Friday, January 13, 2012

Thursday, January 12















Ashley and Jessica recording vitals



















Rachel, Kati and Jackie in peds



























Hospital entrance from the inside


















Lovely cool morning. We have been taking note of some birds that are new to us: European Roller, Redbilled woodhoopoe, Southern Masked Weaver (I think), Blue Waxbill, and Southern Red Bishop.


We have to stay flexible with the schedule Wanda has planned. Today many of the Zambian nursing students were back on the wards, and so we were not needed in a few areas, and could have actually gotten in the way. It is our intent to be of much assistance and as little interference as possible. I watched our nurses work with malnourished babies, children and adults with burns, patients recovering from surgery, broken bones. Each day I see an increased confidence as they realize how very much they are able to do with limited information and equipment, and without the benefit of a shared language and culture. The patients are cooperative, offering arms for blood pressure checks, armpits for temperature taking… it is only the little ones that sometimes are put off by our white faces. And like children everywhere, when they see the tray with a needle, they begin to cry.

There a little tea shop right near the hospital where we can get tea or sodas and delicious fresh baked buns in the morning. Around 10:30 or 11, many folks head there for their break. Next door is a small store where all sorts of things can be found, including shortbread cookies called “Eet Sum Mors”.

Still no rain though it was the third day in a row that looked promising. I wonder if the men whose job it is to slash the grass are glad—they use smallish sickle like tools to keep the yards under control. When they are outside the window it makes a soothing rhythmic swooshing sound.

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