June 7th, 2018 by pamelaparker

This is the epitome of a tweet-like blog. Like, who really might care. But anyone reading this who want to know what a typical day is like – here you go. Alarm goes off at 0650. Crawl out from under the mosquito netting, morning ablutions, breakfast (with fresh milk delivered by a milk man on a motorcycle) and then off to pre-round on the L&D unit. If nothing is going on, at 0810 to 0900 is morning prayers. Each day is different, and each day is the same. We start with a number of songs/hymns. I don’t know any of them, but if they ever decide to sing Amazing Grace I will be all over that one. There is someone leading the song, and either someone playing the guitar or an electric keyboard. Most of the songs are in English or part English part Lungandan. Then there is a homily that can be given by nearly anyone, including the pastor of the hospital or one of the doctors. It usually has something to do with uplifting everyone in preparation for the coming day. At 0900 we head back to the Women’s section and do postop or antenatal rounds. If there are surgeries cesareans, D&C, we divide and conquer. The midwives take the laboring patients but when anything needs higher level of care it comes to the docs. Wednesday is clinic day. The hours are supposed to be in the morning but if there has been rain the night before and the roads are bad, the women may show up at any time. Lunch is around 1300. A delicious lunch is prepared by Winnie and/or Rose. Talk about being spoiled. We then return to the Wards to see if there is anything going on. The call team takes over at 1700. The folks on call are interns or residents but are expected to cover the whole hospital, so there may be an intern expected to do a cesarean!! And then admit a baby and then someone with cancer, burns or malaria.They are really multi-talented. Sometime in the evening it is dinner – usually warm up whatever was for lunch, shower (don’t forget, always cold water), Blog/journal/reading time, and then back under the net. We hope each night that megaphone man doesn’t decide to start hollering too late or too early AND most importantly we hope the annoying loud base from wherever is not on that night. Sleep and then start again in the morning….

Milk delivery & a warning

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Mosquito net – Anopheles mosquitoes be deterred!!