Hooray—It’s Friday!!

This week has been very full. I went to five schools, visited two medical clinics and did countless health assessments. Well actually I probably could count them…but anyway, I did a lot. I’ve already told you a lot of the trial and triumphs of the week but I hadn’t realized what a toll it had taken on me until our final teaching/assessment session ended this afternoon. Once I stopped moving, I was done for. Isn’t it amazing how the momentum of the week keeps you going but when you know it’s over…that’s it. We got back to the house at about four o’clock (considerably earlier than previous days) so I considered taking a nice long walk… but when push came to shove, I just couldn’t do it. I’ve been sitting on my mattress in air-conditioned comfort, just enjoying the time when I don’t have to think about anything.

It takes a lot of energy to be a nurse, whether in the hospital or in the bushes of Africa. During our first semester of nursing school I distinctly remember my professor telling us the importance of taking care of yourself so you don’t get burned out, always caring for others. Truer words have never been spoken. I’ve had my heart strings played like a twelve-string guitar and my energy stores completely drained. I think this weekend will be a very important time for our team to recoup as we head into our last week!!

Looking back, I have no idea where the time has gone. It reminds me of a Dr Seuss quote: “How did it get so late so soon? It’s night before it’s afternoon. December’s here before its June. My goodness how the time as flewn. How did it get so late so soon?”  It’s a good reminder for me to really treasure every moment as this amazing journey continues to unfold.

Chaos and tranquility

Yesterday we went to Saint Herbert’s school in Souza which has roughly a thousand students. No joke. Now I realize my high school had about twelve-hundred students… but these kids were all ages: preschool to seniors in high school. Maybe it was so overwhelming because they were swarming us, or perhaps because school was let out early and there were no teachers to be found. In any case, Team Malaria went in with our game faces to teach an enormous, packed classroom (at least a hundred kids) about how to prevent malaria and what to do if you get sick. Our teaching went well—and then came malaria tag. I would describe it as chaos… but it was worse than that. And not in a good way. Just when we had given up, feeling like complete failures, a young girl came up and very politely asked if mosquito nets still work if there’s a hole in it. (The answer, for those of you who may be wondering, is yes, if the net has been impregnated with insecticide the net will still deter mosquitoes) But in that moment, it was all worth it. Out of the craziness and chaos, this little girl learned something that will help keep her healthy.

Mission accomplished.

Did I mention that we were able to buy 500 malaria nets to hand out while we’re here?! (Another big THANK YOU to everyone who helped make it possible)

We held an open clinic at our house in Mangamba today which was very draining. I did assessments all day and my heart strings were being pulled every-which-way. Of the many stories that touched my heart today I think one that stuck out to me was an albino girl who had come in. She wasn’t even my patient officially but I am always concerned about 1) protecting her fair skin and 2) the social isolation that can accompany being different. We were able to provide her with a nice sun hat, sunscreen and sunglasses. I watched the mother watch her daughter as she was bestowed with these various forms of sun protection. The mother looked so happy and proud of her daughter, it brought tears to my eyes.

After a full day of assessments Paula, Julie and I went for a walk and ran into a friend we’ve made here in the village named Emillinne. She invited us into her home to sit, visit and play with the children. It was absolutely lovely, watching the sunset, playing peek-a-boo and hearing about this amazing young woman’s story. She has lived a life that I can’t even imagine. Twenty-one years old with three kids and just leaving an abusive husband without a way to support herself? I can’t even imagine what that would be like. The four of us took a stroll along the village trails, each with a babe in arms and it just fit. I feel so connected to the community here—I just love it!

“One’s destination is never a place but a new way of seeing things”--Henry Miller

Today Julie, Paula and I went to the district hospital in Mbanga to get a better sense of how the health care system works here in Cameroon. We also took a woman and her son in from Mangamba who we had seen last week during our “clinic”. Her 2 year old son was very sick and needed more care than we could provide so we offered to help pay for his treatment. (It has been such a blessing to have the money available to do that.) We were able to provide the little boy with transportation, consultation, IV treatment and three medications. By the end he was a new kid; running, laughing and playing! The total cost? 10,000 francs (which is equivalent to 20 US dollars). Isn’t that amazing?! But 10,000 francs is a lot, especially out here in the bush. Transportation is also a huge barrier to proper medical care; dirt roads and long distances make visits to the doctor quite the ordeal. When you finally arrive at the doctor’s, he will make a list of supplies that he’ll need, you go to the pharmacy, return to the doctor and he will carry out his treatment orders. It’s so different than our hospital units, each fully stocked with just about everything one might possibly need.

We took a tour of the hospital which included the maternity ward, laboratory, surgery unit, medical ward, dentist office and pediatric unit. The nurses were so great as they guided us through procedures and encouraged us to dive in, getting our hands dirty! Paula and I changed the dressing of a splint on a young man’s tibia-fibia fracture (both bones in his shin were snapped like popsicle sticks after a motorcycle hit him as he crossed the street). The splint was made up of pieces of wood, each padded with cotton and wrapped with an ACE bandage.

It makes me realize how lucky we are to have so many cool tools and gadgets. We brought some of the medical supplies we’ve been collecting for the hospital and the nurses were just thrilled. They love medical tape. And alcohol swabs. Things we totally take for granted.

Crashing waves and waving palms

I’ve never felt warm ocean water before, but I must say that I’m a fan.  We’re in Kribi for the weekend to get some much needed rest and relaxation. Our hotel is right on the beach and the palm trees provide the perfect shade.  Today Jen and I tried our hands and body surfing…with very little success. The under-toe was so strong that as we tried to paddle with the wave, the current out would keep us in the exact same spot… and the wave would either leave without us or take us for a tumble, but in either case, it wasn’t what we were going for exactly, but it’s the spirit of the adventure, right?! At one point I just burst into a beach-filling fit of laughter…and then a wave took me down which sent me into another bout of uncontrollable giggles. To make a long story short, we have a great time floating around in the salty, salty, salty ocean!! 

We went on a canoe-ride today on the Lombe River, which ends as a waterfall into the ocean!! Our canoe guide spoke some English and his favorite topic of conversation was Obama. The jungle around the river was absolutely stunning .  At one point during our boat ride, our whole group (all three canoes of us) started singing Disney songs. We started with “Just Around the River Bend” and ended with “The Circle of Life”. Our guides thought it was hilarious. And I would have to agree.

Tomorrow night we will go back to the village and I’m very excited for the week ahead!! It will be very full and tiring, but I’m ready. I’m ready to dive back in!!

We're nursing students without boarders

        Today we held assessments and teaching at the house in the morning. Erica and I did the assessments on the veranda (with the help of an interpreter). We saw a lot of elderly adults with musculoskeletal pain. One man for example is eighty years old, still working in the fields everyday complained of shoulder and back pain. Another woman in her late seventies described pain in her neck, knees and lower back which does not surprise me because she has been carrying things on her head (like buckets of water) for her entire life. These people work so hard their entire lives, it’s no wonder they hurt! It makes me sad that pain relieving medications that are so readily available at home are so hard to come by here. A lot of the children we saw were dehydrated, following thier recent illness, which is why it's included in our health teaching!! It's so much fun to see how our teaching plans have evolved from planning them months ago, to our first day here, to now. Plans never go as planned.
       In the afternoon our group split up to visit both the primary and secondary schools in a neighboring village. The little kids love malaria tag and the hand washing song (in French) is also a really big hit, everywhere we go. After our teaching I went to help with the assessments of the children. One little girl I saw had been sick for the last five days and was pretty dehydrated. We were able to talk with her mother and provide some oral rehydrating solution, stressing the importance of replenishing the fluid she has lost. We also saw several healthy children, which is always very encouraging!
It’s amazing to me to think about how much I have grown as a nurse even in the last year. A year ago, I had one semester of nursing school under my belt and now… I have one semester to go! In the last year I have learned how to ask the right questions and prioritize needs; today I got to put those skills to good use! I wish I could express to you, in words, how much I love what I do.

Travel is glamorous only in retrospect

           Yesterday we had a power outage that lasted all night and most of the day, which meant that not only were we stumbling around in the dark with no air conditioning but also we had no running water. Kerosene lamps illuminated the dark hallways but there’s no substitute for the comfort of air conditioning, although we had no idea we would have such luxuries! We were pretty bummed that we wouldn’t be showering after a long day in the hot sun however. It really helped us realize how privileged we are to be staying in Ruth’s other home.

Let me explain quickly: it is expected that in Cameroon, if you leave your village and are successful in your career, you will build a house in your village to maintain ties to the community since that is where you will be buried. Mangamba is the village of Ruth’s husband so they have built a home here in addition to the home they live in, in the city. In a way you could say it’s their vacation home- for when they pass away.  Now when we were planning, packing, etc, we had no idea what the house was like. We thought the sixteen of us would be sharing four bedrooms and one bathroom—but it’s more like six bed, three and a half bath... with air conditioning. We were expecting to rough it!!

Anyway, it does not feel like we are roughing it: eating three square meals a day, clean drinking water, sleeping on semi-comfy mattresses and having showers regularly. Between the dirt, heat and humidity I do feel a little more rugged by the end of the day but that’s what it’s all about right?! Getting your hands dirty.

Paula and I took a walk around the village this evening and it’s exactly what my spirit needed. As soon as I pass through the gates of our estate and onto the main road I am overwhelmed by the beauty and simplicity of my surroundings. The juggle surrounding the village looks prehistoric with giant palm trees and wild bushes. I hear a tree filled with a choir of birds singing their chirpy song and cars zooming by on the dirt road through the village. We watched an INTENSE soccer game which looked more like a professional game instead of “shirts vs skins” on a dirt field with makeshift goals. I was very impressed because my soccer  skill level is less than zero.  We continued on down the road for quite a while, made some new friends and even recognized a few faces from our welcome/dance party last week! I really feel at home here. 

I would also like you to know that I have a million-ish pictures that I want to share with you but because of the internet/computer situation it will likely have to wait until I return. Suspense can be fun, right?!

Right place- Right time

Have you ever felt like you are exactly where you are supposed to be? Maybe it’s the scenery, maybe it’s the food, maybe it’s the company, maybe it’s the work but this is where I need to be right now. In Mangamba, Cameroon traveling around to villages teaching children about malaria, first aid, and HIV/AIDS. Sometimes I think about where I am and what I’m doing here and at times it doesn’t even seem real. So let me fill you in on our game plan for while we’re here. We will be visiting schools and other community areas where we will hold a sort of day camp with different groups, each learning about a different health topic through different activities. I was on the malaria “team” and helped develop the teaching activities which include a story, question/answer and (my personal favorite) malaria tag.
 When we arrived at the first school where we did our teaching I was a bit intimidated by the number of small, eager faces looking at us. Once we introduced ourselves and began our activities, all of my anxiety about not speaking French and being “just a nursing student” disappeared completely. As we told our story about “Raissa” the mosquito, I went into camp-mode where it’s all about keeping the kids engaged and learning…even if it’s at the expense of your self-respect. These kids probably think I’m crazy—but if they know three ways to prevent malaria, it was worth it. Malaria tag was a huge success in reinforcing that you need to go to the doctor and take medicine when you get sick with malaria.  Kids loved the “doctor” props—but the “mosquito” headbands take the cake as a group favorite, and I must agree. They’re adorable.  (And don’t worry, there are pictures but I’ll have to get them from other people’s cameras)

One of the younger girls in one of the classes today was totally enamored with the color of my skin. She was probably about five years old and lived in a very remote village called Muyuka. During the tag game she ever so sweetly held onto my hand and carefully inspected it. She ran her hand along my skin, marveling at the fair color and freckles which probably looks very strange to her. In this moment, the whole world stood still: it was just me and this little girl sharing in exploration. I pondered what a beautiful gift it is to be human while she probably contemplated how odd I looked. 

In summary, I love it here, I love people and I love nursing.  My world is complete.