On Classes, Crackers, and Farewells

Last week was not terrifically busy if you go by the number of patients that we were seeing each day. We did, however, feel like we were running nearly non-stop. Let me explain.

Brian Eveleth, our stateside clinic director arrived last Monday along with his daughter Jacinda, and a trio of girls from Ohio among which was a RN to help out for the week at clinic. Brian came to spend a week having afternoon classes with the clinic staff, and just connecting a bit with the clinic to better ascertain our needs and where we can improve our care here.

Every afternoon we hurried home as soon as clinic wrapped up, took a quick lunch break, then headed back down to clinic to further our education. We'd like to give a big shout-out to Brian for putting hours of research into his classes, for taking the time to come down, and for the many goodies that he brought us - including, but not limited to, a rather largish container of animal crackers that we may or may not have already nearly finished off. :o)

It feels like we've had a lot going on at clinic after hours lately...probably mostly due to a few people that we've had staying down there most of the week. Our little old poppy with the very large bedsore is still here, and has been joined by a recovering cholera/possibly-typhoid patient and a woman with extremely high blood pressure that's been just a bit of a mystery to us...we aren't exactly sure what's been going on in her body, but it isn't healthy.

And, on top of it all, preparing our hearts to bid our beloved pharmacist Marcille Godspeed as she leaves for the States along with her parents who came with the other group.  She has been such a blessing and bright spot in our lives that we find ourselves reluctant to release her, but we know that she needs to follow God's calling in her life, even if it's not exactly where we might prefer her.  

We will actually be saying goodbye to Donny and Thea Monday morning, too, as they are traveling home for a couple months due to some complications that came up with Thea's pregnancy.  Lord willing, they will be back soon, bringing along a little baby for us to spoil rotten, but saying goodbye to people that you are very attached to is still difficult, even if it is just for a short time....

This week has been busy, and we all breathed sighs of relief when Friday afternoon rolled around and we locked the clinic up for the evening....but there are always bright spots...

-Watching the little old neighbor man's face light up when I handed him my phone with music playing on it to listen to while I did a bandage job....he's blind, but loves music passionately.

-Cleaning a little old grandma's house that reeked and seeing how happy she was to have it smell good again (she too, is blind).

-Seeing new skin that gets more beautiful every day on a burn that one of our regular bandage guys (St. Luke, for those who know him) is recovering from.

-Walking into clinic in the morning and hearing the chorus of replies to my "bonjour!"

Thank you for reading, caring, and praying....have a wonderful week.

-Kindra