January 17 an 18, for sure

 Hurry up and wait.

We have meeting about the Nursing School today at 10 AM.  It is 11 AM now.  (The meeting finally started at 1 PM, but only because one of the Diocese board members died and details needed attention.)  This is an important planning meeting, including many important people, not only the Wazungu, but diocene, regional medical officers and Ilula people.  Getting all together is challenging.  Visions for the school will be discussed.  My understanding is that in addition to nursing training, other CME, e.g. dispensary personnel, doctors and medical officers, will be planned using the Peter King Medical and Nurses Training Center.  Later in the evening, we went to the IPO orphanage and school.  I cannot remember what that means, however I do know Randy knows Barrett Skare, the Norwegian woman who started and shepherds this amazing place.  They are building a high school that will be outstanding.  The building has up to date hardware and utilities.  I am not sure when it will open.  The IPO has the most beautiful garden, maintained by a gregarious comedian named Elesha.

We all ran out of gas in the evening, but through a complicated spreadsheet managed to calculate the in-country transportation bill and collected the funds.  I may make it easier if I ever do it again for a big group, as in “Gimme $200 bucks apiece up front and I might give some back.”  It was just tough to plan for.  We have had the luxury of transport at our beck and call, though we have paid for it.

Jan 18

Today, some did rounds, some other things.  Stacey, OT, met a young woman nurse stricken by a stroke only two months after starting as a nurse at the hospital.  Initially, she could not walk.  Now she can walk but still has left hemiparesis and is developing a little contracture in the left hand.  Staci did a stellar job making a neutral position bivalve hand and forearm splint for her (under my tutelage, ahem!).  She has the theory, I have the experience.  But she did all the work, if I might have gotten a little plaster on my hands too.  Our steadfast Bella is a marvelous interpreter and a game assistant as well.  Our semi-pro photographer Beth caught it all on, uh, electrons and Stacey will produce the Power Point.  Be sure to see it at the local OT training institution near you!

We are on our way to Iringa so a couple of us can get our work permits (first time ever needed by volunteers at Ilula).  The immigration officials did not respond to any explanation or reasoning.  This is a new way to spend a $100.  So the second wave of us decided not to tempt fate (and potentially stir up a firestorm for Dr. Saga and are on our way to voluntarily pay up.  I wonder if a Tanzanian jail would be like the tales of Mexican jails?  Guess I will try to continue wondering.  It took the first group over 4 hours.  It’s a PITA!  But it took us about 1/3 as long.  Smaller PITA.

Randy

We have met a number of amazing young people here: ones that want to “grow up to be doctors and lawyers and such”…teachers, business people, those that can help this community progress and prosper.  After working in the pediatric ward at Ilula, it strikes me that these children have such a gauntlet that they need to surpass in order to achieve these dreams.

First, you have to hope that you’ve been given a mother that is sufficiently well nourished to carry you to term, allow for good cognitive development and without complications such as malaria…and that she has access to a hospital that can safely deal with any complications that could occur at delivery.  You need to hope you get a mother that does not have HIV and a family that can provide enough nutrition for appropriate brain development.  You need a family that can afford to send you to school and hope that the school has competent motivated teachers that can help you excel.  You need to make sure someone puts you under a bed-net when you are under 5 years old to prevent malaria and hope that you have access to clean water and sanitation.  If, and only if, all these things go right, you might have a chance to compete in this country, a chance to be part of the change that this country is hoping and waiting for. 

Ken again
We met the Augustana College education group.  Randy bumped into them and directed them to me while I was looking at my email.  They will be touring the Ilula District Hospital Thursday or Friday.  I suppose I will wear my blue Augie shirt both days.  Don't tell.

I got to talk to my lover for a half hour.  Boy!  I like Magic Jack.  Broke up a little, her voice, that is the electrons did.  She sounded fine!

Don't know when the next installment will be uploaded. I will try to get the others on paper too, like Randy did.  Count your blessings!