Matt again. Below are probably the final two emails from the group in Kenya. Alicia gets back Wednesday night at 5:00 PM and will be adding pictures and probably some more commentary to the web site after she gets back. So, check back this weekend and there might be lots to look at!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at about 5:30 PM
Dear Folks,
This week has gotten more exciting as it has gone along. Bear with the medical stuff for a minute… When we arrived at the clinic yesterday a man in the final stages of AIDS was waiting for us; we could not do much more than give him fluids and watch while his friend tried to find a way to get him back home. He ended up lying down on the ground to wait and we just worked around him. Later we saw a boy in sickle cell crisis (kudos to Mildred for picking that up); his heart was beating so hard and fast his entire body vibrated. We treated him with medication and IV fluids and sent him to the hospital using the only form of transportation available – motorcycle (piki piki in Swahili). We also sent a patient with a potentially broken hip on the motorcycle to the hospital for an x-ray. Be thankful for 911, ambulances and narcotics.
Today a beautiful thirty-something woman came in with a huge mushroom-like tumor that has replaced one eyeball; we are asking that she be seen in Nairobi and trying to help her get the care she needs. Later a six-week old infant came to the clinic with grandma because mom died giving birth and dad is working out of town (permanently, it seems). She cannot afford to buy milk so is feeding the baby porridge (not the ideal diet for an infant with the result being severe diarrhea and malnutrition). This baby was and maybe still is going to die without intervention. We sent a runner for a container of cow’s milk from the village which the baby took with a syringe and a finger in her mouth to stimulate the sucking reflex. She looked a lot perkier when she left; we hope to see her again tomorrow and purchased baby bottles and formula at the Nakumart just in case.
Last night we ate dinner on the shores of Lake Victoria not far from Hippo Point. The restaurant was reminiscent of a classic “out of Africa” setting with long cloth-covered tables in a high-ceilinged room and cool tile floors. We ate outdoors on the covered patio at tables set for us, watching the sunset, relaxing and enjoying the breeze, the scenery and each others’ company.
We have one more clinic day tomorrow and Friday off to tidy up, pack and prepare to leave Kisumu for home or safari. Tomorrow night we are honoring our hard-working local interpreters with a party by the hotel pool. The time that seemed like it would never end is almost gone and now seems too short – there is so much here that needs to be done and just not enough resources to go around. We hope to have made at least a small difference.
More to come on Friday, but that will be the last email of the trip (there is no reliable internet on the Masai Mara) until we get ready to leave Nairobi on Tuesday.
Hugs from all of us at SHARE Kenya 2009.
And the second email:
Friday, December 11, 2009 at 6:00 PM
Dear Friends and Family,
Our last clinic day was a fast and furious one. We saw about 350 patients with the usually unusual variety of illnesses. Then we cleaned up the clinic spaces as quickly as possible and jumped back on the bus for the last hot, dusty ride back to the hotel. Our party for the interpreters was not impaired by the big thunderstorm that rolled through – we celebrated in the storm with gifts and stories and dancing (although the barbeque was pretty damp).
Today most of us ran around to do last –minute shopping; some had fresh tilapia with Dr. Bonz lakeside and some went to the equator and some did both!
The safari company is here now and our luggage is being gathered up to go on ahead to Nairobi. We’re off to enjoy some well-deserved play time.
Love to all – can’t wait to see you in person!
SHARE Kenya 2009