week 17

Spent 3 days helping at the hospital. First day was in the clinic which was busy but not as busy as we thought it would be. Many patients didn’t come in and it took us quite a while to figure out why…there was a funeral that many of the patients went to. It is very cultural to go to funerals. If you don’t go it is seen as disrespect and then you also have to worry that people won’t come to your funeral. It is a big social event as well—full day of gathering. Which doesn’t do well for the patients who will then run out of medication and possibly start having seizures again. Some came in the next day to get refills and others will probably come next week.,. the second day I went in to make patient charts for the different wards. They were very low so I was kept pretty busy…75 for adults and 75 for pediatrics and then we just have to see how long that will last them. The third day was with Jane on the burns ward doing inventory of the stores. Lots of dressings and bandages—at least that is what it seems like now as the ward isn’t open and there are plenty. But once there are patients I don’t know how long it will all last.
And of course more power cuts…however this week we had a self imposed power cut. Didn’t know it (of course) but one day the power sharing had gone on all day and then come back in the late afternoon. The next thing we know we had no power once again. Sat around complaining and moaning between the two of us—how can they have it out all day and then all evening too?! but got our dinner cooked and eaten and then decided to climb into bed and watch something on the computer (hoping that the battery will last)…it is very early but we are just out of options…so blow out the candles and start a movie…about an hour later james comes over for a visit…walks up the stairs and asks why we are in complete darkness and that it is a little creepy. Well, with a power cut what do you expect? And he then tells us that there isn’t a power cut…at least everyone else has power…he checks our fuse box and it had tripped so once reset we were brought back to the 21st century…we did feel a bit like helpless girls at that point but quite ok with being rescued and lights restored to the cottage…