I've been kinda sick for the past week with a bad head cold, which sucks. So if you want to pray for me that would be awesome! It's annoying not being able to fully participate in everything and get on with the stuff I want to do and the people I want to see!
God's given me this opportunity to hang out with some kids in one of the Paediatric wards at the hospital so I'm pretty keen to start that but I feel like things just keep putting me off or getting in the way - like being sick!
On the subject of being sick, I also got a pretty bad burn, yeah just from an electric kettle :/ Freshly made Nshima is pretty hot though so that has also caused me a bit of pain; [in other words coming to Africa hasn't cured my clumsiness :( ]
The other thing I want to say on this topic is that (having become aware because I live with Dr Missy) the hospital is really busy at the moment since our 2 visiting doctors, Matt and Hilary left. Down to 3 doctors and I think about 200 (?) beds... is apparently quite crazy. There's a lot of cases that need to go to theatre but the actual go-ahead of operations depends on the availability of an anaesthetist, and at the moment we only have one, which really limits things. It's a really big need and my friend Dr Missy said "if you're telling your friends at home to pray for Mukinge, tell them to pray for another anaesthetist to come". People come to Mukinge mission hospital from all over the place, because it's known for it's great care - physical and spiritual - and it's heartbreaking that people may not survive because they have to wait too long for the operation (when in reality, [since we're in Africa], they've probably also waited almost too long to get themselves to hospital).
Have you tried to persuade Dr Missy to give you a crash course in anaesthetics?
ReplyDeleteSeriously, what qualifications do they require there? - would it be the same as here?
Love you,
Dad
haha i would love to, but not going to step out of my league!
ReplyDeleteA couple of people here have learned on the job (over a few yrs) but it's quite a specific practice - like Dr Missy can look after locals etc but anything else needs a qualified person- like doing your medicine then specialising in anaestesthia. The standards here, at Mukinge at least, are pretty good. I've heard from some of the missionaries here even that the nursing re-sit test they have to do to renew their registration is really hard and very practically-oriented.