We're still working:)

March 15^th, 2012

It is early this morning, and the Muslims are singing over the loud speaker like a broken record. Haven't had a whole lot going on the last couple of days. Wanted to update you all on the little girls with the burns, as many of you have asked and care so much, Thank you for that! Everyday we change their dressings, and everyday gets a little bit better. Llonda gives them a pain pill quartered up so it's not too bad. A special thank you to those who were able to send some with us, they have been a blessing!  The other day the 4yr old says “I'm flying”, while we were changing her dressings. At that moment we knew the pill was working:) We had brought with some little toys for the kids over here, and had given them each one and they both held onto them like it was the greatest gift they have ever gotten. Llonda has spoken with the German Dr in training (Wesko, pronounced Vesko), to keep up with the dressing changes after we leave to ensure that they get done. Otherwise who knows if they will get done or not, and they need to be done daily. He assured us yesterday that he will keep us posted by email, or facebook on how they are doing.

Llonda has been working on another burn patient, an adult male who was using kerosine and burned his hand all the way up his arm. He had went to the government hospital first then 3 days later came here. She also gives him a pain pill before dressing changes, but he is definitely not as strong as our two little girls, and yesterday when I popped in to see if she needed help, he was pulling the skin up himself while she cut it away.

   

I finished up in the storeroom and have been teaching CPR everyday.  They seem to enjoy it, and it seems a little strange to me training Dr's and Nurses in such a basic skill, but they are eager to learn it, and ask many questions (all that I've been able to answer so far knock on wood:).  I will finish up with my last two classes today, as tomorrow we leave and have to pack. 

I have been working with Ambulance crew, which right now consists of the driver, Samuel who they call all the time day or night, and two nurses from the ER.  We spent some time looking over the ambulance, going through their supplies, and I took them to the storeroom to replenish their stock and thanks to my boss Sue at home who let me take some supplies, they have a good start but need so much more!  Here we are below with a box full of goodies.  Samuel loved his vest so much he wore it all day long.  He felt so special and proud and loved bragging to everyone about it.

Yesterday we went to the hospital early to do rounds and change the burn dressings and then had to get our train tickets and then go see some sights.  Llonda and Eric went to go get the tickets, while I packed up the cooler of snacks for all of us, then Samuel came to pick us up.  There were no sleeper cars left on the train, so Llonda decided not to get the tickets.  So far nothing has been easy for us.  Samuel has a contact at the church that he thought could help us out, which he did.  It took a few hours to get it taken care of, but we had to pay for the tickets right away up front which ran us out of money (AGAIN) so had to borrow from Wesko.   We had to stop back at the hospital for Samuel to take care of something and while we were there, asked Wesko to come with us.  He was happy for the offer and came right over.  When Samuel came back he said there was an emergency and he needed to take a patient over to the government hospital by ambulance for an X-ray.  Not sure if I had said before but the hospital here their X-ray machine is currently broken.  I asked Samuel if I could go with to see how it worked and he was happy for the company.  The patient was man who lives out in the bush and was in a motor bike accident more than two weeks ago.  He stayed back at home and tried the witch doctor healing then finally decided it wasn't working and came in by bus.  He didn't want any help, so got in and out of the ambulance by himself.  We waited for the X-ray and when they put it up, I was shocked at how he didn't complain of any pain.  His wrist was fractured as well as his femur (right in half). 

We dropped him off at the hospital again, went back to pick up Llonda and Wesko, and we took off.  We were going to a water fall about an hour out of town.  The road was not good.  I was sitting in the back seat in the middle of Llonda and Wesko.  At one point I told him I was a ping pong ball and they were the paddles.  Every once in a while I'd let out a "Ping", when it got really bad.  Samuel did a great job driving, and at times hitting 65mph on this what seemed like a 4-wheeler trail.  It reminded Llonda and I very much of the time we were in Sedona, AZ and rented jeeps to drive out in the desert.  There you pay money to ride on roads/trails like that, here it is everyday living.  We made our way up there and had a picnic in a buckaroo, then walked the trail down.  One person had to stay with the car the whole time so it wouldn't get broken into.  I hadn't seen a sole for miles, but wasn't going to take a chance either.  They had just burned the grass so it was nice and clear.  I asked who burns it, and they told me either the village people or hunters, so they can chase the animals out.  They hunt porcupine and hedgehog mostly around here.  

The falls are called Chutes de Tello, and they were amazing!  Truly one of God's greatest natural wonders.  I could have stayed there all day.

We were lucky enough to be able to see it from every view.  Behind the falls, the bottom of the falls and the top of the falls. To see the top we had to cross a bridge that neither Llonda nor Wekso liked much at all.

It was a great day, and I'm thankful to have been able to see such a beautiful sight.  So off now to get ready for our last day at work here.