It's Saturday and it feels odd as I'm not expected anywhere and with Liz on call she was limited in what she could do. The compound is especially quiet as the Aussies have borrowed a vehicle and made the trek to a larger village several hours from here (the equivalent of going from Welches to Gresham in Oregon or Bremen to Waldoboro in Maine) and the others are in Niamey visiting. After sleeping in late and a half hour walk back and forth on the airstrip (yes, the airstrip functions as the compound's track. It's about 1/2 mile long but because it's clear of brush it's relatively viper free which makes it the best place to bike or walk). Now all sweaty it was time to try out the compound swimming pool. Don't let you head envision Palm tree or cabana boys. It's more like cement pond complete with slimy stuff on the bottom. On the way though I heard "Auntie Laurie" and found Naomi and Anna, 2 young girls high up in a tree. It seems as though sharing a single meal with a family earns you Auntie status here. Anyway it was clear to them where I was headed, towel over my shoulder and water bottle in hand, so I invited them to swim if it was ok with their moms. You'd think I'd offered winning lotto tickets. In no time at all they were back with suits on, eager to swim.
> Sleeping in, a walk, a swim....I feel guilty as i know Liz is off seeing patients that will be the folder of lunchtime conversation if she manages to get a break. The plan after lunch is for me to go into "town" and see if the outfits Liz and I had made are ready. The nurse I've been helping, Yen Mei offers to come with me as Liz made me promise I wouldn't go alone. Anyway YM explains that in her first 5 months here she went to town everyday to learn the language and she clearly made friends. The shopkeepers seem excited to see her and it's not because she has money throw around. She's from Malvasia and was sent here by here church at home. As we make our way from stall to stall I ask her why she doesn't barter as is the custom and she explains that because she knows the fair prices of everything the shopkeepers don't even try to cheat her. I'm glad she's with me because I would so have gotten ripped off. The only person better for the job might be Elizabeth (from the VA) who I'm sure could talk these folks into buying sand. With my outfit in one hand, half a large winter squash in the other and a few other things in a nylon bag Mindy gave me for my birthday we make our way back to the compound. En route I meet Patrick a young resident in a tropical medicine fellowship program from the U of Kansas. He's on OB call this weekend and is excited about the C-sections he's gotten to do today and especially about seeing his first molar pregnancy (a genetic anomaly that causes a false pregnancy or tumor that gives off HCG). I tell him I would love to see a C-section or other interesting OB stuff as we are seeing increasing numbers of female patients at the VA and he promises to call me if he gets called in later. I tell him only if the hour is reasonable. Is that lazy of me? Perhaps but at this stage I need my sleep, he's young, I'm old and there are no shortage of births to be observed here daily after a decent nights sleep (that is if one can avoid the earwigs) I just thought what other excitement is there on a Saturday night in the middle of nowhere. These days though I only go to the "early show". One of the terrific things about this experience is the opportunity to learn. If your willing to offer a set of hands there's someone who's willing to teach you what you need to do to be of help. Of course there's also the multitude of things that need doing and should have been done by nursing staff that just don't get done. IVs that aren't patent so fluids that should be running aren't, vitals that should be taken each shift are lucky to be done once a day and forget assessments....they. are nonexistent by nursing staff. It's almost embarrassing to have the same professional title of nurse. In Niger to be a nurse requires 1 year of schooling beyond the norm which is about 6th grade and to be able to read and write something most natives can't do even in Hausa, their native tongue. Not exactly equal preparation for the same job.
> Well enough for now. Headed to bed just in case a call comes in the next few hours. Truth be told I'm not eager to make my way by flashlight along the paths to the hospital in the dark, even with an almost full moon.
Love to all,
Laurie
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