut her eyes, lift her broken hand high in the air for all to see, and just howl as loud as she could, and then when we were past the people on the road, the howling turned to moans and the hand descended and her eyes popped open and she was watching for the next set of people walking along the road!!!!!!!!!! Finally I signed and wandered for her to sing instead of howl, and she took it up, she sang in Creole, Nothing but the Blood of Jesus, I certainly agreed and sang with her in English. Ended up being refreshed!!! :)
I was quite hungry, been running since breakfast time, Pastor Levy took me to his house for a quick bite, and then discussed whether I should go home because only the girls were home, the tires on the bobcat are bad, and having had to stop to fix tires and keep pumping them up on way in, we decided it's safest to stay at Darv's for the night and come up next day. Levy phoned Pastor Jeera and Claudney and told them to keep and eye on the mission and check things out. So I went to Darv's for the night being at peace.
Next morning, I picked up the wrist lady and Levy took grandpas bobcat and we brought up all the med's for clinic. After running steady to get demands filled for everyone once I got home, we went to orphanage for supper and playing some games, and then came home to "finally" sleep, but that wasn't to be, a lady came knocking at 9:30, she was in labor, although not far enough that anyone had to stay there for the night. But eventually we got to bed, AND I SLEPT GOOD, (oops, I forgot that hardly ever things go as planned here)!!! till 3 rats decided they can't sleep and needed to fight, so I spent 2 hours chasing rats, what a nightmare, they had the guts to run the whole length of the cement rod that runs through my room while I had the light on and and throwing shoes at them, and as you are probably imagining it, I DID LOOSE, they are mocking me this morning, they seem well rested and climbing a conduit pipe not 5 feet from me as I'm typing this. And I sit and stare tiredly at the 5 pairs of shoes and sticks laying on the floor by my bedroom door, screaming, "looser"!!!!! But a good looser, ;)
Anyway I thought i'd add some flavor this morning. Have a good day.
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| Lady with the broken wrist, and her care taker. |
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| It's good to have a doctor friend!!! |
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| Waiting for x-ray results. We came into the room and found the doctor that does the x-ray's, sleeping on that table, I was wondering about his choice of bed until I noticed the air conditioner up in the window!!!!!!! |
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| This is the picture of her wrist. |
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| Got back around 11 Wednesday morning. |
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| Unloading Med's |
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| """DE-STRESSING""" at the orphanage!!!!!!!! |
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| Playing "scrabble" if I remember right. |
