onsdag 22 september 2010

20100922 by Tom

It looked like being a hot day as there was little wind and the sun was bright as ever. The mumble-meeting was short with some true words spoken by Erna who had her next to last night as a midwife, ever. Nobody had heard anything from Becky and Rick, but we all hoped all had gone well. During the round I was accompanied by a nurse student named Clara. She speaks bad English and is vaguely interested in the patients. I sent six of the 20 odd patients home. Among them four of the so called measles in isolation ward. The poor child with hydrocephalus had an ultrasound scan, which showed traces of brain tissue. The rule is apparently that the ones with brain tissue on the scan are referred to have a shunt. But this mother refused, she could not leave Mpongwe and had no money to go to Ndola, so she will go home on parents wish, with no action taken. Our three burns had their wet dressings that were not wet. The mothers had not the amount of necessary information that made them good nurses for their children. To have them on fluid lists and daily weighing was too much to be asked of them. The staff did not bother. The little boy with burns in his face did not eat nor did he drink enough. He is one year and breastfed, and has some reserves to take from so we do not lean too much on him.
At “home” the garden boys under the leadership of Angela and Maria have worked
wonders around the house. In a few months time it will be lots of flowers around the house but for the moment it is just nice beds and that will be all on Friday at the party.
At 1930 it is bible-group at Rosies next to Erna and after that Maria and Tom are going to the maternity ward to take photos of Erna on her last night on charge as a midwife ever. There were not very many women in the ward. Erna had to unlock the door to the maternity ward for us. She said that the drunkards from the market tended to use the maternity ward before the lock. The place looked very worn down to our eyes. There was two women in labour in the ward and they would deliver during the night. Tom took some pictures in the ward and delivery room. And then we thanked Erna and went home to our whiskey. It is very warm still 2200, 28 degree C. Maria ends her writing and so do I.

Inga kommentarer: