Half-Way Marker

Wow! I can't believe that my adventure is halfway through!

This week I went back to Zimba Mission Hospital. We worked on the mens/womens (med-surg) wards. We helped pass meds, my partner got to start an IV, and many other things happened. One thing that sticks out in my mind is a cultural difference in the idea of urgency. Unfortunately, we had a patient go into pulmonary edema most likely due to an allergic reaction to the medication the nurse gave. This was very difficult to deal with, because the nurses waited 2 hours to call the doctor after his side effects started. It is still hard to understand why they waited that long, but my only thinking is that maybe they thought that he wouldn't make it anyways...(the closest ventilator is 5 hours away). As I look back at this situation, I see it as a learning experience and hope to grow from it.
On Tuesday, we were in the OR for two minor surgeries on a couple of kids. That was interesting :)
Then we spent the afternoon in the outpatient clinic, which is like an Emergency Room/Urgent Care type of setting. We saw so many different diseases, such as respiratory infections, hypertension, and Gastrointestinal problems, so that was a great learning experience.

When I got home on Tuesday evening, I got an email from mom telling me that they had taken my computer to our Global Studies Supervisor, who is coming early next week! I am really looking forward to not having to ask others to borrow their computer :)

Wednesday and Thursday consisted of a lot of class (I have to remind myself that I am STUDYING abroad...)

Today, Friday, we went to St. Malumbu School. This is a boarding school for the mentally handicapped, blind and deaf children. It was such a beautiful campus. The best part about the whole experience was the fact that I was able to use the sign language that I learned while in high school. (for those of you who don't know, I went to Carribean School for the Deaf in Jamaica three different times while in High School - and I learned a good amount of sign language) I was a little worried at first, because something I learned from Miss Snook was that Sign Language is NOT universal. Fortunately, the 'official' language of Zambia is English, therefore they use a mixture of American, British, and Zambian. I did not have much time to communicate with the kids, but for the few minutes I did, I was able to understand them and I think they understood me :) It sure is amazing how God has prepared me in so many ways for this trip, and I didn't even think about needing to know sign language for a trip to Zambia.
I believe I will have the opportunity to work at this school in the next five weeks of our trip. I am really looking forward to learning from the deaf culture of Zambia.

I will hopefully be able to post a few pictures starting next week.