Antsy

Day shifts went along as smooth as expected for such an adjustment. 12 hour shifts are long anyways, but when you tack on walking that adds up to about three miles and the heat, it just makes it that much more exhausting. There are still little small flow of care issues that probably need to be addressed to make the transition complete, but we are taking baby steps in this process. It was starting to really mimic a western hospital. With the switch to 12 hours shifts, they started the “emergency room” back up as well as another place for more critical patients. There is still work to be done to set up a post-op/close observation unit. It’s difficult to do when electricity only goes to a few of the buildings. It was a lot of changes to make at once, but the staff seems to be handling it well.
MSF (doctors without borders) offered to take some of our more long term patients to give us some relief. It was kind of sad to have them go. One of the boys had been there since December, and I think it was hard to him to leave as well since this had been his home for the last seven months. There was another child that they were going to take --had a gunshot wound to the spine, resulting in paraplegia, with pressure sores that we have been trying to heal for about two months--but when they came to pick him up, they said that they had already tried treating him before and could do nothing else. So he will be staying with us for quite some time now doubt. One of the other patients that left is one that came to us knocking at death’s door from an infected appendectomy procedure. It took a couple surgeries and lots of dressing changes, but he was able to take a few shuffling steps before he left. I just hope he continues on his recovery road.
It’s round two of night shifts tonight and tomorrow. Still not that excited about nights, but once they are over we will practically be in the middle of August, meaning I will be back in just one month! I have loved my time here and it has been so blessed with peace and joy, but my mind is starting to shift towards home a little. Oh, and no more skyping, pictures, or lengthy internet use for us…ants got into the modem at the hospital and ate the insulation or something to that effect so the internet no longer works. We just have our tiny, expensive usb modem, but at least it’s something! Joe took the hospital modem back to the states with him so hopefully when he gets back (in a month) it will be back up and working for those who remain here, because by that time I’ll be in Brazzaville! Some days are still stifling here, but the mornings and evenings are usually cool and breezy. I hope everyone at home is having a lovely, and what I assume is a hot, August!