life here is one big, continuous surreal experience
we observed the surgery of a boy with severe paraphimosis ( near gangrenous )
( if you don't know what is is, google it.... NOTE: you will never, ever get this word in Pictionary )
then... we had some birthday cake...
yesterday was Marieann's ( now correctly spelled) birthday. there is no Siswati version of the song "happy birthday to you", so i can not regale you with wonderful stories of learning to sing happy birthday in a foreign language.
I inserted a foley catheter yesterday. And today, inserted a pleural drain tube into a patient with ARVD and TB... in fact, everyone in the room had ARVD ( read: HIV ) and TB. Yesterday, the autoclave broke down ( the device that sterilizes the surgical equipment and scrubs for the operating theater), ... and today, there was no water.
Sunday involved the Swaziland cultural village, that had a small traditional story session incorporated with dance.It was painfully obvious how sick one of the dancers was, and it appeared that she had TB as she kept suppressing coughs throughout the show. Then, we had a picnic by a waterfall.
It was so wonderful to see some traditional Swazi culture, and yet so tragic to realize that the culture is being wiped out indiscriminately, with little hope of salvage in the near future.
we are taking a long weekend and driving down to St. Lucia in South Africa. This is the resort area that is famous for its snorkeling and diving. It will merely add to the daily contrast of excess and poverty that surrounds us.
i still haven't figured out if we are saving anyone, or simply being TB-Tourists in a 3rd world country...
i'll let you know as soon as i've figured it out
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3 comments:
I am not sure if you can view this, but John and I just want you to know how proud and humbled we are by this amazing journey that you and Jen have embarked upon. Your stories will stay with me forever, knowing that somehow my Karma placed me in this place, safe and secure, while others in this world suffer so.....It may seem not enough to you but to the people of Swaziland it could be a lifetime! I will share this blog with all readers I can and hopefully it will help you make a difference! Luv, Deb.
Chris & Jenn
Bravo to you both for your remarkable courage to face the challenges in that far away land. And as for making a differance ..... I am reminded of the story of a man walking down the beach throwing starfish back into the water after they were stranded by low tide. A passerby spoke to the man of the many star fish that were stranded, and that he would never be able to help them all..... The man picked up a lone starfish and tossed it into the water and said, "but I have just helped that one." Much love and prayers to you in your work.
Uncle Dale
Dear Chris and Jenn:
there isn't a day that goes by that I don't check this site for updates. You are both in my thoughts and in my heart. What a wonderful experience for you two, and what a gift you are leaving all those that you see and touch and help each moment that you are in their world. It is a sad commentary that you really are visiting another world, and that humanity does not live on an equal strata. Makes you really appreciate the good fortune and opportunities that we were gifted as a birthright. Much love to you both.
Namaste
Dad
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