So today I met with Fernanda, the Mozambican nurse we were considering hiring to help us in the Baby House. She showed up here with her sister, who is also a nurse with pediatric experience! They both were very keen to work for us and help in any capacity we needed. So it has been decided that we will hire them for a trial period of 3 months. They will be covering afternoons in the Baby House...Fernanda working when she can between days at the hospital...and Ana (her sister) working the other afternoons Monday-Friday!
We certainly have our work cut out for us as a medical team. We now have 2 women to train. I don't think for one minute it won't be complicated. I don't think for one minute that we won't run into at least a few issues. But I'm encouraged. I'm excited about what this means for the future. I'm excited to have another two lives we are able to pour in to. These two woman happily talked with our babies today, they very politely introduced themselves to our tias (the women who care for the children), they left telling me how excited they were to learn from us and figure out what this new job entails.
I'm still nervous...I'm still a bit timid to take this on...but I'm encouraged!
Please pray for me, the other Western nurses that will be sharing in training them up, and these two nurses...Ana and Fernanda...that God's wisdom would shine through and that these two women will fit into out team with ease!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
A Relaxing Run...NOT!
#1- I actually left the Baby House at a decent hour last night. We do have a few kids who are sick...but nothing like the last few weeks! Praise Jesus for His healing and for happy playful babies again!
So, I got home and even had a discussion about how it felt like it was really late because I had gotten home so much earlier than the last few weeks. Anyway, Rebecca (another nurse and one of my roommates) and I decided to go running. There was a bit of thunder we could hear in the distance and after we actually got motivated, let our food settle, and were dressed and ready to go it had started to drizzle. We laughed and decided we'd still give it a shot. Well as we got down to the field the heavens broke open and it started POURING! The lightning was getting closer, the thunder getting louder, but we started running anyway. I made it 5 laps and saw another person walking toward me with Rebecca. I realized it was Maria (a young lady who works in our reception office). She lives back behind the center and does come running sometimes...so I thought oh awesome...she's here to go running with us. As I got closer I realized she looked quite frazzled and upset about something. When I got to her she started telling me about a sick woman (the aunt of a girl who lives on the center) who had come by Maria's house on her way up to the main road. They had sent Maria ahead to try and find help while two other women helped this woman continue her walk through the community. So we walked toward the gate...soaking wet...but ready to help in any way we could. I told Maria we couldn't leave the center to go find this woman but when she arrived we would see what we could do.
Turns out she was already right outside the gate. Our guards let her in so we could figure out what was going on and see what we could do. After getting the whole story we decide it was best for her to go to the hospital. She already had a file open at a certain hospital so it was agreed (while the thunder is booming and the lightning striking all around us) that we would do our best to get her there as quickly as possible. So I start the frantic calling of drivers to see who could bring her into the city. Driver #1 had just left to bring some other young ladies home who finished worship practice and couldn't make it home in the storm on their own. Driver #2 was unreachable because our cellphone service went down...not unusual in a simple rain storm not to mention the major thunderstorm we had last night. During all of this the power is going on and off, the thunder continues to boom, and this woman is now laying on a bench right inside our gate in extreme pain. Finally, I decide I'll just go get the keys to our only automatic car (I seriously need to learn how to drive a manual...it's getting ridiculous) and take her in myself. There is discussions at this point of who will hold the on call phone I'm in charge of (because I really shouldn't be leaving the base since I'm on call for everyone here)...Rebecca will take that. Then we discuss that I shouldn't really be going out on my own in this storm without anyone to return with me. That is solved when Maria agrees to go with me...she speaks quite a bit of English, knows the roads well, and we already know each other quite well.
So at this point I leave Rebecca with the ladies at the gate...make a run for it through the rain...after taking Rebecca's keys to open our house...grab my purse...and head to the clinic to get the car keys. In the mean time I call our interim directors really quickly to make sure they know where I'm going and why. Now that it is around 9:00pm I thought they should probably know what was going on and who I'll be with. I answer all their questions and then make a run for it for the clinic...again through the POURING down rain.
In the clinic one of our Mozambican nurses is working on call...so I have to explain everything to her. She just stands there in shock that I'm going to drive this woman in this storm. I tell her when we get back I'll bring the keys back because they will need them early in the morning to bring kids to their medical consults. She says ok and once again I take off running through the rain. At this point I am SOAKED...and it doesn't hit me at this moment but later on I realize...why didn't I at least grab a capalana (the fabric they use for almost everything from carrying their babies around to a skirt)...instead I'm wearing leggings and a t-shirt that are now wet to the point of being able to ring them out. I would NEVER wear leggings except when running here...and this hits me about 30 minutes later when I'm sitting in the car outside the hospital.
Anyway, in all this time of me running around through the rain, calling everyone under the sun, collecting the car keys, maneuvering the car out of its blocked in position, dealing with the fogged up windshield, and finally getting back up the gate...Rebecca is experiencing the craziness of Moz down at the gate. The sick woman is laying on the bench, thunder is booming all around, lightning appears to be striking in every direction, and this woman is bleeding...and they are using a plate to catch rain water to wash her blood off the side walk. It is in situations like this that I wonder how anyone survives here...a stark reality.
Well, finally I arrive at the gate and collect all my passengers. Somewhere these women have found a big piece of plastic to lay over the seat to keep the car clean...ingenious! Maria jumps in the passenger's seat and we are finally off. At one point we encounter a large truck that is blocking the entire road...but make it past. Then when we have made it to the city and are trying to turn into the hospital there are two COWS in the road. That is right...COWS! And one poor guy that is trying to herd them out of the oncoming traffic. Even Maria was laughing at this point!
Next we get to the hospital...all the ladies (Maria and the 2 others who have come to "help" the sick one) jump out of the car to try and figure out what we need to do. At this point I am left in the car and it hits me...I have on LEGGINGS...seriously?!
***Side note...here in Moz I don't let my knees show needless to say wear skin tight leggings with a t-shirt around. And the clothes (leggings and a t-shirt) I do have on are still SOAKED so they are plastered to my body...completely inappropriate...hence me refusing to leave the car.***
Which was all fine and dandy until about 10 minutes later when I find myself in the car alone waiting for Maria to come back out so we can head back. I thought...ok...I'll give her 20 minutes and then I'll try and call her phone. About 15 minutes into the wait I realize her phone is sitting on the dash...I said a little prayer that I wouldn't be sitting there all night and that I wouldn't have to go into the hospital in my leggings. And...Maria came out within the next few minutes, reported that this woman had been admitted and would be spending the night, and we were on our merry way. The rain had stopped and we made it back to the center in record time. I did have to drive back behind the center into the community (on dirt roads) to drop Maria off. All was fine on the way in...then Maria assured me I could take another road (think sandy path) back out to the main road where our center is because of the rain storm it would be just fine. Well, I did make it...but I wouldn't say it was just fine. The tires were spinning, the sand pulling me every directions except straight...but Maria was right...I made it!
So I pull into the center, thank the guards profusely for all their help, and put the car back where it belongs. It is at this point that I realize I never gave Rebecca her keys back...SERIOUSLY!? I've been gone about 2 hours and she has been locked out of our house in this storm. Sad. So I quickly return the keys to the clinic and get back to our house. I walk in to find Clara, our other roommate, home but no Rebecca. 2 seconds later she walks through the door to my..."Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry, I had no idea I had taken your keys!" She had spent the time with some other missionaries because I had so nicely locked her out of our house...oops!
So why have I shared this long, crazy story with you? Because this is Mozambique...this is my life. Planning to go for a relaxing run and 20 minutes later finding yourself driving a sick woman to the hospital because it is the middle of a thunderstorm and no public transportation is running and no cellphone service is working. Some days I wonder why I am seldom surprised by much anymore, but I firmly believe it's because I have grown accustom to the sheer unpredictable nature of this place.
So, I got home and even had a discussion about how it felt like it was really late because I had gotten home so much earlier than the last few weeks. Anyway, Rebecca (another nurse and one of my roommates) and I decided to go running. There was a bit of thunder we could hear in the distance and after we actually got motivated, let our food settle, and were dressed and ready to go it had started to drizzle. We laughed and decided we'd still give it a shot. Well as we got down to the field the heavens broke open and it started POURING! The lightning was getting closer, the thunder getting louder, but we started running anyway. I made it 5 laps and saw another person walking toward me with Rebecca. I realized it was Maria (a young lady who works in our reception office). She lives back behind the center and does come running sometimes...so I thought oh awesome...she's here to go running with us. As I got closer I realized she looked quite frazzled and upset about something. When I got to her she started telling me about a sick woman (the aunt of a girl who lives on the center) who had come by Maria's house on her way up to the main road. They had sent Maria ahead to try and find help while two other women helped this woman continue her walk through the community. So we walked toward the gate...soaking wet...but ready to help in any way we could. I told Maria we couldn't leave the center to go find this woman but when she arrived we would see what we could do.
Turns out she was already right outside the gate. Our guards let her in so we could figure out what was going on and see what we could do. After getting the whole story we decide it was best for her to go to the hospital. She already had a file open at a certain hospital so it was agreed (while the thunder is booming and the lightning striking all around us) that we would do our best to get her there as quickly as possible. So I start the frantic calling of drivers to see who could bring her into the city. Driver #1 had just left to bring some other young ladies home who finished worship practice and couldn't make it home in the storm on their own. Driver #2 was unreachable because our cellphone service went down...not unusual in a simple rain storm not to mention the major thunderstorm we had last night. During all of this the power is going on and off, the thunder continues to boom, and this woman is now laying on a bench right inside our gate in extreme pain. Finally, I decide I'll just go get the keys to our only automatic car (I seriously need to learn how to drive a manual...it's getting ridiculous) and take her in myself. There is discussions at this point of who will hold the on call phone I'm in charge of (because I really shouldn't be leaving the base since I'm on call for everyone here)...Rebecca will take that. Then we discuss that I shouldn't really be going out on my own in this storm without anyone to return with me. That is solved when Maria agrees to go with me...she speaks quite a bit of English, knows the roads well, and we already know each other quite well.
So at this point I leave Rebecca with the ladies at the gate...make a run for it through the rain...after taking Rebecca's keys to open our house...grab my purse...and head to the clinic to get the car keys. In the mean time I call our interim directors really quickly to make sure they know where I'm going and why. Now that it is around 9:00pm I thought they should probably know what was going on and who I'll be with. I answer all their questions and then make a run for it for the clinic...again through the POURING down rain.
In the clinic one of our Mozambican nurses is working on call...so I have to explain everything to her. She just stands there in shock that I'm going to drive this woman in this storm. I tell her when we get back I'll bring the keys back because they will need them early in the morning to bring kids to their medical consults. She says ok and once again I take off running through the rain. At this point I am SOAKED...and it doesn't hit me at this moment but later on I realize...why didn't I at least grab a capalana (the fabric they use for almost everything from carrying their babies around to a skirt)...instead I'm wearing leggings and a t-shirt that are now wet to the point of being able to ring them out. I would NEVER wear leggings except when running here...and this hits me about 30 minutes later when I'm sitting in the car outside the hospital.
Anyway, in all this time of me running around through the rain, calling everyone under the sun, collecting the car keys, maneuvering the car out of its blocked in position, dealing with the fogged up windshield, and finally getting back up the gate...Rebecca is experiencing the craziness of Moz down at the gate. The sick woman is laying on the bench, thunder is booming all around, lightning appears to be striking in every direction, and this woman is bleeding...and they are using a plate to catch rain water to wash her blood off the side walk. It is in situations like this that I wonder how anyone survives here...a stark reality.
Well, finally I arrive at the gate and collect all my passengers. Somewhere these women have found a big piece of plastic to lay over the seat to keep the car clean...ingenious! Maria jumps in the passenger's seat and we are finally off. At one point we encounter a large truck that is blocking the entire road...but make it past. Then when we have made it to the city and are trying to turn into the hospital there are two COWS in the road. That is right...COWS! And one poor guy that is trying to herd them out of the oncoming traffic. Even Maria was laughing at this point!
Next we get to the hospital...all the ladies (Maria and the 2 others who have come to "help" the sick one) jump out of the car to try and figure out what we need to do. At this point I am left in the car and it hits me...I have on LEGGINGS...seriously?!
***Side note...here in Moz I don't let my knees show needless to say wear skin tight leggings with a t-shirt around. And the clothes (leggings and a t-shirt) I do have on are still SOAKED so they are plastered to my body...completely inappropriate...hence me refusing to leave the car.***
Which was all fine and dandy until about 10 minutes later when I find myself in the car alone waiting for Maria to come back out so we can head back. I thought...ok...I'll give her 20 minutes and then I'll try and call her phone. About 15 minutes into the wait I realize her phone is sitting on the dash...I said a little prayer that I wouldn't be sitting there all night and that I wouldn't have to go into the hospital in my leggings. And...Maria came out within the next few minutes, reported that this woman had been admitted and would be spending the night, and we were on our merry way. The rain had stopped and we made it back to the center in record time. I did have to drive back behind the center into the community (on dirt roads) to drop Maria off. All was fine on the way in...then Maria assured me I could take another road (think sandy path) back out to the main road where our center is because of the rain storm it would be just fine. Well, I did make it...but I wouldn't say it was just fine. The tires were spinning, the sand pulling me every directions except straight...but Maria was right...I made it!
So I pull into the center, thank the guards profusely for all their help, and put the car back where it belongs. It is at this point that I realize I never gave Rebecca her keys back...SERIOUSLY!? I've been gone about 2 hours and she has been locked out of our house in this storm. Sad. So I quickly return the keys to the clinic and get back to our house. I walk in to find Clara, our other roommate, home but no Rebecca. 2 seconds later she walks through the door to my..."Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry, I had no idea I had taken your keys!" She had spent the time with some other missionaries because I had so nicely locked her out of our house...oops!
So why have I shared this long, crazy story with you? Because this is Mozambique...this is my life. Planning to go for a relaxing run and 20 minutes later finding yourself driving a sick woman to the hospital because it is the middle of a thunderstorm and no public transportation is running and no cellphone service is working. Some days I wonder why I am seldom surprised by much anymore, but I firmly believe it's because I have grown accustom to the sheer unpredictable nature of this place.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
And the Adventures Continue...So Keep the Prayers Coming!
So I'm not the best blogger these days. Sorry about that. Just keep in mind that when I say I will keep you updated and you don't hear from me it's because I'm SUPER busy not because I don't want to keep you updated...just keep the prayers coming. I've sat down to write this update several times and gotten no where...my last attempt was Friday night so I'll start there...
I cannot believe it is Friday night...where has the week gone? Oh right...I have worked, worked, and done some more work. As the title says...the adventures of sickness have continued. I'm getting frustrated at this point because it seems no matter what we do at least a few little ones are staying sick. (Keep reading...things have improved!) Here's a little update:
#1- I am WELL! Praise Jesus I'm not stuck in my house with a fever anymore. It took until about Monday afternoon for me to be feeling myself again but at least now I'm back in the mix of nurses helping out with all the craziness.
#2- Shelton is home from the hospital! He came home Monday afternoon. I guess this is a good thing. He is still not himself and none of his symptoms seem to have improved. We are still changing dosing on some of his medication and are hopeful this is the clue to getting our adorable Shelton back. For the moment, I'd love your continued prayers for wisdom for us as well as for healing for Shelton.
#3- The Bercario's (nursery's) diarrhea seems to have subsided. I can't remember if I even wrote about this...but the entire bercario has been battling diarrhea for weeks...seriously over a month. A week or so ago I got fed up and decided to treat everyone at the same time...babies, ladies who work there, the cleaners...the whole lot. A few babes have continued to have issues on and off but on a whole they are finally better!
#4- The Baby House...as of tonight almost everyone is WELL!!!!! Praise God!!!! Two little girls went with Tracey (the amazing missionary who runs the Baby House) to the city for blood work yesterday. At least we know without a doubt they don't have malaria. One of them is looking better each day and the other made it through the last 24 hours without a fever...so that's an improvement. I'll take it! We are still battling a few things...and I'd love your prayers for little Lucia who is just miserable and in pain...but finally it seems the cycle of very high fevers and constant sickness has been broken! Praise God!
As I've said, we are relatively short-staffed at the moment...and in 4 weeks will lose another nurse (the one who is visiting for 2 months). I would really appreciate your prayers...for wellness across the center, for wisdom, for guidance, for unity, for the presence of the Lord to overwhelm us all in this time, for discouragement to leave and encouragement to replace it, for a sense of God's sovereign hand over everything we are doing!
And last but certainly not least...we are seriously considering hiring another Mozambican nurse to work some afternoons in the Baby House. Her name is Fernanda and at the moment she works at Hospital Central on a pediatric respiratory floor. This is an exciting concept and something that could change the work load for everyone in the long run. There are so many little tasks that we as Western nurses who are here 24 hours a day end up doing that could just as easily be done by a trained Mozambican nurse. And this means one of us would not need to be in the Baby House giving out medications every night because Fernanda could do that as well. As exciting as this is in the long-run, I have shed many a tears over it as well. Because with our current shortage in medical staff, I'm the only one here who really has the ability to take on training up a new nurse in the Baby House. This concept has brought my stress level to almost unbearable...but I have prayed, I have asked for wisdom, I have asked for strategies...and I'm coping...barely, but I'm coping. All of that to say Fernanda will be coming to the center tomorrow to sit down with me and her Hospital Central schedule. I really do pray that God makes it abundantly clear how He wants her to fit into our schedule, and I am able to articulate that to her. Please pray for me, Fernanda, Aurora (our current Mozambican nurse who is an absolute dream to work with...but who will be on holidays for the month of April), and all our medical staff as we adjust and cope with yet another change!
Thanks for always praying! Prayers are what keep me going many days!
I cannot believe it is Friday night...where has the week gone? Oh right...I have worked, worked, and done some more work. As the title says...the adventures of sickness have continued. I'm getting frustrated at this point because it seems no matter what we do at least a few little ones are staying sick. (Keep reading...things have improved!) Here's a little update:
#1- I am WELL! Praise Jesus I'm not stuck in my house with a fever anymore. It took until about Monday afternoon for me to be feeling myself again but at least now I'm back in the mix of nurses helping out with all the craziness.
#2- Shelton is home from the hospital! He came home Monday afternoon. I guess this is a good thing. He is still not himself and none of his symptoms seem to have improved. We are still changing dosing on some of his medication and are hopeful this is the clue to getting our adorable Shelton back. For the moment, I'd love your continued prayers for wisdom for us as well as for healing for Shelton.
#3- The Bercario's (nursery's) diarrhea seems to have subsided. I can't remember if I even wrote about this...but the entire bercario has been battling diarrhea for weeks...seriously over a month. A week or so ago I got fed up and decided to treat everyone at the same time...babies, ladies who work there, the cleaners...the whole lot. A few babes have continued to have issues on and off but on a whole they are finally better!
#4- The Baby House...as of tonight almost everyone is WELL!!!!! Praise God!!!! Two little girls went with Tracey (the amazing missionary who runs the Baby House) to the city for blood work yesterday. At least we know without a doubt they don't have malaria. One of them is looking better each day and the other made it through the last 24 hours without a fever...so that's an improvement. I'll take it! We are still battling a few things...and I'd love your prayers for little Lucia who is just miserable and in pain...but finally it seems the cycle of very high fevers and constant sickness has been broken! Praise God!
As I've said, we are relatively short-staffed at the moment...and in 4 weeks will lose another nurse (the one who is visiting for 2 months). I would really appreciate your prayers...for wellness across the center, for wisdom, for guidance, for unity, for the presence of the Lord to overwhelm us all in this time, for discouragement to leave and encouragement to replace it, for a sense of God's sovereign hand over everything we are doing!
And last but certainly not least...we are seriously considering hiring another Mozambican nurse to work some afternoons in the Baby House. Her name is Fernanda and at the moment she works at Hospital Central on a pediatric respiratory floor. This is an exciting concept and something that could change the work load for everyone in the long run. There are so many little tasks that we as Western nurses who are here 24 hours a day end up doing that could just as easily be done by a trained Mozambican nurse. And this means one of us would not need to be in the Baby House giving out medications every night because Fernanda could do that as well. As exciting as this is in the long-run, I have shed many a tears over it as well. Because with our current shortage in medical staff, I'm the only one here who really has the ability to take on training up a new nurse in the Baby House. This concept has brought my stress level to almost unbearable...but I have prayed, I have asked for wisdom, I have asked for strategies...and I'm coping...barely, but I'm coping. All of that to say Fernanda will be coming to the center tomorrow to sit down with me and her Hospital Central schedule. I really do pray that God makes it abundantly clear how He wants her to fit into our schedule, and I am able to articulate that to her. Please pray for me, Fernanda, Aurora (our current Mozambican nurse who is an absolute dream to work with...but who will be on holidays for the month of April), and all our medical staff as we adjust and cope with yet another change!
Thanks for always praying! Prayers are what keep me going many days!
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Sickness Update...
I'll start with me...tomorrow will be a week since I started feeling awful. I'm SO done with being sick. I don't do sick well. I don't rest and do nothing well. But I will say that at least today I have eaten my first real food without wanting to cry my throat hurt so bad. It was a bowl of cheerios...but still at least that's better than the yogurt, jello, and mashed potatoes I was eating up until now. I haven't had a fever yet today...so that's an improvement as well. I'm really hoping this is the downward slope and tomorrow I'll be back to normal! Keep the prayers coming!!!
Next the Baby House...they are still sick...quite sick! Tons of them have high fevers...quite possibly we have just discovered they all have strep throat like me. Please keep praying for them. Most of them are still running around and playing...a few are sad little puppies resting all day and refusing to eat. Just please keep them, the tias and missionaries caring for them, and our nursing staff (especially Rebecca who is working this weekend) in your prayers. My hope is that with some new antibiotics started we'll be able to get this under control!
Now for Shelton...he is still in the hospital. He has a few new symptoms that are making us all a bit worried. But, our hope is that the change in his medication we have made will help with all of this. They are still treating him with antibiotics and hopefully this will solve the lung issues. Please keep him in your prayers! Also please pray for the tias who are staying with him...in a hard metal chair...exhausted...unable to rest...doing their best to console Shelton 24 hours a day. It is a physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausting job! Don't forget the hospital medical staff and all of us here at the center (attempting to pull at straws to figure out what is really going on with our little peanut) in your prayers as well!
Basically...PRAY...for all of us please...and trust with me that very soon everyone will be better...our heavenly Healer will touch each of us!
Next the Baby House...they are still sick...quite sick! Tons of them have high fevers...quite possibly we have just discovered they all have strep throat like me. Please keep praying for them. Most of them are still running around and playing...a few are sad little puppies resting all day and refusing to eat. Just please keep them, the tias and missionaries caring for them, and our nursing staff (especially Rebecca who is working this weekend) in your prayers. My hope is that with some new antibiotics started we'll be able to get this under control!
Now for Shelton...he is still in the hospital. He has a few new symptoms that are making us all a bit worried. But, our hope is that the change in his medication we have made will help with all of this. They are still treating him with antibiotics and hopefully this will solve the lung issues. Please keep him in your prayers! Also please pray for the tias who are staying with him...in a hard metal chair...exhausted...unable to rest...doing their best to console Shelton 24 hours a day. It is a physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausting job! Don't forget the hospital medical staff and all of us here at the center (attempting to pull at straws to figure out what is really going on with our little peanut) in your prayers as well!
Basically...PRAY...for all of us please...and trust with me that very soon everyone will be better...our heavenly Healer will touch each of us!
A Day of HUGE Bugs!
A week or so ago I had a day full of HUGE bugs. I mean I do live in Africa!
Encounter #1: I walked out of another house on base and found this guy in the sand...
Now you might be thinking...ok it's just a flying beetlie thing...but look how big it was!
Encounter #2: I made it back to my house and found another huge red and black beetle on my front door. Two in one go...that's not too out of the ordinary. Next came...
Encounter #3: I walked through my house to open up the back door. We need cross ventilation ALWAYS because its HOT these days. And, I found this mouth hanging out on our back door!
Again...it was HUGE!
Encounter #4: This encounter came later at night. Rebecca (one of the amazing girls I live with) and I came back to the house to find a HUGE grasshopper flying around our front door. As we attempted to unlock the door it flew at each of us at least once. I'm sure there were at least a few girlish shrieks heard...to be expected! But, we made it inside!
So that's my day of Huge Bugs...gotta love Africa!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
A Sick Nurse...
That's me this week...a sick nurse. Who wants a nurse that is feverish, snotty, complaining of a soar throat, and needing to run to the toilet every few minutes?? Not me! But there are some weeks you just can't help it.
It all started Monday afternoon. We made it back from South Africa, and I wasn't feeling great in the car. I thought it was just a touch of motion sickness or tiredness from our crazy hours of sleep during safari. But in the middle of our weekly missionary business meeting while I was doing my best to listen and get back in work mode I realized it was not motion sickness but that my brain felt like it might pound out of my head, and I would have rather rip my throat out than keep it in. I went to bed about 6:30 and slept for 3 hours. I woke up not much better. I took Advil and Tylenol and within 30 minutes and after getting nursing report I was back in bed for the night.
10 hours later I woke up feeling refreshed but sick. I made it through the day ok...I was working in the Baby House where depending on the hour 13-15 kids had fevers during the day. Seriously out of control. I was convinced I had what they have and basically I was just going to have to let it run it's course. So I finished up, shoved some more Tylenol and Advil down my very tender throat and went off to dinner with Jonny and Becky (an amazing British couple who live and work here...for the moment they are running our base in place of our directors because they are away in Australia). They have been trying to bless Rebecca (a fellow nurse and now roommate) and I with a birthday dinner and only now a month later have we all found the time. Anyway, it was a great evening...great company, great conversation, great Pad Thai! Then it was back to bed!
I slept about another 11 hours and woke up not doing much better. I walked up to the Baby House to check in and make sure all the information needed had been passed on to the nurse working...an hour later I made it back to my house dragging with antibiotics in hand. My prayer is that they will kick in soon. They are not helping my stomach that is also not happy...but getting my throat healed is much more of a priority!
All that to say...add me to your prayer list with Shelton! I hate being sick. I love to nurse others back to health not to have to lay in bed hoping I'll be better tomorrow so I can get on with my life. I don't like staying away from the babies I love, but I don't want them to catch what I have either!
And while you are praying for my wellness I'll fill you in on all the changes that are happening around here in the next week...(many of you already received this in your e-mail...but if not read away and please start praying for us)!!!
Here is a little recap of the last month and what's to come...I took over the medical overseeing position in the Baby House. This means I have a lot more administration work to do and the kids' total care falls to me. I am now making decisions about nutrition, medications, overseeing our Mozambican nurse as well as the other Western nurses that work under me. I LOVE the babies and this is the job I came here wanting to do, but that doesn't mean it isn't exciting, stressful, and a bit frightening all at once. We lost Iara last week, a Brazilian nurse who has been running our main clinic for almost 10 years. She feels led to move further north and begin a new project there. This has left a HUGE hole in our medical team. Sheri, the nurse who previously was running the Baby House, has taken on her role in the clinic. But, unfortunately Sheri will be leaving next week for 2 months at home. This leaves 4 nurses who live on base, me and 2 others who have been here about 5 months each and another who has amazing experience who will be with us for 2 months (YAY for Pauline!!!). Many decisions have already begun to fall into my hands and of course you would go to the one with experience who is accessible, but that adds just a bit to my stress level. All of that to say...I'd especially love your prayers over the next two months as we struggle through life understaffed. My prayer is that we can look back in two months time and see God's amazing faithfulness and His hand on everything we were a part of. I know He is enough in our weakness and that is what I am standing on for now.
Thank you for always joining me in prayer and for your long-distance support and encouragement! You make it possible for me to continue. Know I love each of you and miss you terribly!
It all started Monday afternoon. We made it back from South Africa, and I wasn't feeling great in the car. I thought it was just a touch of motion sickness or tiredness from our crazy hours of sleep during safari. But in the middle of our weekly missionary business meeting while I was doing my best to listen and get back in work mode I realized it was not motion sickness but that my brain felt like it might pound out of my head, and I would have rather rip my throat out than keep it in. I went to bed about 6:30 and slept for 3 hours. I woke up not much better. I took Advil and Tylenol and within 30 minutes and after getting nursing report I was back in bed for the night.
10 hours later I woke up feeling refreshed but sick. I made it through the day ok...I was working in the Baby House where depending on the hour 13-15 kids had fevers during the day. Seriously out of control. I was convinced I had what they have and basically I was just going to have to let it run it's course. So I finished up, shoved some more Tylenol and Advil down my very tender throat and went off to dinner with Jonny and Becky (an amazing British couple who live and work here...for the moment they are running our base in place of our directors because they are away in Australia). They have been trying to bless Rebecca (a fellow nurse and now roommate) and I with a birthday dinner and only now a month later have we all found the time. Anyway, it was a great evening...great company, great conversation, great Pad Thai! Then it was back to bed!
I slept about another 11 hours and woke up not doing much better. I walked up to the Baby House to check in and make sure all the information needed had been passed on to the nurse working...an hour later I made it back to my house dragging with antibiotics in hand. My prayer is that they will kick in soon. They are not helping my stomach that is also not happy...but getting my throat healed is much more of a priority!
All that to say...add me to your prayer list with Shelton! I hate being sick. I love to nurse others back to health not to have to lay in bed hoping I'll be better tomorrow so I can get on with my life. I don't like staying away from the babies I love, but I don't want them to catch what I have either!
And while you are praying for my wellness I'll fill you in on all the changes that are happening around here in the next week...(many of you already received this in your e-mail...but if not read away and please start praying for us)!!!
Here is a little recap of the last month and what's to come...I took over the medical overseeing position in the Baby House. This means I have a lot more administration work to do and the kids' total care falls to me. I am now making decisions about nutrition, medications, overseeing our Mozambican nurse as well as the other Western nurses that work under me. I LOVE the babies and this is the job I came here wanting to do, but that doesn't mean it isn't exciting, stressful, and a bit frightening all at once. We lost Iara last week, a Brazilian nurse who has been running our main clinic for almost 10 years. She feels led to move further north and begin a new project there. This has left a HUGE hole in our medical team. Sheri, the nurse who previously was running the Baby House, has taken on her role in the clinic. But, unfortunately Sheri will be leaving next week for 2 months at home. This leaves 4 nurses who live on base, me and 2 others who have been here about 5 months each and another who has amazing experience who will be with us for 2 months (YAY for Pauline!!!). Many decisions have already begun to fall into my hands and of course you would go to the one with experience who is accessible, but that adds just a bit to my stress level. All of that to say...I'd especially love your prayers over the next two months as we struggle through life understaffed. My prayer is that we can look back in two months time and see God's amazing faithfulness and His hand on everything we were a part of. I know He is enough in our weakness and that is what I am standing on for now.
Thank you for always joining me in prayer and for your long-distance support and encouragement! You make it possible for me to continue. Know I love each of you and miss you terribly!
A Much Needed Safari!
I spent the weekend in Kruger...one of the national parks in South Africa that is FULL of wild animals. You have seen pictures from there before the other times I have gone on Safari. We had an amazing weekend but were not blessed with too many major sitings (no cats that is...not a lion or a leopard or cheetahs). Here's the very cool things we did see though...
A whole herd of buffalo crossed the road right in front of our car...I think they look like old women with their horns like that. Makes me laugh every time!
We saw a few packs of baboons...tons of tiny babies on their backs! So cute!
This is a very angry male elephant that was sure we were going to steal his females. It was a bit scary but made for some amazing photos!
These are two giraffes that basically walked along side my car for 5 minutes as we traveled down the road together...so amazing!
This is one of the many zebras we spotted...gorgeous!
Here is just a glimpse of the amazing scenery we enjoyed the whole weekend!
And we even stayed in a safari tent one night...think army tent...it was awesome! This is Heather (another missionary) and I settling in for the night!
And I'll leave you with one last photo...I think this is my favorite from the weekend. These giraffes were a bit too far away for clear photography with my point and shoot...and there were tons of reeds blowing in the way...so I went for artistic...so African and I love it!
Sweet Baby Shelton!
Ok, ok...I know a 6 year old is not a baby, but Shelton is so tiny and in my mind is a frail little one. He was admitted to the hospital on Friday. This was only after Sheri (another nurse) argued with the Emergency Room doctor who wanted to send him home saying his underlying conditions were causing his current issues. Finally, the doctor gave in and admitted him to a respiratory floor. They believe he has a type of lung infection. It is quite difficult to treat, but at the moment they have him on two types of IV antibiotics and seem to be monitoring him quite closely. The swelling in his abdomen has gone down some, which is encouraging. Our prayer now is that the doctors don't put all their eggs in one basket so to speak...I pray they don't stop looking for other issues just because they are trying to treat a lung infection.
Please keep praying and I'll keep you updated the best I can!
Please keep praying and I'll keep you updated the best I can!
Tchau Mana Iara e Mana Marcia!
Iara and Marcia are amazing Brazilian ladies who together have been running our clinic here on base for years. Iara has been here almost 10 years and was the main nurse in the clinic all that time. She knows everyone, seems to know everything, and can get anything done that is humanly possible faster than anyone else I know. These two women have been pouring into our clinic staff physically, spiritually, and emotionally their whole time here. They truly are an inspiration...they are my definition of missionaries.
They feel led to move further up north in Mozambique and begin a new project. Their hope is that one day it will be much like the base I live on with a Bible school, children's center, clinic, and school. It's a huge dream that came directly from God!
So that being said, they have left us with a HUGE hole to fill. But they also gave us a reason to celebrate last week...here's a glimpse into the party we had for them!
It is sad to say goodbye to any fellow missionaries but the hole left by these two is going to be hard to plug over the coming weeks. Daily we discover responsibilities these women did without thinking and on top of that we are missing their laughs, their goofy ways of doing things, their wisdom, and their friendship. I pray God blesses them abundantly on their new mission, that He brings them rest during their time at home, and brings them back to Mozambique refreshed and ready to begin a new adventure!
They feel led to move further up north in Mozambique and begin a new project. Their hope is that one day it will be much like the base I live on with a Bible school, children's center, clinic, and school. It's a huge dream that came directly from God!
So that being said, they have left us with a HUGE hole to fill. But they also gave us a reason to celebrate last week...here's a glimpse into the party we had for them!
Here is Lana (one of our newer nurses) and Iara!
This is Jannie and Lana being silly as always!
Here is Rubin (one of the workers in the clinic) and Rebecca (the daughter of another missionary couple that are here with us for 2 months)!
Here are Iara and Marcia...this is them in a picture!
Here is most of the crew gathered around all the yummy food and drinks!
And last the presents it took Sheri and I FOREVER to find...but in the end they loved them! (The Africa box was full of notes from all the nurses and staff.)
Friday, March 4, 2011
Shelton...
Hello All...thank you to every person who is praying for Shelton, the hospital staff, and all of us here at the center. I really don't have any updates yet...last I heard the nurses with Shelton were still waiting in the emergency room to be seen. But I did want to direct your attention to another post I wrote in September that sums up who Shelton is. Click here to read about the gorgeous heart of this sweet boy. He is a special 6 year old, loved by many, but most importantly he is filled with a child's faith in a God he knows intimately. If you haven't already please join us in prayer for this little guy and thank you for the prayers many of you have already offered. I will keep you posted...
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Mango Season!
The other night we cut into one of these babies...I shared with another missionary because otherwise it would have been meal-sized not just snack-sized. But either way it was amazing!
I've decided there will be 2 options when I move back to the States...A) I'll never eat mangoes again because I can't even fathom spending $2 a piece when I buy them here 5 for about 65 cents. Or B) I'll buy every mango I see in the grocery store no matter what the price because I miss them so much! We'll just have to see...I'm sure it will depend on the day. But for now I'm LOVING mango season and savoring every day of it! I know, I know...you wish you could come visit! You can...all are welcome!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
