So I'm here! Now what? What's that? You demand an update? Your wish is my command. Here you go:
Settling in during my first week in Cape Town was completely dependant on the other vols helping me out and I’m so glad they did. Thanks to all of you for driving me around and providing lots of helpful hints in my first few days!
Last Saturday, Danielle took me back to the Pick-n-Pay for grocery staples and to charge up my phone with minutes. It's a pay-as-you-go system for cell phones here, so you have to be careful not to run out of airtime for when you might need it!
I also manged to pick up my long term rental car last Saturday. Danielle drove me over to Lynn & Archie's home, where they run A2B car rentals. They are the sweetest older couple and it was much like renting a car from your English grandparents. They are sweet as can be and very careful with their rentals and renters. They run their business from their dining room table, and gave me the keys to an older model white Toyota Corolla, whose name is George. All the cars have names that are stickered on the bumpers... it's kinda cute. George and I are off to a very good start. In the long run, it would make way more sense to buy a car, but cars here are VERY expensive to purchase and as a foreigner here, I would have to have all the cash up front. No financing is available for us non-residents. Cars average out to about double what they cost in the States, and since the townships I'll be working in are spread very far apart, a car is a must have for me. There went my bike plan! Thankfully the high rental price covers insurance as well, which as it turned out, I would be needing in only a few short days during my first fender bender. Whoops :(
Driving a stick on the left hand side on the road, as well as the left hand side of the car is quite strange. I feel sixteen all over again. I'm trying to be careful of every turn and carefully following the speed limits. It’s quite tricky. Parking is particularly difficult for me. It feels strange not to be able to judge an accurate distance on your left hand side/passenger side. I've already hit a curb a few times and that probably won't be the first.
My orientation at Living Hope is going really well. It's always difficult to start in a new place, and it takes time to learn how everything works, but I'm loving what I've seen so far.
I got to spend a day in the wound dressing clinic in Masi where we saw 33 patients with extraordinarily diverse medical issues. Botched up C-sections, rabid dog bites, knife fight injuries, hot oil and cook-fire burns, and many an "unknown" injury, made for a very interesting day. Through three times weekly wound care, LH is providing a wonderful service in preventing infection and treating complicated and ongoing wound issues in HIV/TB patients that absolutely need it. Spoiler alert: Stop reading here if you have a queasy stomach. For those of you who like the gory details, lets just say that a lady who complained of a "shaving bump" ended up having a open oozing abscessed boil that produced four double handfuls of pus in rapid fashion. Even the seasoned nurse took a step back at that one! It took three of us to clean her up and send her for an open excision at the local hospital. And that was just the beginning of our day! I can already tell I'm in for a doozy of medical lessons.
I also was very blessed to be around for the once quarterly Palliative Care Staff Church Service that our volunteer nurse, Tracy, organized. As a special treat to the staff, Tracy brought in a former patient to tell his story about the great care he received at LH, as well as one of the local pastors who gave a wonderfully encouraging talk to help our team of medical staff in the continuance of their good work. We had a little reception after the service and it was a great joy to get to serve lunch to those who are serving the LH patients everyday for very little pay and less glamour. Some of our care-partners have worked here for 9 years, and the nurses here rely heavily on them to treat and manage the patients in our home care programs. That and their language skills are vital to the services that LH provides.
My third clinical day was spent in the main Health Care Center, working in our in-patient unit. I was highly impressed by the modern technology available and the care seems right up to par with the States. Tube feedings, urinary catheters, blood draws, dressing changes, morning meds, doctors rounds, pleural taps etc. I saw the whole nine yards. I was also privileged to meet a sweet volunteer nurse named Julie who comes twice a week to give hand and foot massages to each of the patients. She spends her time praying for the patients and talking to them, which was awesome since the nurses and other staff are often too busy to do that kind of one-on-one care. Often in the advanced stages of AIDS, peripheral nerve damage is very common and Julie’s massages seem to help alleviate some of these painful complaints. So blessed to know her and inspired by her example.
Each day brings new and interesting things at LH
Thanks for your prayers, and for reading along! I’ll talk to you soon!
Ames
Hey Amy...I am keeping up with you via your blog and facebook! Praying for you and this new adventure! Love ya ~ Kristol
Kristol! Miss you so much dear! Glad to know you are keeping up! Send me a message and let me know how you are!