Ok I am not sure when I have been more physically or emotionally exhausted...I know there have been times like this for me before but the passage of time has graciously erased the memories...
It has been about an 18 hour day from wake up til now when I just got back to the hotel. I decided to quickly do a SHORT blog entry before I shower then I will eat a granola bar & trail mix & go to bed!
The day starts at 5:30, breakfast is at 6, there's a team meeting at 6:30 & we leave for the hospital at 7 & the 1st five surgeries start at 8. Being in the Recovery Room we don't get our 1st patients til about 9 so this morning I went to the Post Op ward to see some of my little patients from yesterday & that was SO FUN & SO REWARDING. When I have them they are "coming out of the black hole" of anesthesia & while their faces look "fixed" they are drowsy...this morning they were awake & smiling & happy & wonderful! Even little Joyce was there in that area with fresh bandages over all her burns, in a little dress & while I dont think there was a smile yet her eyes looked just a little brighter :)
By 9:30 things were hopping in recovery & unlike yesterday when we got lots of patients in & then had a lull today was just a steady stream of patients with occasional chaos for one reason or another but multi-tasking is something I can do even in another country!
One of the highlights today was when Salome came to recovery after her surgery (the 14 year old I blogged about on Saturday). we have 3 beds & rotate the patients to each bed & she came to mine :) She looked great with her cleft lip fixed! I found out that someone helped her mom get busfare to Nakuru from Nairobi so she was there with her daughter...we had her mom come into recovery once I had her settled (as we do with all the kids whenever possible) and as soon as her mom came in she teared up & then bowed her head & started praying aloud in Swahili. All of us in the room also bowed our heads as she prayed & there was such an amazing spirit in the room. Florence (a Kenyan nurse I am working with in recovery) translated the prayer & said that mom thanked her Lord for this miracle & all those who have helped "her girl" an asked for blessing for everyone involved & prayed the Salome would take this good gift & go on to make a difference in the world and pass the kindness on to others...it was definitley the best part of the day. A KSL news crew (the Salt Lake City affiliate of NBC) has been here with us all week (they leave tomrrow) & Brooke Walker the reporter is darling & has been so fun to get to know. They picked 3 stories for an Op Smile series they will be airing in April & Salome's story is one of them...so I may have gotten some camera time in recovery & then they did interview me...so friends in Utah may see me on the news or maybe not - I will keep you posted when it airs they also said the local NBC affiliate in the LA area was interested in picking up the story so who knows...none of that really matters but I do want to see Brookes series about this mission & Op Smile.
Because of all the "add on's" the day went on much later than expected & honestly I do think I have hit a wall...I am feeling SO GRATEFUL to be here & be haing these experiences but I am a little homesick & miss my family (altho I did talk to all of them today), I have been gone for 8 days living in a very different environment, I am not getting alot of sleep & am working hard & long days...I am not sure when the "getting more rest" will be a possibility so I just keep moving forward as does all the team.
My last tender experience happened late tonight...we have been doing some adult patients but with the influx of new kids yesterday the adults have been delayed until the end of each day. Tonight we had a 20 year old girl who was getting surgery for some old burn scars on her face & neck (burns are a huge issue here because they cook indoors over an open flame with oils...there are so many people & children with burns I have been amazed!) Anyway she was to have this done & then be able to go home. I recovered her & then walked her to Post Op to gather her things & in pretty good english she told me she was married & had 2 young children. When we go to the post op area because of the add on surgeries it was over crowded & they had some babies sharing beds. As I told the night nurse she could go home the young woman said she lived 12 km away & had walked her but now at 9 pm it was unsafe for her to walk home so she would need to spend the night. I had to go back to recovery but as I walked back there I thought "really she has to share a bed in a hospital & not be home with her kids & husband?" So since I had taken a cab back to the hotel last night & it was 300 shillings (about $4) I asked the Kenyan coordinator Diana...can't we just call a cab for her I will pay??? Diana said that others might want the same thing etc but I felt like I just needed to push the issue & advocate for this young mom. I asked Diana how much she thought a cab would be for 12 km & she said maybe 500 shilling ( $6) I said let me do it please so we went back down there & I found her doubled up in a bed with another teenage patient. Diana talked to her in Swahili & then took her to a more private area where other patients wouldnt hear the offer & she said yes she really wanted to go home & all she needed was 200 shillings ($2.50)...I already had given Diana 500 shillings so she gave her 200 & the girl thanked me profusely & I just said "go home to your children" & just that got me choked up. It was a very simple thing..anyone would've done I am sure; I was just the one put in the position to meet her & then help her...there was no reason for her to stay & I am glad she got to go home...it ended my very long day on such a positive note :) How many times do I misplace a few dollars or waste it on something or buy a large diet coke & I never think twice about it & here in Nakuru $2.50 made a difference.
There were some other intersting parts of my day...like the ventilator tubing I saw hanging out to dry on a clothesline or the fact that I never imagined myself walking 50 yards from teh recovery room on slightly pave but very bumpy & on some placed dirt paths to get a patient to the post op area at 9 at night in the pitch dark using my flashlight to guide me! (not logistically the best but it is one of the nicest buildings here), that I would be so excited to have the a "Tuna Lunch Kit" & right now that taking a shower & getting to bed is almost as good as Christmas! so goodnight!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
LONG DAY #1 & a little girl who broke my heart
Well it's almost midnite here & I am pretty sure I am the only Op Smile Volunteer still awake & I am definitley the ony one in the hotel lobby (only place I can get internet) ohh aside from the hotel guard who yes does carry a weapon. I have given up on the idea of ever posting pictures before I get back...there is just no time to upload from the camera but I am taking lots of them.
It was a long first day...we had our wake up call at 5:30 a.m. which will be our wake up time every day so yes that is about 5 hours from now...
Today was our 1st day of surgeries & getting all the areas organized, pre op, surgery, recovery room (me), & post op. We also had about 50 more people show up to be screened even though it wasn't supposed to be a screening day so that was a challenge but somehow it got done...I wasn't anywhere near there but I heard it was busy & there are now several surgeries that were added to the schedule & we will likely have long days Tues/Wed/Thurs. It went well in recovery we had time to get organized before the 1st round of patients came to us but then all of a sudden we were swamped in our tiny little space as 5 patients came back in about a 30 min time span... we had 2 to a bed & moved them thru as quickly & safely as we could. Then we'd get a brief lull once we sent them all out to the Post Op area & then the rush would happen again. That went on 5 different times as each OR table was scheduled for 5 patients today & then they did a few add ons.
The little girl who broke my heart wasn't even one of our surgery patients...first thing in the morning one of the volunteers came to me to ask for a dress for a little girl who was in the pediatric ward where our patients were waitng to go to surgery - she said it was SO SAD & I really needed to see her & how happy the dress made her. She is 8 years old & her name is Joyce....she & her family were among many displaced in 2007 after all the unrest that occurred after the elections (I know nothing about this myself but John who is Kenyan & in the Recovery Room with me explained it to me a little) Anyway her family has lived in a tent since then...yes for 4 years!!! 3 weeks ago the nylon ten caught on fire she & her younger sister were inside & tried to get out but the tent essentially melted & burned on them & her sister died. They came to this general hospital we are working at & she has been her the whole time as she didn't qualify to go to the burn center an hour away...I can't quite imagine why because her burns were so extensive...her entire scalp, back & shoulders & arms were badly burnt & the wounds looked fresh & painful & her eyes had both a look of terror & pain in them. They brought her to the an area outside the Recovery Room so the Op Smile Plastic surgeons could look at her. We made a solution to cleanse her wounds, got her some appropriate pain medicine & the Docs made a plan that the ward nurses could follow....I have been a PICU nurse for over 25 years & seen alot of pretty horrific things (not burns because we don't do those at CHOC) and this really rattled me. I ended up giving her 3 dresses & some flip flops & books etc. Her mom asked our Chief Mission Plastic surgeon if she could get skin grafts but he said not this week while we are here - her wounds needed more time to heal & then she asked if Joyce could ever grow hair again & when he said it was very doubtful the mom just looked so sad & defeated & walked away to spare her daughter from seeing her moms own sadness. It took me awhile to shake that brief 15 min experience (it was between rushes of patients) so getting busy & back to work helped.
I dont want this blog to be full of sad stories...but there are many AND there are some GREAT ones too...lots of kids got new SMILES today & looked so darling after surgery & those moms had tears of joy when we showed them their kids....every child who lef the the recovery room left with a dress or T-shirt & usually a toy or flip flops or something & that was fun...the 5 Kenyan volunters I am woking with in Recovery were so good to be sure "their patients" had something from my bags before they left us & one time one of them picked a darling dress out for her patient & then we were all a little embarassed when we realized it was a boy!!! - quick change to a T-Shirt & no problem.
About a hundred other things happened today & I really need to write more just to I remember but right now I have to get to bed wake up time is coming quickly...
It was a long first day...we had our wake up call at 5:30 a.m. which will be our wake up time every day so yes that is about 5 hours from now...
Today was our 1st day of surgeries & getting all the areas organized, pre op, surgery, recovery room (me), & post op. We also had about 50 more people show up to be screened even though it wasn't supposed to be a screening day so that was a challenge but somehow it got done...I wasn't anywhere near there but I heard it was busy & there are now several surgeries that were added to the schedule & we will likely have long days Tues/Wed/Thurs. It went well in recovery we had time to get organized before the 1st round of patients came to us but then all of a sudden we were swamped in our tiny little space as 5 patients came back in about a 30 min time span... we had 2 to a bed & moved them thru as quickly & safely as we could. Then we'd get a brief lull once we sent them all out to the Post Op area & then the rush would happen again. That went on 5 different times as each OR table was scheduled for 5 patients today & then they did a few add ons.
The little girl who broke my heart wasn't even one of our surgery patients...first thing in the morning one of the volunteers came to me to ask for a dress for a little girl who was in the pediatric ward where our patients were waitng to go to surgery - she said it was SO SAD & I really needed to see her & how happy the dress made her. She is 8 years old & her name is Joyce....she & her family were among many displaced in 2007 after all the unrest that occurred after the elections (I know nothing about this myself but John who is Kenyan & in the Recovery Room with me explained it to me a little) Anyway her family has lived in a tent since then...yes for 4 years!!! 3 weeks ago the nylon ten caught on fire she & her younger sister were inside & tried to get out but the tent essentially melted & burned on them & her sister died. They came to this general hospital we are working at & she has been her the whole time as she didn't qualify to go to the burn center an hour away...I can't quite imagine why because her burns were so extensive...her entire scalp, back & shoulders & arms were badly burnt & the wounds looked fresh & painful & her eyes had both a look of terror & pain in them. They brought her to the an area outside the Recovery Room so the Op Smile Plastic surgeons could look at her. We made a solution to cleanse her wounds, got her some appropriate pain medicine & the Docs made a plan that the ward nurses could follow....I have been a PICU nurse for over 25 years & seen alot of pretty horrific things (not burns because we don't do those at CHOC) and this really rattled me. I ended up giving her 3 dresses & some flip flops & books etc. Her mom asked our Chief Mission Plastic surgeon if she could get skin grafts but he said not this week while we are here - her wounds needed more time to heal & then she asked if Joyce could ever grow hair again & when he said it was very doubtful the mom just looked so sad & defeated & walked away to spare her daughter from seeing her moms own sadness. It took me awhile to shake that brief 15 min experience (it was between rushes of patients) so getting busy & back to work helped.
I dont want this blog to be full of sad stories...but there are many AND there are some GREAT ones too...lots of kids got new SMILES today & looked so darling after surgery & those moms had tears of joy when we showed them their kids....every child who lef the the recovery room left with a dress or T-shirt & usually a toy or flip flops or something & that was fun...the 5 Kenyan volunters I am woking with in Recovery were so good to be sure "their patients" had something from my bags before they left us & one time one of them picked a darling dress out for her patient & then we were all a little embarassed when we realized it was a boy!!! - quick change to a T-Shirt & no problem.
About a hundred other things happened today & I really need to write more just to I remember but right now I have to get to bed wake up time is coming quickly...
Sunday, April 3, 2011
On a lighter note..a day of team bonding!
So today was our day for "team bonding" to unite all the Kenyan Op Smile Volunteers (about 75% of the team) with the International Volunteers (25% of the team). Except for the fact that the "bonding day" started a little early with a 5 am wake up call (which is someone from the hotel knocking on your door until you respond...no phones in the rooms)...it was great :). We went to the Lake Nakuru National Park...Schoolbuses & drivers had been donated for our transportation (that was interesting!) and we had to pay $75 to get in (more than Disneyland!)...but it was worth it especially since I am not staying after to go on a Safari. We drove all thru the park on non paved roads & saw SOOOO many animals....before we went in we (meaning the non Kenyans) were so excited when we saw the monkeys at 6 a.m. little did we know that by the end of the day Zebras would barely get our attention because we saw so many of them. We were able to get out of the bus & up close - except for near the lion...and we saw....baboons, water buffalo, gazelles, white rhinos, giraffes, lions, monkeys, flamingos (what the lake is famous for but alot had migrated), hyrex (an african varmant), a variety of lizards (Sarah you would've hated that!), ostrich, water bucks, hyenas, zebras, pelicans, impalas, elands, warthogs & probably a few things I am forgetting. Yes it pretty much made me want to start singing all the Lion King songs!!! We were there for 8 hours & I took a TON of pictures. Then went to the "Rift Valley Sports Club" (African Version of a Country Club) for lunch - interestingly enough it was just a nicer version of the hospital lunches - must be standard fare...cabbage salad, rice, cooked spinach or collard (looks like cooked grass to me), beef in a sauce (really good) & they had chicken too. The Kenyan team members did some singing & dancing for us - I did a video of them - they were great! We finished at 3 & then at 4 the eight Latter Day Saint members of the team had a brief church service & then I took a much needed nap before our team mtg.
A few other "Fun Facts"...at dinner one night the "Amazing Race Spain" teams w/ their camera crew came in the the same restaurant (3 teams of 2) & one rule is they couldnt buy dinner after 7 pm so the Op Smile team bought them dinner...I am sleeping under a mosquito net every night although I have yet to see or be biten by a mosquito (but other have so no complaining & I am still taking my malaria medicine), the "Pantry" of food I brought has been a lifesaver as I can only eat so much African Hospital food for lunch & my friends on the mission are calling my room Wal-Nancy (like Walmart) becasue I seem to have everything everyone needs so I am feeding many!, it was odd to be at the African outdoor market & hear Justin Beiber blaring from the speakers, they feed us a wonderful breakfast each morning - a chef that makes omlettes & fruit & lots of African food I have tried but not added to my morning routine, I bought a Kenyan cell phone (a Nokia actualy) a SIM card and 300 minutes & texting to the USA for $35...best money I have spent here so I have talked to all my family & that makes me much more focused on doing the work that needs to be done here w/o worrying about home!
And let me tell you about the "Diet Coke Miracle"...finally yesterday I was able to walk to a grocery store a few blocks away (being out on the streets here in & of itself is an experience). I was tired of getting bottle "Coke Light" at the hotel & other team members told me to go there & get the plastic bottles so I could take one each day to the hospital to have when I "hit a wall" mid afternoon. It was a nice store & I immediately went to the soda aisle & NO COKE LIGHT (except in bottles)...imagine my distress!!! I stopped a store clerk & asked about it & he said they were out of stock...the rest of the Op Smile team had gotten their first & bought it all!!! arghhh was I really going to have to buy & lug bottles? I decided to ask another clerk when it might get restocked...he took me to their "office" looked on the computer for inventory & then took me to another office & another computer & said there should be 1 case in the wholesale section of the store. I followed him dowstairs to some sort of a basement (yes I was desperate & yes it was safe) & there were cases of all kinds of soda everywhere, he moved about 30 cases around & found me the last case of 20 oz bottles of Coke Light in all of Nakuru I am sure...he said it was packaged to be sold as a case & I said no problem I will take it :) So between the phone & the coke light I am ready to take on the week! It was added to my pantry & I have already shared with other team members!
So tomorrow the chaos starts (so I am told) the 25 surgeries for tomorrow checked into the hospital tonight at 5 & will get bathed & prepped for surgery & we will head over there to set up at 6 am w/ the 1st surgeries at 8...there are 5 surgical tables & our tiny recovery room w/ 3 "beds" so the patient flow should be interesting, also the post op ward is about a 10 min walk outside from the recovery room. I am sure it will all work out after all Op Smile has been doing this for almost 30 years!!! & over 160,000 smiles. I will let you know how it goes but I gotta get to bed - big day ahead of me! Love to everyone & check in on my family its week 2 & things might be getting scary there!
P.S. Probably can't upload pics tonight sorry!
A few other "Fun Facts"...at dinner one night the "Amazing Race Spain" teams w/ their camera crew came in the the same restaurant (3 teams of 2) & one rule is they couldnt buy dinner after 7 pm so the Op Smile team bought them dinner...I am sleeping under a mosquito net every night although I have yet to see or be biten by a mosquito (but other have so no complaining & I am still taking my malaria medicine), the "Pantry" of food I brought has been a lifesaver as I can only eat so much African Hospital food for lunch & my friends on the mission are calling my room Wal-Nancy (like Walmart) becasue I seem to have everything everyone needs so I am feeding many!, it was odd to be at the African outdoor market & hear Justin Beiber blaring from the speakers, they feed us a wonderful breakfast each morning - a chef that makes omlettes & fruit & lots of African food I have tried but not added to my morning routine, I bought a Kenyan cell phone (a Nokia actualy) a SIM card and 300 minutes & texting to the USA for $35...best money I have spent here so I have talked to all my family & that makes me much more focused on doing the work that needs to be done here w/o worrying about home!
And let me tell you about the "Diet Coke Miracle"...finally yesterday I was able to walk to a grocery store a few blocks away (being out on the streets here in & of itself is an experience). I was tired of getting bottle "Coke Light" at the hotel & other team members told me to go there & get the plastic bottles so I could take one each day to the hospital to have when I "hit a wall" mid afternoon. It was a nice store & I immediately went to the soda aisle & NO COKE LIGHT (except in bottles)...imagine my distress!!! I stopped a store clerk & asked about it & he said they were out of stock...the rest of the Op Smile team had gotten their first & bought it all!!! arghhh was I really going to have to buy & lug bottles? I decided to ask another clerk when it might get restocked...he took me to their "office" looked on the computer for inventory & then took me to another office & another computer & said there should be 1 case in the wholesale section of the store. I followed him dowstairs to some sort of a basement (yes I was desperate & yes it was safe) & there were cases of all kinds of soda everywhere, he moved about 30 cases around & found me the last case of 20 oz bottles of Coke Light in all of Nakuru I am sure...he said it was packaged to be sold as a case & I said no problem I will take it :) So between the phone & the coke light I am ready to take on the week! It was added to my pantry & I have already shared with other team members!
So tomorrow the chaos starts (so I am told) the 25 surgeries for tomorrow checked into the hospital tonight at 5 & will get bathed & prepped for surgery & we will head over there to set up at 6 am w/ the 1st surgeries at 8...there are 5 surgical tables & our tiny recovery room w/ 3 "beds" so the patient flow should be interesting, also the post op ward is about a 10 min walk outside from the recovery room. I am sure it will all work out after all Op Smile has been doing this for almost 30 years!!! & over 160,000 smiles. I will let you know how it goes but I gotta get to bed - big day ahead of me! Love to everyone & check in on my family its week 2 & things might be getting scary there!
P.S. Probably can't upload pics tonight sorry!
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Setting up the Recovery Room & 2 Special Girls
What an incredible day….I was all set to be the gatekeeper day #2 when Donna (the mission coordinator) asked me to go with Andreas )the Pediatric Intensivist & her husband) to set up the Recovery room..this is his 1st mission too but Donna has been on several so she gave me her advice & off I went. Since I didn’t know I would do this today I didn’t bring any scrubs so I had to borrow some from the hospital…very interesting since they have very few & wash them by hand & hang them to dry behind the hospital. The “recovery room” was….lets just say less than ideal…a 10x10 room maybe with dirt & trash everywhere, one bug infested bed, a leak in the ceiling & everything was rusted, dirty or otherwise disgusting & there were open windows w/ flies coming in & ants all over the floor…after I took it all in & was in shock I gave myself a “pep talk” I said “I can do this”. I took before & after pictures that I will try to post tomorrow…there should have been 3 recovery room nurses setting up but my 2 Kenyan partners were gone so it was just me - the OR Nurses were busy setting up the OR but they tried to help me when they could & when I needed a translator. Andreas (the doctor) said “set it up however you want” - so I instantly liked him & when he helped me unpack 12 BIG boxes & figured out a way to duct tape boxes of gloves to the end of the 3 beds & I rounded up I loved him!!! I adore the intensivists at CHOC I have worked with for so many years but he was running a close second! 4 hours after I walked into the disaster I had 3 beds all set up - yes I had to keep the buggy mattress but I cleaned the heck out of it & getting a sheet for the 3rd bed didn’t happen so I did a makeshift one..it was all good. I had the students & volunteers use the unpacked cardboard boxes to make my IV arm boards & “no no restraints” - so the kids cant bend their elbows & touch their face). Usually the recovery room nurses do that but since it was just me they were lifesavers. Anrdreas & I went thru all 3 “Crash Boxes” & set them up how we both liked….my roomate Poly made cardboard dividers for my empty small cardboard boxes so I could have all my supplies at each bedside just like awe do at the hospital & I taped all the “emergency supplies” I needed above each bed…organized the one shelf I had with all the other supplies, stored the extra stuff under the beds & at the end I was REALLY HAPPY…I wanted everyone to come tour my “beautiful” recovery room…it is all about perspective & doing the absolute best you can with what you have.
The OR & recovery room are in the same building as the 3 bed ICU….I again was a little shocked as I saw 3 rickety beds there w/ mosquito nets over them & in one bed was a 6 year old girl Penina who motioned to me as I went by…I asked the nurses if I could go to her bedside…she didn’t speak English & I don’t even know what was wrong with her but I held her had & talked to her & smiled & the nurse translated a little then I hurried off & brought her 2 dresses & her eyes it up & I cold not hold back the tears….she is so precious & I told her I would visit her again on Monday.
Then at screening I was just helping as needed it was a slow steady stream but very manageable so I didn’t volunteer to be the gatekeeper!!! I had already had a BUSY day. But one of the patients that came in totally stole my heart…perhaps because she spoke English & spoke quite well…her name is Salome & she is 14 & has a cleft lip…she lives in Nairobi & came with her 27 year old eldest sister who had saved all her money for a month to pay for the busfare to bring herself & her little sister here…their dad was recently unemployed & the mother is a “housemom” (stay at home mom) so they didn’t have money for the parents to both come so her sister brought her. There are 8 kids in the family 6 girls & 2 boys & Salome is the 5th child. All her life she has asked her parents why she was the only child with “this lip” & said all the kids at school had teased her all her life & boys don’t look at her & she just wants to be normal & wants her lip fixed so she can sing better (she sang for us) & wants to sing praises to her Lord. Her sister said the family had always prayed to have a way or the money to help her but they never could. Again…lots of teary-ness the entire time….I cant even imagine the life she has lived & how a 45 min surgery will change her entire life…when we told her she would have surgery on Tues her older sister & she both cried….her sister was going to call to see if she could be off work &to stay here w/ Salome & they were going to stay with friends in the area….the love of this family & especially these sisters was palpable in every sentence….I thought of my own girls & how I think they too would do whatever they could to help each other….this day was one of those when I again KNEW I was meant to be in Africa on this mission perhaps for my own person & spiritual growth as much as for the ways in which I am able to help the team.
There is really nothing else of importance I could possibly say…tomorrow is our “team boning day” & we are going to the Nakuru Natl Park…I am sure it will be fun…although we have to be up at 5 & leave at 6...so I need to go to bed…the amount of emotion in each day along with the real “work” makes me a tired girl! LOVE to all of you! I bought a phone here & can now text & call home - best $35 I spent so if you want the # call my house!
P.S. Sorry this was so LONG!!! I will try to uplaod pics tomorrow bu the iternet here is spotty
The OR & recovery room are in the same building as the 3 bed ICU….I again was a little shocked as I saw 3 rickety beds there w/ mosquito nets over them & in one bed was a 6 year old girl Penina who motioned to me as I went by…I asked the nurses if I could go to her bedside…she didn’t speak English & I don’t even know what was wrong with her but I held her had & talked to her & smiled & the nurse translated a little then I hurried off & brought her 2 dresses & her eyes it up & I cold not hold back the tears….she is so precious & I told her I would visit her again on Monday.
Then at screening I was just helping as needed it was a slow steady stream but very manageable so I didn’t volunteer to be the gatekeeper!!! I had already had a BUSY day. But one of the patients that came in totally stole my heart…perhaps because she spoke English & spoke quite well…her name is Salome & she is 14 & has a cleft lip…she lives in Nairobi & came with her 27 year old eldest sister who had saved all her money for a month to pay for the busfare to bring herself & her little sister here…their dad was recently unemployed & the mother is a “housemom” (stay at home mom) so they didn’t have money for the parents to both come so her sister brought her. There are 8 kids in the family 6 girls & 2 boys & Salome is the 5th child. All her life she has asked her parents why she was the only child with “this lip” & said all the kids at school had teased her all her life & boys don’t look at her & she just wants to be normal & wants her lip fixed so she can sing better (she sang for us) & wants to sing praises to her Lord. Her sister said the family had always prayed to have a way or the money to help her but they never could. Again…lots of teary-ness the entire time….I cant even imagine the life she has lived & how a 45 min surgery will change her entire life…when we told her she would have surgery on Tues her older sister & she both cried….her sister was going to call to see if she could be off work &to stay here w/ Salome & they were going to stay with friends in the area….the love of this family & especially these sisters was palpable in every sentence….I thought of my own girls & how I think they too would do whatever they could to help each other….this day was one of those when I again KNEW I was meant to be in Africa on this mission perhaps for my own person & spiritual growth as much as for the ways in which I am able to help the team.
There is really nothing else of importance I could possibly say…tomorrow is our “team boning day” & we are going to the Nakuru Natl Park…I am sure it will be fun…although we have to be up at 5 & leave at 6...so I need to go to bed…the amount of emotion in each day along with the real “work” makes me a tired girl! LOVE to all of you! I bought a phone here & can now text & call home - best $35 I spent so if you want the # call my house!
P.S. Sorry this was so LONG!!! I will try to uplaod pics tomorrow bu the iternet here is spotty
Friday, April 1, 2011
Screening Day #1
I am honestly not sure I can capture the essence of today in a blog post...I truly cannot put into words all that I experienced but I will try... our wake up call was at 5:30 & we then were supposed to board the bus at 6:30 but...it didnt come so they started sending "key people" in taxis...yesterday they Mission Coordinator asked me to be the "Gatekeeper" & I said "sure" not really knowing what that meant...when they told me I should go in the taxi cause I was the gatekeeper I knew I was in trouble. Basically on the screening day the patients go 1st to Medical records, then to Patient Imaging to get pictures taken, then to the pre & post op nurses, then to the plastic surgeons, next the anesthesiologists, then the pediatrician, to the dentist/oral surgeon, speech pathologist & then ME!!! My job was to check & see that everyone else saw the patient & filled out ALL the paperwork then note what priority they are & thru the translator send them for labs if we for sure will do surgery (the priority 1,2,3) & tell the 4's & 5's to come back Sunday to check the schedule & see if they are on it... & the NC's (not a candidate for our mission for a variety of reasons) tell them that too...broke my heart...then send some off to get labs & they came back to me then I passed their chart off to the "local hospital" medical records, then to Op Smile Electronic Medical records then back to me & I did this for 148 patients, It was a VERY busy day - I had to use my ICU Nurse & mom multitasking abilities all at the same time in concert with a translator & sometimes 2 translators. I didnt even take a break for anything :) and I LOVED every minute of it :) except for the few times I had too many patients backed up & lost my helpers!
So that was the scenario...I had taken a few dresses & shirts to give away but was so busy I couldn't even do that so I told Zippee & she would identify those most in need & bring them to me & we got them stuff - I gave away about 15 dresses today & 5 or 6 shirts. We are going to have a better system tomorrow plus I will be able to give dresses etc on all the surgery days as all the kids pass thru the recovery room I am not at all worried that every item will find a good home. I did get some pics today (or actually Zippee did w/ my camera!) Tomorrow is another screening day & since it didn't rain today they expect perhaps even more people. We will also be setting up the recovery room & "John" the Kenyan RN who is my lead in the recovery room just found me here in the lobby on my computer to tell me that he has to go back to his home area so he can work tomorrow & the other Kenyan nurse who is with us doesn't come until Sunday so I will be setting up the Recovery room with the help of the OR nurses late tomorrow after I finish another day of being the "Gatekeeper". He did say we can go double check things on Sunday - good plan! I appreciate the vote of confidence but clearly no one got the memo that this is my 1st Op Smile mission w/ the responsibility they are giving me :)
Now....on to the important stuff before this post gets so long no one reads it.... I was amazed that we actually had alot of adults come to be "screened" with a variety of problems...they all were priority 5 & as I understand it if we have any "extra time" we will do them the last day...clearly no one told them "Nurse Nancy ususally doesn't do big people" Guess I will have to make an exception here in Africa! Screening in the morning was slower that normal (# wise) they said likely because of the rain but we started about 8ish & by 10 it was getting steady & more kids were coming thru...they are SO PRECIOUS (& actually a few of them were named Precious, Happiness,etc). I was so busy "doing my job" that I had to remind myself to pause from the "busyness" & stop & talk to the moms or kids & hug or hold the little ones or tell them how beautiful they are. Many times I felt myself get teary when I realized that we are here changing lives. The end of the day was especially amazing...a busload (about 20) of tribal Kenyans arrived after travelling from 850 kilometers away...they had walked for 4 days then were on a bus for 2 days & arrived late in the afternoon....all of them adults & children with such tremendous needs & not just medical....first they had little to eat the 5 days of their travel & most were barefoot or clothed in tattered garments - kids & adults...we gave dresses to all the girls there :) They were so grateful...I think most all of us who are parents would do whatever we could for our children but at home those things we do & sacrifices we make seemed so small compared to what these parents had done. Just the hope of getting help....compelled them to walk & get a bus to go 850 km & 5 days for help. They will stay at the "hospital" now until we start surgery on Monday & they will be the 1st cases so we can see them recover before they return to their village....if that was all I experienced here my time would be so well spen BUT...I still have 9 days...I am the one blessed to be here & blessed to serve...truly tht scripture that compelled me to go to Houston after Katrina rings true here....inasmuch as ye have done it to the least of these....ye have done it unto me....
Sending my love to all fo you from far away in miles but not in spirit or heart....
So that was the scenario...I had taken a few dresses & shirts to give away but was so busy I couldn't even do that so I told Zippee & she would identify those most in need & bring them to me & we got them stuff - I gave away about 15 dresses today & 5 or 6 shirts. We are going to have a better system tomorrow plus I will be able to give dresses etc on all the surgery days as all the kids pass thru the recovery room I am not at all worried that every item will find a good home. I did get some pics today (or actually Zippee did w/ my camera!) Tomorrow is another screening day & since it didn't rain today they expect perhaps even more people. We will also be setting up the recovery room & "John" the Kenyan RN who is my lead in the recovery room just found me here in the lobby on my computer to tell me that he has to go back to his home area so he can work tomorrow & the other Kenyan nurse who is with us doesn't come until Sunday so I will be setting up the Recovery room with the help of the OR nurses late tomorrow after I finish another day of being the "Gatekeeper". He did say we can go double check things on Sunday - good plan! I appreciate the vote of confidence but clearly no one got the memo that this is my 1st Op Smile mission w/ the responsibility they are giving me :)
Now....on to the important stuff before this post gets so long no one reads it.... I was amazed that we actually had alot of adults come to be "screened" with a variety of problems...they all were priority 5 & as I understand it if we have any "extra time" we will do them the last day...clearly no one told them "Nurse Nancy ususally doesn't do big people" Guess I will have to make an exception here in Africa! Screening in the morning was slower that normal (# wise) they said likely because of the rain but we started about 8ish & by 10 it was getting steady & more kids were coming thru...they are SO PRECIOUS (& actually a few of them were named Precious, Happiness,etc). I was so busy "doing my job" that I had to remind myself to pause from the "busyness" & stop & talk to the moms or kids & hug or hold the little ones or tell them how beautiful they are. Many times I felt myself get teary when I realized that we are here changing lives. The end of the day was especially amazing...a busload (about 20) of tribal Kenyans arrived after travelling from 850 kilometers away...they had walked for 4 days then were on a bus for 2 days & arrived late in the afternoon....all of them adults & children with such tremendous needs & not just medical....first they had little to eat the 5 days of their travel & most were barefoot or clothed in tattered garments - kids & adults...we gave dresses to all the girls there :) They were so grateful...I think most all of us who are parents would do whatever we could for our children but at home those things we do & sacrifices we make seemed so small compared to what these parents had done. Just the hope of getting help....compelled them to walk & get a bus to go 850 km & 5 days for help. They will stay at the "hospital" now until we start surgery on Monday & they will be the 1st cases so we can see them recover before they return to their village....if that was all I experienced here my time would be so well spen BUT...I still have 9 days...I am the one blessed to be here & blessed to serve...truly tht scripture that compelled me to go to Houston after Katrina rings true here....inasmuch as ye have done it to the least of these....ye have done it unto me....
Sending my love to all fo you from far away in miles but not in spirit or heart....
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Now in Nakuru
Well the adventure has begun!!!! I didn't sleep well last night because I had slept on the plane. I was on the internet til midnite then slept a few hours & about 2 a.m. if started POURING RAIN & I woke up & rained almost all night. We ate breakfast & then left Nairobi at 10 for our 3 hour drive to Nakuru that really took us 4 hours on some small unpaved roads with some REALLY crazy drivers...my new Kenyan friend Zippee (thats what I call her - her real name is Zipporrah) tells me that driving here is pure madness & all about survival & she is right...all cars converge to the same point on round abouts its like a standoff as to who will edge the other out & of course we were doing all of this is on a "bus" - more like a oversized & very old van.
On the way we stopped at an overlook of the Rift Valley - it was green & lush & beautiful. At that stop some Kenyans had "stores" selling items they have made. Despite the fact Zippee said I was overpaying I just had to but a few things - she said many of these people live on $1 a day - mind boggling. As we drove we passed all sorts of people just sitting or standing on the sides of the roads or in the grassy areas & many people walking in all directions & I really have no idea where they were headed. I saw some women w/ bushels of sticks on their backs, men with donkeys & goats, people on bikes & all sorts of slums with a variety of things being sold on the roadside - it was very humbling. We got stuck for about 20 min where they were doing roadwork - it was a little crazy & we even saw a baboon on the side of the road.
We got to our hotel & its a little nicer than the one we were at last night which is great since we will be here for 10 nights. It was nice to get unpacked!!! I feel like I am very well stocked & have a pantry, pharmacy, medical supply area & kids clothing & toy dept all in my room - my poor roomate - her name is Polly & she is a "visitor" on the mission until 4/7...she "bought" the trip at an Op Smile Auction. We are right across the street from a "marketplace" with local vendors. Zippee took me & about 8 other Op Smile team members & she did all our negotiating in Swahili for us - unfortunately one of the locals heard my name & seeing I was making purchases all of a sudden everyone was calling "nancy" come see me - it really was overwelming. One man Moses made me promise to come back & buy a tie from him to help him feed his 3 boys...I told him I would be back & I will.
Zippee is teaching me Swahili - dont be too excited so far all I know are things you can learn from the Lion King - Jambo=Hello, Rafiki=Friend, & Hakuna Matata...more to come! We have a team mtg tonight from 8-10 & then tomorrow our wake up call is 5:30, breakfast at 6 & we leave at 6:30 to be at the hospital at 7 & set up the screening area to Open at 8 until 6 pm. I am told that people will already be there waiting when we arrive & many will have traveled several days walking or on bike or burro to get to us - that in itself brings tears to my eyes & as I think of the rain (its raining again) I think of people walking in the rain today & tonight to get to us. I find my thoughts are totally focused on the mission now knowing that starting tonight that is my purpose for being here.
I will blog again tomorrow if I can but the power here (& in the area we will be working) goes out several times a day as does the internet. Still no text messages rec'd & fyi I am 11 hours ahead of Calif (8 hrs is from the east coast). Love you all!
On the way we stopped at an overlook of the Rift Valley - it was green & lush & beautiful. At that stop some Kenyans had "stores" selling items they have made. Despite the fact Zippee said I was overpaying I just had to but a few things - she said many of these people live on $1 a day - mind boggling. As we drove we passed all sorts of people just sitting or standing on the sides of the roads or in the grassy areas & many people walking in all directions & I really have no idea where they were headed. I saw some women w/ bushels of sticks on their backs, men with donkeys & goats, people on bikes & all sorts of slums with a variety of things being sold on the roadside - it was very humbling. We got stuck for about 20 min where they were doing roadwork - it was a little crazy & we even saw a baboon on the side of the road.
We got to our hotel & its a little nicer than the one we were at last night which is great since we will be here for 10 nights. It was nice to get unpacked!!! I feel like I am very well stocked & have a pantry, pharmacy, medical supply area & kids clothing & toy dept all in my room - my poor roomate - her name is Polly & she is a "visitor" on the mission until 4/7...she "bought" the trip at an Op Smile Auction. We are right across the street from a "marketplace" with local vendors. Zippee took me & about 8 other Op Smile team members & she did all our negotiating in Swahili for us - unfortunately one of the locals heard my name & seeing I was making purchases all of a sudden everyone was calling "nancy" come see me - it really was overwelming. One man Moses made me promise to come back & buy a tie from him to help him feed his 3 boys...I told him I would be back & I will.
Zippee is teaching me Swahili - dont be too excited so far all I know are things you can learn from the Lion King - Jambo=Hello, Rafiki=Friend, & Hakuna Matata...more to come! We have a team mtg tonight from 8-10 & then tomorrow our wake up call is 5:30, breakfast at 6 & we leave at 6:30 to be at the hospital at 7 & set up the screening area to Open at 8 until 6 pm. I am told that people will already be there waiting when we arrive & many will have traveled several days walking or on bike or burro to get to us - that in itself brings tears to my eyes & as I think of the rain (its raining again) I think of people walking in the rain today & tonight to get to us. I find my thoughts are totally focused on the mission now knowing that starting tonight that is my purpose for being here.
I will blog again tomorrow if I can but the power here (& in the area we will be working) goes out several times a day as does the internet. Still no text messages rec'd & fyi I am 11 hours ahead of Calif (8 hrs is from the east coast). Love you all!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Arrived in Nairobi!
Well I made it to Nairobi….it was a LONG 2 days of travel….Tues noon was LA to Amsterdam = 10 hour flight then Amsterdam to Nairobi = 8 hour flight & with the 8 hour time difference & transit & customs its already midnight on Wed. I did sleep 6 hours on the Nairobi flight so that was good & I am feeling great & SOOOOOOOOO excited to be here. But let me catch you up....
My 50 lb suitcase became 65 lbs by the time I kept adding the things I had piled in my room but the KLM Airline folks in LA were kind & saw all my Op Smile Tags on my luggage & didn’t charge me. Now my “carry ons” were another story J I had a standard carry on size roller bag & then a giant Beach bag we usually take boating to carry about 8 folded beach towels in which I placed my backpack, camera, magazines, laptop & everything else that wouldn’t fit in my luggage. I am certain it weighed 50 lbs itself. I tried to pass it off as my “purse” but another KLM guy at the LA Airport wasn’t buying it so I had to get a supervisor to approve it. Then of course I had to carry it on my shoulder as if it was a purse so as to not draw attention that it was a GIANT HEAVY bag!!!
The “international cell phone” Doug got me got from Verizon instantly had no service once I landed in Amsterdam so i was worried...but as soon as I landed in Nairobi I had service & called home. I have also sent some texts but havent received any texts so someone please text me!!! You have to put in 011 254 then my # it is supposedly only 5 cents for me to receive a text...not sure what it would cost to send me one??? Didnt think about that!!! & remember I am 8 hours ahead of you. Once I get a text I will let you know so stay in touch & stay tuned re. that.
There we about 15 Op Smile volunteers on my flight from Amsterdam to Nairobi but I didn’t meet any of them till we landed & gathered & we all went together to purchase our Kenya Visa & exchange $. The exchange is 80 shillings =$1 and so I feel really rich!!! We waited for our luggage & I was SO HAPPY to see mine arrive. No problems going thru Customs - they didnt even ask me ?'s or look in my bags I just walked thru whihc I was grateful for mostly cause once I open a bag I wont get it closed again. I am glad to know that 75% of all I packed will either stay here in Kenya or be used here & I should be travelling light on the way home. We took a bus to the hotel in Nairobi & it really isnt bad...running water (you just have to turn water heater on 45 min before you shower), the toilet leaks but not bad & there is a bed...what more could a girl ask for?
I have met about half of the team & they are all REALLY nice...some are first timers like me & some have been on Op Smile Missions before...we will meet outr Kenyan counterparts tomorrow. Now its time for bed cause we have an early morning tomorrow & a 3 hour bus ride to Nakuru where we will be setting up. So I will update my blog again tomorrow & hopefully have more interesting things to report! THANKS for all the love & support & if you’re in South Orange County check in on my family!
My 50 lb suitcase became 65 lbs by the time I kept adding the things I had piled in my room but the KLM Airline folks in LA were kind & saw all my Op Smile Tags on my luggage & didn’t charge me. Now my “carry ons” were another story J I had a standard carry on size roller bag & then a giant Beach bag we usually take boating to carry about 8 folded beach towels in which I placed my backpack, camera, magazines, laptop & everything else that wouldn’t fit in my luggage. I am certain it weighed 50 lbs itself. I tried to pass it off as my “purse” but another KLM guy at the LA Airport wasn’t buying it so I had to get a supervisor to approve it. Then of course I had to carry it on my shoulder as if it was a purse so as to not draw attention that it was a GIANT HEAVY bag!!!
The “international cell phone” Doug got me got from Verizon instantly had no service once I landed in Amsterdam so i was worried...but as soon as I landed in Nairobi I had service & called home. I have also sent some texts but havent received any texts so someone please text me!!! You have to put in 011 254 then my # it is supposedly only 5 cents for me to receive a text...not sure what it would cost to send me one??? Didnt think about that!!! & remember I am 8 hours ahead of you. Once I get a text I will let you know so stay in touch & stay tuned re. that.
There we about 15 Op Smile volunteers on my flight from Amsterdam to Nairobi but I didn’t meet any of them till we landed & gathered & we all went together to purchase our Kenya Visa & exchange $. The exchange is 80 shillings =$1 and so I feel really rich!!! We waited for our luggage & I was SO HAPPY to see mine arrive. No problems going thru Customs - they didnt even ask me ?'s or look in my bags I just walked thru whihc I was grateful for mostly cause once I open a bag I wont get it closed again. I am glad to know that 75% of all I packed will either stay here in Kenya or be used here & I should be travelling light on the way home. We took a bus to the hotel in Nairobi & it really isnt bad...running water (you just have to turn water heater on 45 min before you shower), the toilet leaks but not bad & there is a bed...what more could a girl ask for?
I have met about half of the team & they are all REALLY nice...some are first timers like me & some have been on Op Smile Missions before...we will meet outr Kenyan counterparts tomorrow. Now its time for bed cause we have an early morning tomorrow & a 3 hour bus ride to Nakuru where we will be setting up. So I will update my blog again tomorrow & hopefully have more interesting things to report! THANKS for all the love & support & if you’re in South Orange County check in on my family!
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