As most of you that read this already know, I made it back home! We arrived home 1 wk ago (after several plane delays). We had an absolute blast traveling around! Both Paris and Barcelona were a lot of fun! In both cities, we could have wandered the streets for several days. I just love the narrow, winding, streets with random vendors/shops/markets and people. So neat!! I did however realize, how directionally challenged I am. Thankfully, my Mom is much better at this than I am! It truly was a great week of traveling...there were so many things I loved (the best was the random laughing moments)! Ok, lets be serious...if I really want to start listing my loves from the week, this would be a rather long blog post. So I think I'll just leave it at that...
Togo Time! So, I realize I wasn't in Africa very long (really), but I truly enjoyed my time there. It was such a great experience!! As I've mentioned before, the patients and their stories were incredible! But I think what I loved the most, was the people I met there. I now have friends from all over the world...which made it slightly hard to leave, in all honesty. Some of the people, I don't know when/if I'll see them again (on this side of heaven anyway). But others, I truly would love to go visit! And am already making plans for my next trip!
For now, I'm going to give this blog a break...but who knows, once I start looking through all my pictures I might end up posting a few stories here and there. If not, I'll return when I embark on my next adventure. Until then...thanks for following along and thanks for the prayers! :)
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Bonjour from Paris!
I had such good intentions of updating this sooner, but I obviously didn't! My time at Mercy Ships has ended...and to be honest, it was much harder to leave than I had anticipated. The friends I met there are amazing people...and I will truly miss them. Hopefully though, I will be able to do some traveling sometime and go visit them (all over the world)!! It was a great experience...and I'll probably write more on that later. But for now...I just arrived in Paris this morning! It was SO exciting to see my Mom and Aunt this morning!!! I've missed them...and I've missed my Mom's hugs! We spend the day wandering around...doing a little sightseeing...catching up (really, just them listening to a lot of Africa stories...haha)! It's been lovely. Slightly weird though...I keep waiting for Zemi-jhans to come zooming all around me...feel the dust/dirt/sweat all over my clothes...hear the little ones holler "yovo, yovo" as I walk by...etc. But then I have to remind myself...I'm not in Africa anymore! We already have some plans for tomorrow...so I'm excited for that! As we are only in Paris for a few days, before leaving for Barcelona...we are going to make the best of it!
Today's love: getting to wake my Mom up...in her hotel room...IN PARIS!! :)
Today's love: getting to wake my Mom up...in her hotel room...IN PARIS!! :)
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Joy
Instead of a forever long paragraph...like I normally do...I think I'll bullet-list whats been going on lately:
-went to a couple markets yesterday...and am really loving the bargaining!!
-ate a german restaurant, here in Lome
-went to a couple mercy ministries...a special needs school and a deaf school
-bought some fan ice (the local ice cream...thats in a bag) off the street - something extremely common that I just hadn't done yet!
-participated in a rescue boat drill, here on the ship (actually got to ride in the boat, down to the water from deck 7...we rode around for a bit...snapped some pictures...it was fun)
-had an absolute lovely weekend working the VVF ladies* and experienced God's greatness at a dress ceremony for them
Ok...I'm done with the bullet-list idea. haha...you're stuck with paragraphs. :) So VVF stands for veso-vaginal fistula. It's primarily caused from prolonged labor (up to several days) that creates a hole between the bladder and vagina...that then causes women to continually leak urine. In most cases, they are shunned from their villages...shunned from their familes and are left alone. No-one will talk to them, let alone be near them, due to the smell. We had a VVF surgeon arrive last week and since then, I've been working with these gals. And I absolutely LOVE them...
Once they've had surgery and have remained dry, we have a dress ceremony for them! Yesterday, was my first experience at one. They were presented with a new dress, we sang praise songs, they danced (without fear of a wet dress), and they gave their testimonies. All 5 of them had been outcasted from their familes...husbands had left them for other wives...their babies usually died...sisters wouldn't talk to them unless they were on the opposite side of the room...and in one case, her husband even told the whole village to stay away from her - thus, she has spent the past 13 years completely alone (yes...13 years). Their ages ranged from 24 to 50ish (sometimes we/they don't really know their true ages). This whole situation is honestly hard for me to fully grasp the impact, the fistulas had on their lives. And I've even had some experience with abdominal fistulas before...at my previous job. But this was different. And the dress ceremony might have been the neatest thing I've seen since being here...
The joy from them has been never-ending...I think for some of the ladies, the only time they aren't smiling...is when they were sleeping. Another patient was told on Friday, by the surgeon, that he had fixed the problem and she was doing great. Since then, she is continually singing/muttering and waving her hands around...and she says Merci Beaucoup (thank you very much) for absolutely everything you do...even if you are just standing next to her bed. Granted, we aren't able to help all the patients...but I'm not going to dwell on that right now. Right now, I'm praising God for the opportunity to be a small part of these ladies lives...cherishing the time I've spent with them...praying that they give God the full glory for being dry... and praying for the rest of the surgeries. Hallelujah!!
My time here is winding down...and its bittersweet. I feel like I've just settled into the routine...I've gotten to know so many neat people (many of whom, I don't know if/when I'll see again)...and they are so many more things I would love to do here. However, I also look forward to traveling next week and then returning home (seeing family/friends...eating (real) meat, popcorn & berries...new adventures/etc.)
Today's love: I hope to return to Africa someday...but for now, I'm just going to LOVE the rest of my time here... :)
-went to a couple markets yesterday...and am really loving the bargaining!!
-ate a german restaurant, here in Lome
-went to a couple mercy ministries...a special needs school and a deaf school
-bought some fan ice (the local ice cream...thats in a bag) off the street - something extremely common that I just hadn't done yet!
-participated in a rescue boat drill, here on the ship (actually got to ride in the boat, down to the water from deck 7...we rode around for a bit...snapped some pictures...it was fun)
-had an absolute lovely weekend working the VVF ladies* and experienced God's greatness at a dress ceremony for them
Ok...I'm done with the bullet-list idea. haha...you're stuck with paragraphs. :) So VVF stands for veso-vaginal fistula. It's primarily caused from prolonged labor (up to several days) that creates a hole between the bladder and vagina...that then causes women to continually leak urine. In most cases, they are shunned from their villages...shunned from their familes and are left alone. No-one will talk to them, let alone be near them, due to the smell. We had a VVF surgeon arrive last week and since then, I've been working with these gals. And I absolutely LOVE them...
Once they've had surgery and have remained dry, we have a dress ceremony for them! Yesterday, was my first experience at one. They were presented with a new dress, we sang praise songs, they danced (without fear of a wet dress), and they gave their testimonies. All 5 of them had been outcasted from their familes...husbands had left them for other wives...their babies usually died...sisters wouldn't talk to them unless they were on the opposite side of the room...and in one case, her husband even told the whole village to stay away from her - thus, she has spent the past 13 years completely alone (yes...13 years). Their ages ranged from 24 to 50ish (sometimes we/they don't really know their true ages). This whole situation is honestly hard for me to fully grasp the impact, the fistulas had on their lives. And I've even had some experience with abdominal fistulas before...at my previous job. But this was different. And the dress ceremony might have been the neatest thing I've seen since being here...
The joy from them has been never-ending...I think for some of the ladies, the only time they aren't smiling...is when they were sleeping. Another patient was told on Friday, by the surgeon, that he had fixed the problem and she was doing great. Since then, she is continually singing/muttering and waving her hands around...and she says Merci Beaucoup (thank you very much) for absolutely everything you do...even if you are just standing next to her bed. Granted, we aren't able to help all the patients...but I'm not going to dwell on that right now. Right now, I'm praising God for the opportunity to be a small part of these ladies lives...cherishing the time I've spent with them...praying that they give God the full glory for being dry... and praying for the rest of the surgeries. Hallelujah!!
My time here is winding down...and its bittersweet. I feel like I've just settled into the routine...I've gotten to know so many neat people (many of whom, I don't know if/when I'll see again)...and they are so many more things I would love to do here. However, I also look forward to traveling next week and then returning home (seeing family/friends...eating (real) meat, popcorn & berries...new adventures/etc.)
Today's love: I hope to return to Africa someday...but for now, I'm just going to LOVE the rest of my time here... :)
Friday, May 28, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
An African Adventure...
This past weekend, I was able to get off ship. I had mentioned before, but some friends and I went to Kpalime (pronounced, pal-a-may). It was about a 3hr drive, complete with amazing scenery! Everything is so green here! The driving here is always an experience though. There are many potholes in the road...so you are constantly being thrown different directions in the car. The brakes are not used gently, but often slammed on - in order to miss a pothole or a biker. Needless to say, we got good at bracing ourselves. And coming back to Lome in the dark, was even more interesting...haha. But overall, it was one of my favorite days here!!
Random street shot with part of Mt Agou in background
At the falls 
The initial plan was to leave at 9am. At 10ish, we found out that one of the drivers starting coughing up blood and died..."but dont worry, we have another driver for you" is what we were told. As you can imagine, we were like...wait, what?! Someone died?! That's awful! And they just shrugged it off...like it was no big deal. Slightly different approach than Americans have with death... Well, we ended up leaving Lome at 11. We made great time and made it there quickly. Along the way, one of the girls had to use the bathroom...so we proceeded to stop at a complete strangers house. They were very welcoming, and we just laughed..."we are stopping at a strangers house...haha, only in africa." So, our first stop was to visit this mission on Mt Agou. A lot of people have hiked this mountain...but we weren't going to have enough time to do the entire hike. So I was thankful for this small hike, and to see a little glimpse of the mountain view! Next, we went to one of the translator's (there were 2 that went with us) sister's house...pretty much just to tell her that we were coming for dinner! But she was great, super excited to meet us and also very welcoming. After this, we headed to the waterfalls (our destination)! It wasn't a very long hike...but it was amazing! The mountain was soo beautiful...the pictures don't do it justice. We were able to swim and stand under the waterall, which was SO fun!! Not to mention, we were also drenched in sweat by the time we reached the waterfall...so it felt extra refreshing. We were the only people we saw there...on the hike and at the falls. So it was nice to be at a local gem, not a big tourist attraction. Just sitting there on the rocks, listening to the water crash down, staring up at all the plush green mountain around us...was very serene. And needless to say, I loved it...
Then, we headed back to the sister's house for dinner. Side note: curfew on the ship is 11pm...it is currently 7pm when we arrive at her house - and with good traffic/no car problems...it takes at least 3hrs to get back to the ship. So we had mentioned this to our translators, you guys know about the curfew, right? To which, he responded..."dont worry, God is in control" ...and proceeded to turn back around and continue talking to his friend. haha...we kinda laughed and said, yeah we know He is...but we still have to be back at the ship by 11. We weren't quite sure if they understood us, but it all worked out. Anyway, the traditional African meal was prepared for us and was amazing! I was slightly worried...and lets be honest, saying that I was worried is an understatement...about the food, but it was really great!! We had fou fou (pounded yams) with some sort of soup. Pap (prounounced pop)...which was some sort of with corn tasting stuff that they peel off a leaf. (i obviously dont know exactly what it was, haha) The pap was served with a red sauce. And with African style, we ate with our hands. The fou fou and soup was my favorite...I didnt care for the Pap. Fou fou looks like and has the consistency of stretchy mashed potatoes (if that makes sense)...so you pull a chunk off and just dip it into the soup! Very, very good stuff... And to make things even more fun, we were able to pound some fou fou!! Pictures are at the end of this post... the African ladies there got a kick out of watching us try this. And to say they simply laughed, would also be a huge understatement! haha...it was fun though!
We arrived back to the ship, right at 11pm. As we laughed about the day, there were several things that we enjoyed. One being how we would randomly stop throughout the day (usually, i think they were asking directions), and one of our translators would get out of the car and leave. Keep in mind, our driver speaks only french and we all spoke only english...so we couldnt ask him, where the translator was going! We decided that he went and bought food for himself...but it always took 10-15mins. It became quite humerous to me actually! We would stop. He would leave. We would sit in the hot car (car was turned off) with 3 people in a small backseat of a car. We had no idea where he went or what he was doing. We were just sitting, waiting, getting lots of odd looks from the locals that would meander by our car. haha...it was great! He then would eventually come back to the car...and proceed to say "are you happy?...your happiness is my happiness...your happiness is my reputation". hahaha....needless to say, it became my quote of the day, because we heard it numerous times!!
It was a great day and definitely one of my favorite adventures since being here!! Here are a few pictures from the day...
It was a great day and definitely one of my favorite adventures since being here!! Here are a few pictures from the day...
During hike on Mt Agou
Random street shot with part of Mt Agou in background
An African bookstore...
An African shoe store...
At the falls
Street shot in Kpalime
The pros pounding Fou Fou...
The pros pounding Fou Fou...
The Yovo's pounding Fou Fou... *Yovo is their term for white person...so its very common to hear kids yelling, "yovo, yovo!!"
Today's love: reflecting back on the adventures, opportunities, and friends I've met during this time...
Friday, May 21, 2010
LOVES!
Yesterday's loves:
1. Eating blackberries!!!!! (i'm semi-obsessed with berries and haven't had them since i left home...) So every Thursday night, there is a community meeting. Pretty much, its like a church service or if you were/are involved in a college christian ministry...like a weekly nav night! I've really enjoyed them, while being here! And one of the greatest parts (although, not the only part) is that we usually get dessert afterwards. The first couple weeks, there was ice cream. Umm...awesome is all I can say about that! But I think they've run out...the past couple weeks we've had a cake, not that you really care...but just wait, I'm getting to the good part. I had to work yesterday during the evening, so I missed the meeting. But a couple lovely co-workers ran up and grabbed a few desserts for us. SOO surprised to see blackberries, whip cream and chocolate amazingness...and SOO very excited! So much so, that you are getting to hear about it. :)
2. I had a little girl who had surgery yesterday morning. So precious! I'm forgetting the technical medical term...but pretty much, she had a large lower lip. So they made it smaller in size and it looks great! Anyway, I was changing her dressing last night and when I finished, she reached over and gave me a hug.... totally unexpected and it just made my night. It truly is the little things about this experience that I'm loving!
1. Eating blackberries!!!!! (i'm semi-obsessed with berries and haven't had them since i left home...) So every Thursday night, there is a community meeting. Pretty much, its like a church service or if you were/are involved in a college christian ministry...like a weekly nav night! I've really enjoyed them, while being here! And one of the greatest parts (although, not the only part) is that we usually get dessert afterwards. The first couple weeks, there was ice cream. Umm...awesome is all I can say about that! But I think they've run out...the past couple weeks we've had a cake, not that you really care...but just wait, I'm getting to the good part. I had to work yesterday during the evening, so I missed the meeting. But a couple lovely co-workers ran up and grabbed a few desserts for us. SOO surprised to see blackberries, whip cream and chocolate amazingness...and SOO very excited! So much so, that you are getting to hear about it. :)
2. I had a little girl who had surgery yesterday morning. So precious! I'm forgetting the technical medical term...but pretty much, she had a large lower lip. So they made it smaller in size and it looks great! Anyway, I was changing her dressing last night and when I finished, she reached over and gave me a hug.... totally unexpected and it just made my night. It truly is the little things about this experience that I'm loving!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Goodness, it's been awhile since I've dated...I apologize! Not to much has been going on though. I just got off a stretch of night shifts...so I haven't been able to do a lot off ship. I thought I might just give some random updates for this post...
Roomates: As I've mentioned before, I live in a 6-person cabin. But I don't think I've told you about my roomates! They are as follows: 1 from Australia, 1 from Switzerland, 1 from Germany, 1 from Georgia, 1 from Seattle, and me!! Quite diverse...and I love it. I heard that currently, there are over 40 nations represented on the ship. It's so neat to hear about things from all over the world! I don't know how the long-termers do this all the time though. You develop great friendships with people and then they leave...the time here on the ship initially sounds like a long time. But once you're here and involved, it goes quick! And I much as I'm loving meeting new friends from all over...its weird too, in a sense that I don't truly know if I'll see these people again. I pray I do!! But until then...I guess thats what facebook is for... haha!
Ward Church: Every Sunday, there is a church service held in the wards. A couple of wks ago, I was working and was able to attend this! It was awesome! There are 3 wards...and almost everyone comes and crams into just one side of one ward. I'm going to include a picture here of a ward...so try to imagine ~50 people in here...with another ~10 people in the hall, all praising the Lord. Amazing stuff! As with true African worship, there was lots of dancing and drumming. The dance circle was held in the middle...and everyone just danced around the people sitting on the floor. It's so neat to see everyone together. You have nurses, patients, caregivers, translators, random visitors and occasionally doctors all gathered together in one small room! One of the photographers on the ship gave the message that Sunday.
Aissa: A couple posts ago, I mentioned the little girl named Aissa, who had NOMA. She has become such a special kid to many of us, here on the ship. She is SO fun to be around! Aissa speaks a language that no-one hear on the ship knows...I don't remember the statistic, but there are an insanly high number of languages/dialects spoken in Cameroon. There are lots in Togo too, but Cameroon has a ton! Aissa has learned some Engligh though, since being in the ward. It's hard to keep a 7yr old busy, in the same room as 19 other patients/caregivers are as well. With no windows and only 1-2hrs of playtime outside...its just hard at times. She is full of energy, full of life and has kept us on our toes. At her village, she was given free reign. There was no discipline, no guidance, etc. So at first, it was a challenge for her - to listen, share, etc. But she has come soo so far. This little girl has stolen my heart! She has become like a mother hen to other patients, she helps the nurses, she even gave herself her own tube feeds/medications when her NG tube was down (she would aspirate to make sure nothing was still in her stomach before feeds, she would flush the tube once they were done and would push her own meds too). And she's only 7! This past weekend, she was cleared to leave the hospital. So on Sunday afternoon, she left for the hospitality center!! And in about a wk or so, they think she'll able to make the trip back to Cameroon. Yesterday afternoon, I went over to the hospitality center to play volleyball and was able to see Aissa again. When I first got there, she came sprinting over to me and wrapped her arms around my legs. I picked her up, twirled her around and we both just laughed! It was so exciting to see her playing outside...running around...and the best part is....without a bandage on her head. Her skin graft to her cheek has taken well, and she no longer needs a dressing on!! PRAISE THE LORD for this precious little girl and her tender heart. Please keep her in your prayers, as she will make the trip back next week...that she will continue to heal and that hopefully she'll be able to start going to school this fall. I'm hoping to post more pictures of Aissa on the next post!
Food: So the food here on the ship is actually pretty good! I wasn't sure what to expect. And being that I've actually been called picky before...shocking, i know...I was a little nervous. But it's been great! I've refound a favorite food...cinnamon/sugar toast. Most definitely not African...but soo good!
Blood bank: The ship is pretty unique when it comes to blood. Our blood bank is the crew! Anyone that volunteers to be a donor, has their blood checked (to analzye and double check blood type) and then if they are needed, they will be paged/phoned at that time. This could be in the middle of the night...in the middle of lunch...whenever! They don't have to technology separate the particles of the blood...so they aren't able to store any blood on the ship. I've only given blood a couple times on the ship (as a nurse, not a donor)...but its SO cool. The lab draws the blood...and within 30mins, a warm (yes...warm) bag of blood is then handed to me to hang. Its so neat to see the donor standing there, watching his/her warm blood flow into another person. At home you can donate blood, but you never know when/where/how its being used. Here, you get to see in person. How cool is that!! The other day, there was a large surgery taking place (a lady was having several very large tumors taken off her neck/jaw). The surgeons had predicted they would 6 units of blood...so the lab got 12 units ready (knowing they would probably need more than the surgeons thought...). And by ready, I mean made sure they had 12 donors on the ship. We've found that B+ is a common blood type here in Togo, but not very common among everyone else! So it's been pretty interesting to find enough donors. I was working that evening, so as I heard the overhead page to inform anyone who hadn't gotten the blood checked to donate, to please please go see the lab. They had gotten to the point, where they would have to stop the surgery if they didnt get enough blood. So we ran over to lab...got checked (i'm not B+) and then started praying. Praying for donors...praying for blood...praying the surgery, etc. They ended up finding some blood from a blood bank in Togo. But it was a close call. They surgery ended up taking 12.5hrs and required 18units of blood. They were able to take all but one tumor off, and she is doing great. Praise the Lord! I just think the system for blood transfusions here is pretty neat...in one person...30mins later...infusing into someone else. Sweet!
Kpalime: So this weekend, a small group of us are planning a day trip to Kpalime. It's a town north of Lome, a couple hrs away. I haven't been there yet, but have been hoping to be able to go! There's lots of hiking and waterfalls to see...so I'm pretty excited about that!
Volcano: Prayers needed. As most of you know, I'm going to travel around Europe for a week, when I leave here. I'm meeting my Mom and Aunt in Paris and we'll go from there. But we need the volcano in Iceland to stay calm!! So I figure if we start praying now...hopefully all will clear in a few weeks when we go. :)
Deck 8: I've mentioned the top deck of the ship before...but last night was the first night I've gone up there at night. Is there anything more peaceful than the combination of: tea, ipod, stars, and ocean? I think not! I've decided that Deck 8 is most definitely my favorite spot on the ship...
I'm going to end this post with a random picture. It was taken in Benin, when we went on the agriculture trip a couple wks ago. The rainy season has offically started here...but it has actually only rained a few days total since I've been here! This picture just shows a random street...with a "puddle" in the middle. All the bikes are trying to go around it...haha...
Today's love: being back on a days schedule...
Roomates: As I've mentioned before, I live in a 6-person cabin. But I don't think I've told you about my roomates! They are as follows: 1 from Australia, 1 from Switzerland, 1 from Germany, 1 from Georgia, 1 from Seattle, and me!! Quite diverse...and I love it. I heard that currently, there are over 40 nations represented on the ship. It's so neat to hear about things from all over the world! I don't know how the long-termers do this all the time though. You develop great friendships with people and then they leave...the time here on the ship initially sounds like a long time. But once you're here and involved, it goes quick! And I much as I'm loving meeting new friends from all over...its weird too, in a sense that I don't truly know if I'll see these people again. I pray I do!! But until then...I guess thats what facebook is for... haha!
Ward Church: Every Sunday, there is a church service held in the wards. A couple of wks ago, I was working and was able to attend this! It was awesome! There are 3 wards...and almost everyone comes and crams into just one side of one ward. I'm going to include a picture here of a ward...so try to imagine ~50 people in here...with another ~10 people in the hall, all praising the Lord. Amazing stuff! As with true African worship, there was lots of dancing and drumming. The dance circle was held in the middle...and everyone just danced around the people sitting on the floor. It's so neat to see everyone together. You have nurses, patients, caregivers, translators, random visitors and occasionally doctors all gathered together in one small room! One of the photographers on the ship gave the message that Sunday.
Aissa: A couple posts ago, I mentioned the little girl named Aissa, who had NOMA. She has become such a special kid to many of us, here on the ship. She is SO fun to be around! Aissa speaks a language that no-one hear on the ship knows...I don't remember the statistic, but there are an insanly high number of languages/dialects spoken in Cameroon. There are lots in Togo too, but Cameroon has a ton! Aissa has learned some Engligh though, since being in the ward. It's hard to keep a 7yr old busy, in the same room as 19 other patients/caregivers are as well. With no windows and only 1-2hrs of playtime outside...its just hard at times. She is full of energy, full of life and has kept us on our toes. At her village, she was given free reign. There was no discipline, no guidance, etc. So at first, it was a challenge for her - to listen, share, etc. But she has come soo so far. This little girl has stolen my heart! She has become like a mother hen to other patients, she helps the nurses, she even gave herself her own tube feeds/medications when her NG tube was down (she would aspirate to make sure nothing was still in her stomach before feeds, she would flush the tube once they were done and would push her own meds too). And she's only 7! This past weekend, she was cleared to leave the hospital. So on Sunday afternoon, she left for the hospitality center!! And in about a wk or so, they think she'll able to make the trip back to Cameroon. Yesterday afternoon, I went over to the hospitality center to play volleyball and was able to see Aissa again. When I first got there, she came sprinting over to me and wrapped her arms around my legs. I picked her up, twirled her around and we both just laughed! It was so exciting to see her playing outside...running around...and the best part is....without a bandage on her head. Her skin graft to her cheek has taken well, and she no longer needs a dressing on!! PRAISE THE LORD for this precious little girl and her tender heart. Please keep her in your prayers, as she will make the trip back next week...that she will continue to heal and that hopefully she'll be able to start going to school this fall. I'm hoping to post more pictures of Aissa on the next post!
Food: So the food here on the ship is actually pretty good! I wasn't sure what to expect. And being that I've actually been called picky before...shocking, i know...I was a little nervous. But it's been great! I've refound a favorite food...cinnamon/sugar toast. Most definitely not African...but soo good!
Blood bank: The ship is pretty unique when it comes to blood. Our blood bank is the crew! Anyone that volunteers to be a donor, has their blood checked (to analzye and double check blood type) and then if they are needed, they will be paged/phoned at that time. This could be in the middle of the night...in the middle of lunch...whenever! They don't have to technology separate the particles of the blood...so they aren't able to store any blood on the ship. I've only given blood a couple times on the ship (as a nurse, not a donor)...but its SO cool. The lab draws the blood...and within 30mins, a warm (yes...warm) bag of blood is then handed to me to hang. Its so neat to see the donor standing there, watching his/her warm blood flow into another person. At home you can donate blood, but you never know when/where/how its being used. Here, you get to see in person. How cool is that!! The other day, there was a large surgery taking place (a lady was having several very large tumors taken off her neck/jaw). The surgeons had predicted they would 6 units of blood...so the lab got 12 units ready (knowing they would probably need more than the surgeons thought...). And by ready, I mean made sure they had 12 donors on the ship. We've found that B+ is a common blood type here in Togo, but not very common among everyone else! So it's been pretty interesting to find enough donors. I was working that evening, so as I heard the overhead page to inform anyone who hadn't gotten the blood checked to donate, to please please go see the lab. They had gotten to the point, where they would have to stop the surgery if they didnt get enough blood. So we ran over to lab...got checked (i'm not B+) and then started praying. Praying for donors...praying for blood...praying the surgery, etc. They ended up finding some blood from a blood bank in Togo. But it was a close call. They surgery ended up taking 12.5hrs and required 18units of blood. They were able to take all but one tumor off, and she is doing great. Praise the Lord! I just think the system for blood transfusions here is pretty neat...in one person...30mins later...infusing into someone else. Sweet!
Kpalime: So this weekend, a small group of us are planning a day trip to Kpalime. It's a town north of Lome, a couple hrs away. I haven't been there yet, but have been hoping to be able to go! There's lots of hiking and waterfalls to see...so I'm pretty excited about that!
Volcano: Prayers needed. As most of you know, I'm going to travel around Europe for a week, when I leave here. I'm meeting my Mom and Aunt in Paris and we'll go from there. But we need the volcano in Iceland to stay calm!! So I figure if we start praying now...hopefully all will clear in a few weeks when we go. :)
Deck 8: I've mentioned the top deck of the ship before...but last night was the first night I've gone up there at night. Is there anything more peaceful than the combination of: tea, ipod, stars, and ocean? I think not! I've decided that Deck 8 is most definitely my favorite spot on the ship...
I'm going to end this post with a random picture. It was taken in Benin, when we went on the agriculture trip a couple wks ago. The rainy season has offically started here...but it has actually only rained a few days total since I've been here! This picture just shows a random street...with a "puddle" in the middle. All the bikes are trying to go around it...haha...
Today's love: being back on a days schedule...
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
WARNING: graphic pictures in this post...
This was taken on Saturday, at the Agriculture school in Benin. Yes, thats right...I went to another country! It was really neat. This ship was in Benin last year, and they started this ag school where they teach the students how to be farmers using godly principles. I guess at this time last year...they had nothing there, but the land. Now, they have several crops growing and they have a building!
This is just a random street shot in Benin. It was taken while we were driving...but it kinda shows what the streets here are like. And its an excellent example of the women here...they usually carry a baby on their back, something in their hands, and a huge bowl on their heads.
We went to a local beach the other day, Cocoa Beach! It was really fun! These boys were just kinda hanging out...but when they realized that we had cameras (we were just taking a few pics of the beach) they started dancing, posing and doing flips/cartwheels for us. It was quite entertaining!
We did crafts the other day, on the ward! Maybe all pediatric nursing is this way...I don't know, since this is really my first time doing it. But it's definitely been a lot of fun so far!!
Here's a few of the casted-legged kids at the hospitality center!
So this next group of pictures is slightly graphic...just a heads-up. I can tell you story after story...but seeing a couple before/after pictures, will hopefully give you a glance of why I love what I'm doing right now. It's a completely different mindset, going to work...knowing that I'm actually paying to go to work. But this is why I'm doing it....and this is why I'm loving it... :)
Little Aissa's story could break your heart. She's a little 7yr old girl, who has been living in Cameroon. Her pictures were mailed to the ship, and they agreed to give her a surgery. She has a condition called Noma. I'll be honest...I had never heard of this before her. I guess its a series of steps that start with malnutrition, then when the immune system is down they get a viral infection (like measles)...they then get a tooth infection or mouth sore or some sort...and the face will then just melt away. It's fatal in 90% of the cases and it only takes about 2 wks to get to this point. Aissa's a blessed one...the pictures from when she first came to the Cameroon hospital broke my heart. She is now a joyful, playful little girl (with a slight attitude) who has a face again. It's absolutely amazing!! The surgeon's took a skin graft (piece of skin from her thigh) and placed it on her face. Amazing stuff!! :)
Little Maurius is the one I mentioned the other day, that got to go home!
"...And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:17-19
Today's love: getting to be a small part of what God is doing here. To God the glory, of all thats being done here!!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
It's been an up-and-down past few days. We had a precious baby boy pass away the other day...one that fought hard. He was in and out of the ICU...and was looking like he had turned the corner. Until he started falling again...and we found out he had an enlarged heart. The ship has extrememly good equipment and resources (for being a ship and all), but we have nothing of the sort to deal with this. (i.e. the doctors wanted a patient to take a stress test the other day....so the patient ran up and down the stairs a few times and then came back to the ward for an assessment). Anyway, the worst part about this sweet baby is that his Mom had to leave the ship empty-handed. She came here for hope..and healing....but God had other plans. We printed off pictures for her...but its not the same. It doesn't even begin to replace the empty weight in her arms as she walked to the taxi...
On the other hand, we had another precious baby boy with the same situation who got to go home yesterday. Both of these babies were cleft lip palate babies. This one has also been in and out of the ICU....but I had the honor of discharging him yesterday. He went home! He left as a fat, smiling baby...and I pray that he continues to grow. Another nurse (who has been here for awhile) was telling me how hard these babies are....because a lot of them die once they return home. They aren't able to keep the nutrition. His Mom was absolutely great. She learned how to take care of him, provide the proper nutrition for him (after this surgery, they can't breastfeed...so we have to teach them other attainble methods of food for the babies), and of course, she showered the sweet boy with lots of love. Right before we walked out the door....she turned around and knelt at the bed. Her hands were raised high...and she praised our Lord. She prayed, sang and thanked our Father for giving her baby another chance. Once again, the joy and passion for the Lord here is just so incredible to me...
Oh! I went the market the other day too! We went to a craft one...which actually ended up leading into the 'big market'. I'm sure many of you have been to a market like this....once where they hassle you, follow you and are incredibly persistent to get you to buy their stuff. It's always such an experience! My favorite though, was they kept saying, "for you...mercy ships discount." haha...yeah, right! :) It was fun though...and I got some sweet deals, so I was excited about that.
Today's love: tracing little hands/feet to color in and playing jenga & memory today at work :)
On the other hand, we had another precious baby boy with the same situation who got to go home yesterday. Both of these babies were cleft lip palate babies. This one has also been in and out of the ICU....but I had the honor of discharging him yesterday. He went home! He left as a fat, smiling baby...and I pray that he continues to grow. Another nurse (who has been here for awhile) was telling me how hard these babies are....because a lot of them die once they return home. They aren't able to keep the nutrition. His Mom was absolutely great. She learned how to take care of him, provide the proper nutrition for him (after this surgery, they can't breastfeed...so we have to teach them other attainble methods of food for the babies), and of course, she showered the sweet boy with lots of love. Right before we walked out the door....she turned around and knelt at the bed. Her hands were raised high...and she praised our Lord. She prayed, sang and thanked our Father for giving her baby another chance. Once again, the joy and passion for the Lord here is just so incredible to me...
Oh! I went the market the other day too! We went to a craft one...which actually ended up leading into the 'big market'. I'm sure many of you have been to a market like this....once where they hassle you, follow you and are incredibly persistent to get you to buy their stuff. It's always such an experience! My favorite though, was they kept saying, "for you...mercy ships discount." haha...yeah, right! :) It was fun though...and I got some sweet deals, so I was excited about that.
Today's love: tracing little hands/feet to color in and playing jenga & memory today at work :)
Friday, April 30, 2010
The past couple days have been really fun! On Wednesday, several us went to Coco Beach (a local beach about 10mins away). I found several shells that were pretty cool, so I was excited about that! Then in the afternoon, I went over to the Hospitality Center. This is where patients who live far away from the ship, can stay before surgery &/or afterwards...if they are needing dressing changes, etc...whatever the situation is. So I got to play with kids all afternoon! Kids that are absolutely starving for attention and love! There were several kids with both legs casted. haha...you should see them try to run! And I'm not making fun of them, because they were actually quite good at it! Its just slightly scary to see them take off...in this hobble/run, but I never once saw a kid fall! So they've become quite good at getting around in them. And talk about recycling...someone had the genius idea to make 'shoes' for them out of tires. They took a small piece of rubber tire, tied some string over the top of the foot...and you've got a shoe. Pretty neat! Anyway, there were also several kids who've been burned. Our plastic surgeon just got here last week, so now we are done with ortho and onto Plastics. This includes all types of stuff...but not necessarily the cosmetic surgeries we so often think of, with plastic surgery. There was one little girl that just broke my heart...her face had been burned. I don't know her story, but she was missing part of her right ear, had no right eye, no nose and the whole right side of her face was pulled into a mess of scar tissue. The neat thing is though, she was SO full of joy! That little girl ran, played, laughed, smiled, etc...with the rest of the kids and with me! It's easy to get sucked into the despair and depression of the life/stories/patients/etc here...but there is soo so much joy here. Patients who get to look into a mirror after surgery and see that the football sized tumor covering the right side of their face, has been removed! Patients who had severe contractures from burns are now able to extend their arm! Patients who had club feet, are now able to walk normally! The stories go and on...and I promise to have pictures to prove these stories to you soon. I just pray that the joy never ceases here...its amazing.
Then yesterday, I went back to the pool down the road. We've found out that they have a water aerobics class in the mornings, 3x/wk! It was so much fun!! And nice to get a much needed workout in. It was pretty humerous to me, at the beginning though. The leader hopped in the pool, in a speedo, and proceeded to start hollering out in French (and of course, none of us that went could speak a word of French...let alone understand it being spoken). haha...it was great! We caught on pretty quick though...and we could just watch to see what everyone else was doing. It was just fun to do something different!!
Today's love: Getting to talk to some of my family last night :)
Then yesterday, I went back to the pool down the road. We've found out that they have a water aerobics class in the mornings, 3x/wk! It was so much fun!! And nice to get a much needed workout in. It was pretty humerous to me, at the beginning though. The leader hopped in the pool, in a speedo, and proceeded to start hollering out in French (and of course, none of us that went could speak a word of French...let alone understand it being spoken). haha...it was great! We caught on pretty quick though...and we could just watch to see what everyone else was doing. It was just fun to do something different!!
Today's love: Getting to talk to some of my family last night :)
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Here's a few of the things I'm loving so far:
-we chart...but not as much as at home; which means we can spend more time with the patients
-we do dressing changes...and we get to be creative with the supplies at hand
-we treat not only the patients...but also the siblings &/or parents (i've had several parents who say they "hurt all over"...so we give them tylenol - i've also had a couple siblings who needed help.....it's kind of an all-for-one practice, if that makes sense)
-the moms/dads who pop their heads out from under the child's bed, to see if they can help you
-getting to know some of the translators and their stories
-becoming friends with patients, who you've actually never had a real conversation with...its so amazing what a smile can do
-the friends and people i've met here so far...from all over the world
So I'm trying to learn some french! And to say its going incredibly awful would be a huge understatement. haha...seriously! It's such a neat language, but its so hard to say the words! Goodness! The other night a translator was trying to teach me a few things...so I kept repeating "my name is sarah....do you have pain", over and over. And can I tell it to you now? Not really. haha... It was quite entertaining though, we were sitting by one of my patients (12yr old boy) and he just kept laughing and laughing! So I kept telling the translator to tell the boy to stop laughing at me (as I was laughing now too)....which then the translator would also just start laughing. ?! You got me. Only in Africa. :)
This afternoon I sat up on Deck 8 (the top) and absolutely LOVED it. The sun, slight breeze, a book and my ipod were soo so much needed. I love water...some of you know that it's actually an obsession of mine. But its just so stinkin' amazing to me! Sitting there this afternoon, listening to my sister's lovely music...while staring out over the ocean.....it was just so peaceful. God has given me a beautiful view for the next couple months and I have truly loved sitting there taking it all in. So much so, that I plan to do it again tomorrow afternoon!! I think a few of us are going to a local beach, tomorrow morning. So I'm excited about that! And then we are planning another trip to the Market this weekend...so I'm sure you'll be hearing more on that later.
Until then...here is today's love: the sun and my ipod! (yes i know, slighly ridiculous things...but i haven't listened to music much here so far...and its been killing me! so listening to music + sitting in the sun = pure joy)
-we chart...but not as much as at home; which means we can spend more time with the patients
-we do dressing changes...and we get to be creative with the supplies at hand
-we treat not only the patients...but also the siblings &/or parents (i've had several parents who say they "hurt all over"...so we give them tylenol - i've also had a couple siblings who needed help.....it's kind of an all-for-one practice, if that makes sense)
-the moms/dads who pop their heads out from under the child's bed, to see if they can help you
-getting to know some of the translators and their stories
-becoming friends with patients, who you've actually never had a real conversation with...its so amazing what a smile can do
-the friends and people i've met here so far...from all over the world
So I'm trying to learn some french! And to say its going incredibly awful would be a huge understatement. haha...seriously! It's such a neat language, but its so hard to say the words! Goodness! The other night a translator was trying to teach me a few things...so I kept repeating "my name is sarah....do you have pain", over and over. And can I tell it to you now? Not really. haha... It was quite entertaining though, we were sitting by one of my patients (12yr old boy) and he just kept laughing and laughing! So I kept telling the translator to tell the boy to stop laughing at me (as I was laughing now too)....which then the translator would also just start laughing. ?! You got me. Only in Africa. :)
This afternoon I sat up on Deck 8 (the top) and absolutely LOVED it. The sun, slight breeze, a book and my ipod were soo so much needed. I love water...some of you know that it's actually an obsession of mine. But its just so stinkin' amazing to me! Sitting there this afternoon, listening to my sister's lovely music...while staring out over the ocean.....it was just so peaceful. God has given me a beautiful view for the next couple months and I have truly loved sitting there taking it all in. So much so, that I plan to do it again tomorrow afternoon!! I think a few of us are going to a local beach, tomorrow morning. So I'm excited about that! And then we are planning another trip to the Market this weekend...so I'm sure you'll be hearing more on that later.
Until then...here is today's love: the sun and my ipod! (yes i know, slighly ridiculous things...but i haven't listened to music much here so far...and its been killing me! so listening to music + sitting in the sun = pure joy)
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
It's the little things we take for granted. Yes, we all know this...but do we do anything about it? What can we do about it? At home its the simple things. You're sick...you call the doctor. You're hungry...you eat. A friend of mine (she's from the UK) is an admission nurse here on the ship. She was telling me a story about a 19yr old boy who just traveled 5 days to get to the ship. Completely alone. He ran out of money and food along the way and when he arrived at the ship....he hadn't eaten for 2 days. He said he had to beg for water and thankfully found some hitchhiking rides for the last 2 days, since he had no money for a taxi. All for a simple surgery. Simple for us...but life-changing for him. It's hard. We can't change the world...we can't force the boy's family to accept him...but we can fix his jaw. He had a large tumor removed last year in Benin (where was ship was in 2009) and now its time for a bone graft. By placing the bone graft, we can ensure that the tumor won't return. You know even as I write this, I don't know if I completely allow myself to understand the way people live here. Lome isn't the only place in the world like this...there are situations like this all over the world. Even in the US. It's easy for us to hear the presentations, listen to the stories, see the pictures, go on mission trips, etc...but then we return back to our everday life. We forget about it all. I myself am more guilty of this than anyone...but I'm praying that maybe this trip will change that for me. Maybe I'll start praying more for people around the entire world. Maybe I won't completely forget about these people in 2 months. Maybe I'll start paying more attention to the people around me at home...and offering a little love...
I don't know. We can't change the world...but we can pray. And prayer works people...indeed it does. And we can love those around us. You don't have to come to Africa to love people, goodness gracious...there are plenty of people all around us that need a little love. I guess it just hit me today how thankful I need to be for all that God has given me. It could have been me hitchhiking 5 days for a simple surgery...
Today's love: working 4 night shifts in a row! YES...I'm saying this is a love because I need to stop complaining about it and get over it. Nights are fun, right? That's why I'm going to embrace this weekend...and LOVE working! :)
I don't know. We can't change the world...but we can pray. And prayer works people...indeed it does. And we can love those around us. You don't have to come to Africa to love people, goodness gracious...there are plenty of people all around us that need a little love. I guess it just hit me today how thankful I need to be for all that God has given me. It could have been me hitchhiking 5 days for a simple surgery...
Today's love: working 4 night shifts in a row! YES...I'm saying this is a love because I need to stop complaining about it and get over it. Nights are fun, right? That's why I'm going to embrace this weekend...and LOVE working! :)
Thursday, April 22, 2010
The Ship!
View from Deck 8 (the top) portside
Another view from Deck 8 (portside)
View from Deck 8 of the port...starboard side (yes...i'm learning my ship terminology!)
My room! I have the top bunk. There are 3 little rooms like this in our cabin, all separated by curtains. Ours is actually the largest, because its the far back one!
Street shot of Lome...not the greatest picture, but give me a little slack...it was taken during a taxi ride. :)
Church in the fishing village! The church was destroyed in a big storm...so they've been rebuilding it. On Sunday, they only had 3 walls started. But I heard its a pretty neat place to visit, because each time you go - more of the church has been built. The church was held under all the little colorful flags (in the back...if you can see them).
Cristal Plage! This is a beach area close to ship that we could go to. It was much nicer than I had expected...as you can tell from the picture!
Well, there's a few pictures. I'm going to try and add more later...or maybe just attach a photo album on the side somehow? We'll see! But things are still going well here. I've worked the past few days and have today off. But I get to work nights fri-mon, so that'll be a switch for me! This afternoon a few of us might go to a local hotel to go swimming. You can buy a cheap pass and use their pool, so I'm pretty excited about that! I heard its pretty Western...and not to African...but thats alright. The past couple days at work have been pretty neat. It's amazing how much you can actually communicate to someone without words. I know that sounds shallow...but I just haven't ever been in a situation like this before. A lot of the patients here speak Ewe (pronounced A-Way). I believe that its only spoken here in Togo, Benin and Ghana (the 2 bordering countries to Togo). There are so many different dialects and local languages used around here though...even the translators have a little trouble from time to time. It's just amazing what a simple smile can do. Both for me and for them. There's nothing greater, than when a little child who just had cateracts removed from her eyes...looks at you with her eye shields on..and smiles. Love, love, love it! Yesterday, there was a lady (a patient's Mom) who was trying to teach me french....hmm....for those of you that have heard me trying to speak with accents for the fun of it, you can only imagine how it went...you should have seen her laughing! She would say something...I would repeat it...and she would just laugh and repeat the word again. hahah...whoops! :) I semi-learned how to count to ten though...and can say a few of the body parts (arm, hand, fingers, knee, etc). YEAH!
Here's the thing about the nursing here....nursing is nursing wherever you are. But here, its all done in one room. The patients can reach out and touch another patient, while in bed...if they want. The medications are all within 15 feet of the patients. Oh! And thats another new thing for me here...I got a little spoiled at my last job! haha. But the nurses reconstitute all the medications here. So you get an IV antibiotic...well the nurse mixes it up. I know this is done at other hospitals around the US...I just haven't done it before. That's what we had the Pharmacy for! There is a treatment room down the hall, if you want to take a patient down there for a dressing change. And we pray. We all gather together at the beginning and ending of each shift and pray out loud. Definitely not something I'm used to! It's soo so neat though. Sometimes the translators will pray in their native language, which is really neat!
Alright, I fear I've rambled more than enough for right now. I might post again in a little bit with more pictures though...so get excited. :)
Today's love: figuring out how to upload pictures onto this blog...
Monday, April 19, 2010
So once again...no pictures. My apologies! I'm trying to figure out how to get them onto the computer...because I forgot an adapter to charge my computer with...and I can't seem to get my card to work on the card readers here. ?? Oh-well, I'll figure it out soon!
Things have been good here though! I had the weekend off, which was really nice! I joined a group going to a local orphanage on Saturday morning, which was lots of fun!! We read them a story (I acted as the elephant), sang songs and then just played outside. They had a parachute, soccer balls, balloons, jenga and memory card games. There were about 35 kids there and all were fighting for attention, so it was fun to just be able to play with them!! There is a family here on the ship that goes there every weekend, and they were able to take a few pictures...so hopefully I'll be able to snag a couple of those! The tricky part about photographs here, is that you aren't really supposed to take pictures anywhere. We couldn't take them to the orphange, we can't take pictures in the wards, etc. A camera is a sign of wealth and you have to be careful where you take it out in public! But there are a couple photographers here on the ship that take pictures of the patients, which we have full access to...so hopefully soon, once the patients start healing...I can post some before/after pictures of patients I've taken care of! It's a pretty crazy thing, to see their before picture (with a large tumor on their face/head/neck or a foot turned completely backward)...and then to see them in bed, with a simple gauze dressing or cast. The patients here are so very appreciative and grateful here. I've never heard anyone complain...not that I can understand them anyway, lol...but still - its pretty amazing. Another thing, is how tough they are. These patients have a very high pain-threshold...not that American's don't...its just interesting to see the difference in pain med requirements after surgery here, compared to at home. I've noticed a few other difference in the nursing too...like how much we waste at home. There's a small supply of stuff here, so its pretty amazing how resourceful they are! They re-use lots of stuff...for example, they wash/re-use med cups (you know...the little plastic cup that the nurses bring medications in with). At home I would go through tons of those in one shift...but here, they just wash/re-use. Crazy! It's also interesting the different terms that other countries use for things...for example, in the UK - vital signs are called obs. Anyway, this paragraph has enough rambling for now...but its been fun to hear about how nursing is done all over the world!
So to continue with the weekend...Saturday afternoon, a group of us went to a little African Artisan Village (an art market). It was sweet! There are two markets here in town (that I know of), this one...and the 'big one'. I guess the big one, is your typical crazy market, where people hassle you to buy their things, follow you around, etc. But this one a little more laid back...and the prices are pretty set. My problem was trying to decide what I want to bring back for people!! There were several things I fell in love with...so I'm going to have to decide on just a couple favorites. :)
Yesterday, I went to a local church in the fishing village thats pretty close to the ship (~10mins). It was really neat....really, really HOT and slightly long...but really neat! They do so much dancing with their worship! It looks like quite the workout! But it was really neat to see how see a different form of church/worship. The speaker was from Benin (a bordering country to Togo) and spoke a great message, so that was nice! However, it was kinda funny....because at the beginning the pastor made the Africans all give us their seats in front. He said "you guys have different skin...skin that changes...we don't....so you sit in the shade...we'll sit in the sun". haha...I just loved that he said you have skin that changes (i.e. sunburn central...). Anyway, then in the afternoon we went to the beach nearby! It was really fun! The water is so warm and you know me...I love to swim!! So I definitely will not be passing up any opportunity to go. Overall, it was a great weekend! It was so nice to be able to get off the ship and see some of Lome!!
The nursing and life on a ship has been going well. My roommates are all extremely nice! Well, actually...everyone on the ship has been super nice!! Which makes a huge difference. I don't remember if I've written about the ship life or not yet. But I'm in a 6-person cabin (sharing a small amt of space with lots of people is definitely not a problem for me)! haha! You can only take 2 min showers, d/t limited amt of water here - which has actually gone quite well! I was worried at first, but its not really that bad. The food has been really good, which is another blessing! And there are lots of random little meetings/devotions you can go to if you want. Oh! And there's a starbucks on the ship too (everything is super cheap)! I'm not a huge coffee fan...but I just found out that they have a popcorn maker too!!! Which absolutely made my day...beyond words actually. :)
Well, if you're still reading at this point...pat yourself on the back. This was a rather looong post. But there's so much more I feel I could write about!! I'll try and space it out...maybe write again tomorrow. Hope all is going well for you!
Today's love: having a little girl come wrap her arms around me at work today...
Things have been good here though! I had the weekend off, which was really nice! I joined a group going to a local orphanage on Saturday morning, which was lots of fun!! We read them a story (I acted as the elephant), sang songs and then just played outside. They had a parachute, soccer balls, balloons, jenga and memory card games. There were about 35 kids there and all were fighting for attention, so it was fun to just be able to play with them!! There is a family here on the ship that goes there every weekend, and they were able to take a few pictures...so hopefully I'll be able to snag a couple of those! The tricky part about photographs here, is that you aren't really supposed to take pictures anywhere. We couldn't take them to the orphange, we can't take pictures in the wards, etc. A camera is a sign of wealth and you have to be careful where you take it out in public! But there are a couple photographers here on the ship that take pictures of the patients, which we have full access to...so hopefully soon, once the patients start healing...I can post some before/after pictures of patients I've taken care of! It's a pretty crazy thing, to see their before picture (with a large tumor on their face/head/neck or a foot turned completely backward)...and then to see them in bed, with a simple gauze dressing or cast. The patients here are so very appreciative and grateful here. I've never heard anyone complain...not that I can understand them anyway, lol...but still - its pretty amazing. Another thing, is how tough they are. These patients have a very high pain-threshold...not that American's don't...its just interesting to see the difference in pain med requirements after surgery here, compared to at home. I've noticed a few other difference in the nursing too...like how much we waste at home. There's a small supply of stuff here, so its pretty amazing how resourceful they are! They re-use lots of stuff...for example, they wash/re-use med cups (you know...the little plastic cup that the nurses bring medications in with). At home I would go through tons of those in one shift...but here, they just wash/re-use. Crazy! It's also interesting the different terms that other countries use for things...for example, in the UK - vital signs are called obs. Anyway, this paragraph has enough rambling for now...but its been fun to hear about how nursing is done all over the world!
So to continue with the weekend...Saturday afternoon, a group of us went to a little African Artisan Village (an art market). It was sweet! There are two markets here in town (that I know of), this one...and the 'big one'. I guess the big one, is your typical crazy market, where people hassle you to buy their things, follow you around, etc. But this one a little more laid back...and the prices are pretty set. My problem was trying to decide what I want to bring back for people!! There were several things I fell in love with...so I'm going to have to decide on just a couple favorites. :)
Yesterday, I went to a local church in the fishing village thats pretty close to the ship (~10mins). It was really neat....really, really HOT and slightly long...but really neat! They do so much dancing with their worship! It looks like quite the workout! But it was really neat to see how see a different form of church/worship. The speaker was from Benin (a bordering country to Togo) and spoke a great message, so that was nice! However, it was kinda funny....because at the beginning the pastor made the Africans all give us their seats in front. He said "you guys have different skin...skin that changes...we don't....so you sit in the shade...we'll sit in the sun". haha...I just loved that he said you have skin that changes (i.e. sunburn central...). Anyway, then in the afternoon we went to the beach nearby! It was really fun! The water is so warm and you know me...I love to swim!! So I definitely will not be passing up any opportunity to go. Overall, it was a great weekend! It was so nice to be able to get off the ship and see some of Lome!!
The nursing and life on a ship has been going well. My roommates are all extremely nice! Well, actually...everyone on the ship has been super nice!! Which makes a huge difference. I don't remember if I've written about the ship life or not yet. But I'm in a 6-person cabin (sharing a small amt of space with lots of people is definitely not a problem for me)! haha! You can only take 2 min showers, d/t limited amt of water here - which has actually gone quite well! I was worried at first, but its not really that bad. The food has been really good, which is another blessing! And there are lots of random little meetings/devotions you can go to if you want. Oh! And there's a starbucks on the ship too (everything is super cheap)! I'm not a huge coffee fan...but I just found out that they have a popcorn maker too!!! Which absolutely made my day...beyond words actually. :)
Well, if you're still reading at this point...pat yourself on the back. This was a rather looong post. But there's so much more I feel I could write about!! I'll try and space it out...maybe write again tomorrow. Hope all is going well for you!
Today's love: having a little girl come wrap her arms around me at work today...
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Lots of love
I promise I'll try and post pictures soon! But until then...you're stuck with words. Again. :)
The past couple days have gone really well! Today was my first day of work, on my own. I had forgotten about the feeling when you first start something new like that. I remember my first day alone at Mayo thinking, they seriously are going to let me take care of these patients on my own?! haha...but just as it went ok then, it went great today. The nursing is so different that at home, but I'll explain that in another post. Today was a little slower, which left time for awesomeness to occur. I spent my day coloring, painting little girl's nails, and listening to African praise music...all the same room. There are 4 wards, but only 3 are open right now. There are 20 beds in the ward I was in today...10 beds on each side of the room (i'll try and get a pic of an empty room). So everyone sees/hears everything of everyone else. Today I was with the orthopedic patients, all kids who've had their legs straightened out. I'll try and post some before/after pics, its pretty neat! So picture a room full of casted legged children sitting on their beds...caregivers/parents laying under the bed (on a mattress) or at the bedside...nurses...translators...all joined to together to sing and dance. In the middle of the day! It's pretty unbelievable!! One of the translators was playing the drums too! I, of course, can't understand a single word they are saying...except for the occasional hallelujah! But the joy and passion behind their worship is pretty moving, and you can't help but smile as you watch them praise our great and wonderful God!! And even though this may be shocking for some of you...I even had a few little kids laughing at my attempt to dance. Yes, even in Africa, my dancing is still laughed at. But its ok! They smile and they laugh...I smile and I laugh...and all is well!
In the afternoon, sometimes the nurses will take patients up to deck 7 of the ship (there are 8 decks), to get some sunshine and to play. Yesterday, we had quite a crew! There were about 30 Africans, complete with multi-colored outfits and 7 or so nurses. The kids were kinda playing around, when one of the translators started singing praise music. Again, it was amazing. I'm not a writer, by any means...so I'm finding it hard to describe what this is even like. But I can indeed tell you, that I'm loving it! Getting to know the kids and see their smiles is incredible...and even though we can't speak the same language....we can all show/share love. Something that you don't need a language to define.
More later...until then, I forgot to list a 'love' last time I wrote...so you get 2 today. :)
Tuesday's love: hearing ALL types of accents around me, all day long. Love, love, LOVE it!!!
Today's love: updating this blog...with a view of the ocean. Amazing.
The past couple days have gone really well! Today was my first day of work, on my own. I had forgotten about the feeling when you first start something new like that. I remember my first day alone at Mayo thinking, they seriously are going to let me take care of these patients on my own?! haha...but just as it went ok then, it went great today. The nursing is so different that at home, but I'll explain that in another post. Today was a little slower, which left time for awesomeness to occur. I spent my day coloring, painting little girl's nails, and listening to African praise music...all the same room. There are 4 wards, but only 3 are open right now. There are 20 beds in the ward I was in today...10 beds on each side of the room (i'll try and get a pic of an empty room). So everyone sees/hears everything of everyone else. Today I was with the orthopedic patients, all kids who've had their legs straightened out. I'll try and post some before/after pics, its pretty neat! So picture a room full of casted legged children sitting on their beds...caregivers/parents laying under the bed (on a mattress) or at the bedside...nurses...translators...all joined to together to sing and dance. In the middle of the day! It's pretty unbelievable!! One of the translators was playing the drums too! I, of course, can't understand a single word they are saying...except for the occasional hallelujah! But the joy and passion behind their worship is pretty moving, and you can't help but smile as you watch them praise our great and wonderful God!! And even though this may be shocking for some of you...I even had a few little kids laughing at my attempt to dance. Yes, even in Africa, my dancing is still laughed at. But its ok! They smile and they laugh...I smile and I laugh...and all is well!
In the afternoon, sometimes the nurses will take patients up to deck 7 of the ship (there are 8 decks), to get some sunshine and to play. Yesterday, we had quite a crew! There were about 30 Africans, complete with multi-colored outfits and 7 or so nurses. The kids were kinda playing around, when one of the translators started singing praise music. Again, it was amazing. I'm not a writer, by any means...so I'm finding it hard to describe what this is even like. But I can indeed tell you, that I'm loving it! Getting to know the kids and see their smiles is incredible...and even though we can't speak the same language....we can all show/share love. Something that you don't need a language to define.
More later...until then, I forgot to list a 'love' last time I wrote...so you get 2 today. :)
Tuesday's love: hearing ALL types of accents around me, all day long. Love, love, LOVE it!!!
Today's love: updating this blog...with a view of the ocean. Amazing.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
High-Fives Rock
I had my first shift on the ward today! Today and tomorrow are orientation days...then thursday and friday, I'm on my own. Yikes.... It went alright though!! There's a lot I've forgotten about pediatric nursing (from nrsg school), so that part could be interesting. But all the translators and nurses are amazingly nice, so thats a blessing! Plus my day ended, with a little 4yr old girl giving me a high-five...does it get much better than that?
I'm going to run up to the top deck with a friend and hopefully get some pictures of the view, so I can post them on here! I'll update again later tonight or tomorrow...
I'm going to run up to the top deck with a friend and hopefully get some pictures of the view, so I can post them on here! I'll update again later tonight or tomorrow...
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Under African Skies
So I offically made it here! The trip was rather uneventful, which was a blessing. I have decided though, that the CDG Airport in Paris is completely crazy and insane! But at least my bag made it...so I'm not going to complain. :)
It was dark when we got here, so I didnt get to see much of the city. The ship is only 15mins from the airport...but the entire way back, the streets were lined with people selling things out of the back of trucks...lots of random little fires...it was kinda like a never-ending party along both sides of the street. My friend Lindsay said that a lot of the time, they take naps in the afternoon because its so hot...then they stay up later at night. Anyway, I'm in a 6 person cabin and theres another new nurse that arrived the same time as me, in my room too. So that'll be nice! I think the next few days are orientations for the ward and for the ship...so hopefully I can figure out where I'm supposed to be!
Today's love: Knowing I have people praying for me, this trip, and for Mercy Ships....AND seeing my bag in arrive in Lome.
It was dark when we got here, so I didnt get to see much of the city. The ship is only 15mins from the airport...but the entire way back, the streets were lined with people selling things out of the back of trucks...lots of random little fires...it was kinda like a never-ending party along both sides of the street. My friend Lindsay said that a lot of the time, they take naps in the afternoon because its so hot...then they stay up later at night. Anyway, I'm in a 6 person cabin and theres another new nurse that arrived the same time as me, in my room too. So that'll be nice! I think the next few days are orientations for the ward and for the ship...so hopefully I can figure out where I'm supposed to be!
Today's love: Knowing I have people praying for me, this trip, and for Mercy Ships....AND seeing my bag in arrive in Lome.
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