Carnivore

Kenya is certainly not for the weak. Since I have been here I have had my clothes, food and shampoo stolen. I’m also currently battling a fungal infection, along with the mosquitos. I am pleased to report two separate malaria tests have come back negative. It’s funny, doing something like this has always been a dream of mine. Never did I have a romanticized idea of what this experience would be like, but, I certainly didn’t think it would be such a rollercoaster. I am well pass the two month mark of living in Kenya and FINALLY I am starting to feel like Tabaka is becoming home. Recently, I took a few days off of work to get away. Leaving couldn’t have come at a better time because I think being away for a few days has made me realize that despite its downfalls I actually really do like this village and hospital.

Last week I went to Nairobi for a couple of days to meet up with my friend Alice (a Burundian living in Kenya), and another CMMB volunteer, Eric. Eric is a nurse from California who is placed in Mutomo Kenya. Even though Eric and I only met each other once at orientation, our reunion felt like I was seeing a long lost friend. I didn’t realize how much I would enjoy talking to someone who could speak fluent English, let alone is experiencing exactly what I am experiencing. It was so great to compare our hospitals, and exchange stories. Together we went to Nairobi National Park. It’s not your ideal safari, but, I still had fun. Something about seeing an ostrich run around with a background of skyscrapers doesn’t seem right. We also went to Bomas of Kenya, a cultural museum that showcases traditional tribal dances, and, the Elephant Orphanage, one of my favorite places in Kenya. I also dragged him all around Nairobi to go to a market accompanied by multiple matutu rides. I love the thrill of bartering for items and experiencing Kenya from a local’s point of view.

Elephant Orphanage

Eric and I at "1st wifes hut". What a player.

Nairobi National Park

 

Bomas of Kenya. How is it I'm always the

one picked out of the audience?

 

The ten pounds that I have lost since arrival is coming back with vengeance after this trip. So much eating!!! My favorite place we ate at was called Carnivore. Carnivore has been labeled one of the best 50 restaurants in the world. All I can really say is the name certainly matches the menu. Carnivore has a set menu offering everything from chicken and lamb, to ostrich and ox testicle. I can now officially say I have abandoned my vegetarian ways. 2.5 years down the drain.

 Finally, we went to a Nakumatt (Kenya’s version of Walmart). After living in a village for two plus months seeing the Nakumatt in Nairobi was reverse culture shock. Full of cheese, white girl shampoo, and Nutella… you can get anything you want there. If I let myself I could have spent hours in the store looking in awe at the items. In my village we have none of this, I’m lucky if I can get something other than starch for a meal. Nairobi is full of consumerism, just like America. Before leaving I stocked up on apples, Nutella and chocolate, that’s a well-balanced diet right? Alice, Eric and I finished our day off by demolishing two large pizzas (with cheese) and ice-cream. It’s actually quite vulgar how much I ate.

Alice and I at Carnivore.

 

2.5 years ruined

Carnivore. Yummy!

Although I joke, being in Nairobi really was a reverse culture shock. I live in village were daily activities are centered around fetching water, carving soap stone, planting and cultivating crops. People’s daily lives are dedicated to survival.  To put it into perspective, people are often so poor they only have one pair of shoes, which is meant strictly for church. It’s amazing the gap between the rich and the poor. In Nairobi you can get anything you want, while in Tabaka people are currently stocking up on food because they know within a short few months there will be the annual food shortage they have grown accustom to.

Like I said, going to Nairobi was a really good for me. It was good to be able to leave, regroup, think and reflect on my work. Sometimes I get so down because I feel like I’m constantly fighting. Fighting ignorance, and fighting the situation. Never have I walked away from work completely content with my day. I always feel like more could have been done. It’s draining to be fully aware that if people were better educated, resources were accessible, and money was not an issue the outcome of many of my patients may be different. Being away from it for a few days really made me reflect on the fact I do love these people, I do love my work, and I am here to help in any way I can. I can’t lose enthusiasm.

It’s also about time to clear up some misconceptions about where I am living. I have gotten so many questions pertaining to my living environment. I forget that people often think of Africa in its entirety and what they see on Animal Planet.

First things first, I live in Kenya. When people say I live in Africa remember Africa is a continent not a country. You can’t generalize where I live… shoot, you can’t even generalize Kenya, it’s literally a melting pot of culture.  Contrary to what people think I do not live in the desert, nor do I live in a mud hut. However, many people do live in mud houses with iron sheet roofs.  I live in a compound within the hospital grounds, within the village of Tabaka. We have one “road” (a rocky muddy path) going to and from my village. My living conditions are actually very nice, however, the electricity often goes in and out, leaving me eating many dinners in the dark. I do not have lions in backyard, but, I have seen the occasional zebra or two while driving from Nairobi to Tabaka (Masai Land). My village is in the hills so we get a lot of rain. Rainfall is good because we have a lot of food compared to other places in Kenya. But with rain comes mosquitos, making malaria very common in this region.

Most people are very poor, but, this area is blessed with a good climate to grow food. Avocados and mangos are abundant. Also, this area is blessed with an abundance of soap stone. The locals use it to make carvings which produce a great deal of income. However, people still struggle to eat, and pay school fees. When we don’t get rain people often walk miles for the next source of water. Unfortunately, I have experienced the effects of drought once since I have been here. Never before have I valued water so much. You don’t realize how much water you use until you don’t have any. Tabaka itself is a very safe village. The only thing you need to watch out for is the driving and the locally brewed spirit (alcohol). I hear it’s very potent and often deadly. I stick to Tusker (a Kenyan beer) when I drink. Although, I feel very safe within the village, when traveling to other parts of the country the presence of al-Shabaab is lurking in the back of my mind.

Tabaka, look how green.

 

The road.

 

Home. The building I live in.

We also have many tribes where I live, the predominate tribe is the Kisii tribe. Kisiis are a very interesting group of people with an interesting set of values. They are very friendly and sociable. They can often be seen late at night standing around on the side of the road talking to each other… about absolutely nothing! Their tribal traditions include circumcision for both male and female (female circumcision is not legal in Kenya), polygamy, and some of them (not all) practice witch craft.  Their “mother tongue” is Kisii which is surprisingly very different from Kiswahili. We also have another less predominate tribe near this region called the Masai. I LOVE this tribe. They are one of the few tribes that visibly stick to their traditional values and customs. They often come into the hospital with very elaborate dress and jewelry. They gauge their ears to the point where their earlobes often touch their shoulders. Known for being rich and owning many cows, at the hospital when they talk about payment, they often talk in terms of cows. How many cows will I need to sell to pay for this hospitalization? I am an expert on the going rate for a cow around here.

I have a feeling I’m not in Maryland anymore.

Masai lady

 

Masai man

 

Buying a cow at the local market.

18,800 ksh.

Beautiful local children.

Rabbit. We had him for dinner.

 

Some bless you and others slap you

 “You step into people’s lives and make a difference. Some bless you and others curse you. You see people at their worst and best. You see life begin and end. You see people’s capacity for love, courage and endurance.”

I have only been in Kenya about two months. The above quote is from a sign that hangs in the nurse’s station. Every day I read it and think about its truth. Work has had many ups and many downs. When I came to Kenya I started working as a maternity nurse. Finally, after starting to get the hang of things, I was transferred to the female surgical ward because of a ”nursing shortage”. I laugh at the term nursing shortage because it implies that the other wards are adequately staffed.  Now, I am working on the female surgical ward.

Everyone is probably wondering how I am adjusting to being a nurse, since this is technically my first nursing job. It’s still so weird calling myself a nurse but slowly I’m getting used to it.  The adjustment is going surprisingly smooth. Of course there is a lot I don’t know, but, I try to ask a questions and look up things I don’t understand. The biggest set back to my learning is the language barrier. Rounds are usually in Kiswahili, broken English, one of the 42 tribal languages or all of the above. Most of my patients don’t speak any English and some don’t even speak Kiswahili. However, it’s amazing what a smile and a handshake can do to build a rapport with patients.

There is so much to say about work, I couldn’t possible blog it all. Below is a collection of times I loved, hated, and times I will surly never forget. If I have learned one thing working in Kenya, it’s to keep a sense of humor. Without one I wouldn’t last a day.

·         One of the first days working on the surgical ward I completed morning rounds with the doctor. I am aware of ever patient’s condition, including bed 113. Chronic septic ulcer of the left lower limb that is now malignant. Patient is scheduled for an above the knee amputation this week. Plan for today blood transfusion, clean, soak in precept and dress in the ward.

Day continues, I begin to give IV mediations. I then hear “sister sister (something in kiswhali) tembea”. I can only understand the word tembea, meaning to walk. I assume a patient that should not be up is walking by the urgency in their voice. They drag me over to the other side of the ward and point to the ground. There are maggots crawling on the ground. Tembea… maggots are walking. I look at bed 113 and the patient is pulling maggots out of her septic wound. My poker face completely failed me, all I could say was “oh no…. Let’s not do that”. 

I cleaned her wound which included pulling maggots out of a very septic leg. Since then her leg has been amputated. I asked the mama if she was sad her leg was gone. She responded hapana (no), she said she was happy because now the bugs are gone. That makes two of us.

·         Another old mama, bed 115. Age 70 (her granddaughter thinks) and very very confused. Admitted for a wound on the abdomen, and possible bowl proliferation. Plan for the day, clean and dress wound. Place colostomy bag, measure output and type of output, continue antibiotic treatment. First day working with her I introduced myself. She forgets me within seconds. I go to dress her wound and she screams. Squirming she screams “the mzungu is trying to kill me, the mzungu is trying to kill me.”  The ward is full of patients so everyone can clearly hear the only white person on the ward is trying to kill people.

Second day, greet her, this time her eyes squint and lips pucker. The colostomy bag I placed yesterday is ripped off and thrown across the ward. Ok mama, I get the point, you don’t want to be friends. Start to clean her wound and she slaps me. Thanks mama. I then proceed to try to hold her hand down and do a dressing at the same time. Replace the colostomy bag and tape the edges against her stomach.

Day three, I think I am smart. I find a caretaker to hold her down. I get the same look as day two. However, this time she looks at me and tells me she would slap me if she could. Colostomy bag nowhere to be found.

Although this patient hates me there is something about her I love. I hope I’m half as feisty when I’m old.

·         My first month here I worked in maternity. Many days were spent in nursery. Charles is admitted to Tabaka as a result of the health care strike. Charles is born 28week and is tiny! I have never seen something so small. 2 pounds, not feeding and difficulty breathing, odds are not in his favor. NG tube inserted, feedings started, and oxygen given. Sadly that’s about all I can do with limited resources. Amazingly, he makes it a week. One week becomes two and two becomes a month, he’s a little miracle. I become close to both Charles and his mother, when you spend a month caring for something so precious it’s hard not to.

Today Charles is still alive. He’s not out of the woods yet, weighing in at about 4 pounds, but he is making considerable improvement. I’m watching a miracle happen before my eyes, Although I’m not in maternity anymore I go every day during my lunch break to monitor his progress. His mother calls him her miracle baby.

·         New Patient admitted on Saturday, the day I’m off. Bed 101, female admitted for snake bike to the right foot. I work with her throughout the week. She is in no need of surgery and fortunately did not suffer any systemic affects… very lucky. Tuesday, I finally get the full story about what happened. She was in her house barefoot and a snake bit her. She tourniqueted the foot twice, once at the ankle, another a little further up. Smart thinking. We continue to talk and suddenly this smells comes over me. Being in a surgical ward I have become very in tune to the smell of necrotic tissue. I then ask what is that smell? She then replies the snake. Once again my poker face fails. All I can say is where is it? She points under the bed. Literally I jump half way across the ward in my Tinkerbelle scrubs… very impressive, I’m sure I lost all creditability! A few translations later I find out she killed the snake and brought it to the hospital in the event she needed to be treated for systemic affects. Also smart thinking. But, four days post bite she still has the snake... rotting under her bed. Tabakas female surgical ward is not the place to be if you are sensitive to smells.

Like the quote said, you walk in to people’s lives, some patients bless you while others slap you. Maternity brings life and unfortunately death. Finally, we have  a mother whose capacity for love, courage and endurance for her baby is a miracle in its self.

 Welcome to Tabaka

Conducting official nursing business. Just kidding.

 

One of my little preemies.

 

Baby Charles, this pic speaks for itself.

 

One of my favorite mamas on the surgical ward.

She has been through so much but continues to smile.

 

In other news, if you have been following my others posts you might be interested to know contact information has been exchanged between CMMB and Maisha. Also, Lawrence’s brother Sunior has been sponsored to go to school.

 

 

Lawrence

So there was one more reason why I went to Maisha, but I felt like it deserved a separate post. My parents reached out to Maisha a couple months before I arrived in Kenya. They decided to sponsor a child to go to school. Ironically it happens to be close to where I live in Tabaka.

The child they sponsor is a five year old boy named Lawrence. The idea of sponsoring a child sounded great but never in a million years did I think I would be able to actually meet him and see how much his sponsorship really affects his family.

Meeting Lawrence I can safely say was the best day of my life. Beatrice was able to arrange a ride for Lawrence and one of his older brothers, Sunior, to meet me at the orphanage. The day I met him I arrived at the orphanage not knowing he would be there. When I arrived the director told me that Lawrence was in the health clinic waiting for me. Excited and nervous I hurried over to the health clinic to meet what my family calls “my new brother”. I walked into the health clinic and there they were, two little boys staring wide eyed at what might have been the first Muzungu they had ever seen. Immediately I hugged them, but in retrospect that was a terrible idea. Sunior was shaking and Lawrence was about to cry. Being the overly emotional person that I am I started to cry, I was so happy to meet them. I really wish I could have known what was going through their heads. If I had to guess it probably would be what’s wrong with this weird ladies skin.

I really had no expectations as to how Lawrence would be. But very quickly I realized these two boys were incredibly scared making them incredibly shy. I just wanted them to like me as much as I already liked them. Looking for anything to make us friends I found bubble gum and a plastic recorder in my backpack. They were too scared to touch the recorder so I resorted to the bubble gum. I gave them each a piece. They looked at it timidly and put it in their mouths. Finally, the ice was broken. I tried explaining who I was but I feel a lot of it got lost in translation.  However, Sunior did understand the word sponsor. The word made him break out into the biggest smile I had ever seen. Unfortunately, later that day I came to find out Sunior does not have a sponsor to go to school.

We spent the reminder of the day hanging out. At lunch time they got to join the children at the Maisha Academy for lunch. For many of these children the lunch they receive at school is the only meal they get all day. It was great to see Lawrence and Sunior eat, but, I noticed before lunch they stuck their gum in their pockets to save for later. So gross but so adorable.  

Finally, it was time for them to go home. I had the opportunity to ride the motor bike home with them. They live in a small village about 20 minutes by bike from Maisha. I arrived at their house to find a couple of chickens running around and a home made out of mud. I also arrived to meet Lawrence’s three other brothers, mother and father. They invited me into their house and made me sit down. Their father immediately started the conversation, good thing too because I have a tendency to be awkward. They started by thanking me for everything I had done. Eric, Lawrence’s father went on and on about how much it will help their family. He said his boys have been chased out of school because he is unable to pay their school fees on a bicycle repair mans salary. Overly emotional I began to cry again. I had so many mixed emotions, first, it’s not me, it’s my parents paying for Lawrence to go to school, second, it’s really not that much money for an American family, and lastly, there are still four other boys that do not have sponsors to go to school. The meeting ended with Eric, standing up, looking me in the eyes and shaking my hand. He then told me how much he appreciates it and how it will change his family. This meant the world to me. All I could tell him was it’s my pleasure to help his family out, and I will try my best to help find his other children sponsors to go to school.

Meeting Lawrence’s family was such a humbling experience. To be able to sponsor a child and have the money actually go toward the child is incredible. I knew it would mean a lot to his family but I never realized the significance of it until I was sitting in their mud house talking to them. Education is your ticket out of poverty. I intend to keep my word to Eric about helping find sponsors for his children. If any of my readers are interested in becoming a sponsor to any of Lawrence’s older brothers it would mean the world to them. Email me at bmckinnon90@mail.com and I will help you with sponsorship. Also if you like my work and want to help please donate at http://support.cmmb.org/site/TR?pg=fund&fr_id=1010&pxfid=2060

I forgot to add, as I was leaving Lawrence’s house in the distance I heard the sound of the plastic recorder. Sorry Eric and Rosemary…. I guess a loud annoying instrument is not the best gift for a small child.

Lawrence, Sunior and I

Eating

Lawrence and Sunior

Lawrence's Family

 

Lawrence's house. The mud is painted to look like bricks.

Maisha

I wish I could say I love the village of Tabaka but it is so incredibly boring. I really have to plan ahead if I am going to leave the gates of the hospital. It’s hard to adjust to this simple and slow lifestyle when I love adventure.  Because I was getting cabin fever I decided to visit Kisumu over Christmas.

I was attracted to Kisumu for several reasons. First, it’s relatively close to Tabaka. Second, the city is on Lake Victoria. Lastly, I went to work at Maisha (an Orphanage and community center). My family in Oklahoma City has recently connected with the founder of this organization and suggested I go for a visit. Maisha is a nonprofit organization established by a Kenyan, but ironically it’s based out of Oklahoma City. Maisha’s mission is to inspire people to help people and strengthen the community by finding lasting solutions to stop poverty, hunger, and disease.

Before going I did a little bit of research on Maisha, the mission sounded great, but, I’m always skeptical with organizations such as this given my past volunteer experiences. Based off of my previous experience with orphanages in Africa I was expecting complete chaos. I was expecting a dirty facility with kids everywhere craving attention. I was expecting a place that’s main goal was to keep their children fed and anything else such as education, cleanliness or health care would be extra. Once I arrived and met Beatrice, the founder, I was pleasantly surprised. I found a clean facility that only houses about 25 children. I found a place that works closely with the community and stressed helping your fellow Kenyan, and a place that sponsors hundreds of children to go to school. Lastly, I found a place of joy that I genuinely felt had the best interest of the children, and had not been effected by corruption, a rare find in Kenya.

While at Maisha, I met many of the children being sponsored to go to school. I saw the farm they use to feed their children, and the sewing machines they use to produce products to create income.   I also saw the Maisha Academy (their school) and the soon to be health clinic. Like I said before, I really feel like this organization has the best interest of the community. So many children are fed and go to school as a result of Maisha.

Learning about Maisha mission, as well as their hopes to establish an outpatient health clinic really makes me want to get involved.  After learning a little bit more it’s clear they have the infrastructure but not the resources. My goal is to get Maisha in contact with CMMB to discuss the idea of sending a medical volunteer or at minimum donating medical supplies. I know it’s going to be a process, but, I think it would really be amazing if I can bring two organizations together to help educate, empower and provide health care in a rural area in Kenya. I have so much faith in both organizations, I would love to bring them together. I’m still brainstorming ideas on how to help establish and outpatient health clinic but I will keep my readers updated.

 I also managed to have a lot of fun while I was Kisumu. For the first time in a month I slept in an amazingly comfortable bed and ate amazing food. Maisha had a Christmas Party for everyone in the Maisha program. They slathered a cow for the occasion and every part of it was used. Over 600 people were fed on Christmas day. In addition, everyone got soda that day. I was told this is a big deal since they only get soda once a year. I could tell the children were excited when they refused to play and just watched the cases of soda until they all received one at meal time. The party also had a dj, Santa and face painting. Usually I don’t enjoy Christmas (you may call me the Grinch) because it’s so commercialized in the U.S., but this Christmas was absolutely amazing.  I was met amazing people and helped serve a population in need. This is what Christmas should be about, enjoying peoples company, serving others, being thankful for what you do have, and appreciating the little things… such as one bottle of soda.

Throughout the week I was able to meet so many inspirational people. Hearing the orphans stories about who they are and where they came from makes me want to be a better person. So many of them have lost both their parents. Many of them came from living on the streets forced to raise themselves. They told me about their sad pasts and their dreams of a happy future. It amazed me how every single one of them wanted to go to school because “education is power”. Education is your ticket out of poverty. I fell in love with each and every one of them. Their strength amazed me. However, seeing these children working so hard against all odds made me angry. Not angry with them but angry with my country. We are blessed with a free education, why do some people fail to take advantage of it? Why are so many people inherently lazy? I can’t stop thinking “education is power”. It’s not just specific to Kenya, education can make or break someone, regardless where you are located in the world.

Lastly, in Kisumu I was able to do some sightseeing with the older orphaned boy. I was excited but they were REALLY excited. We went to Lake Victoria, saw some hippos, and went on a boat ride. The boat ride was beautiful but scary. First, it was windy when we took the boat out. Second, the boat was made of wood, and lastly it was in hippo invested water. Throughout the ride I kept thinking if this boat sinks what will I do? Will I try to save myself and swim to shore, or, will I try to save an orphan. Then I thought if I had to save someone who would it be? Next, I wondered would it even be worth it because I’m sure the hippos would kill me and then crocodiles would eat my body. I'm so ashamed of myself. Good thing it didn’t have to come down making those decisions.

So blessed to have an amazing Christmas and spend it with amazing people.

The cow

 

Maisha (Maisha means life in Kiswahili)

Face painting

 

Soon to be health clinic

Cases of soda

 

Boys and I at Lake Victoria

 

Enjoying Soda

 

 

Health Care Strike

Kenya has been very interesting the last couple of weeks. The death of Nelson Mandela, Independence Day (December12th) and a nationwide health care strike, all affecting the wellbeing of Kenyans, Tabaka Mission Hospital and health care in general. It’s quite interesting being caught in the middle of it. It’s a true testimony as to how politics affect health care.

The strike began December 10th after health workers and the government could not agree on devolution of health services and the way their salaries would be paid. Health workers are opposed to devolution of health services to the counties and want their salaries paid by the national government. Honestly, the entire situation is confusing, but I believe it comes down to money. Because of the strike, several government hospitals have closed, kicking patients out and locking their doors. As a result Tabaka Mission Hospital has been packed.

These past couple of weeks I swear our OBGYN has not slept. C-sections and tricky delivers around the clock. I have had the pleasure of assisting in a few vaginal deliveries and C-sections.  I have also delivered a few babies of my own. In addition, I have had the pleasure of working with several preemies, some who have been born at Tabaka and others who have been kicked out of government hospitals to seek refuge at Tabaka or other private hospitals. In fact, I am working very closely with a preemie born 28 weeks 4 days gestation. He was born at one of the hospitals that has since shut down.

Although I enjoy how busy we are, I feel there is something morally wrong with this situation. I can only look at this situation from an objective point of view, and try not to take sides. However, I do know Tabaka is feeling the effects of inadequate health care and inadequate access around the country.  Although we are not at full capacity I can see the staff and resources are being stretched thin. Tuesday we ran out of blood for transfusions and we are running low on some supplies. For example, I spend more time looking for a cannula to start an IV than actually starting the IV itself.  

I’m still trying to get my bearings here. I would say it’s a lot to take in as a new nurse, but really it’s a lot to take in in general.

I have learned so much in my short time here. Unfortunately, sometimes it’s what not to do. Each day I’m on the unit I realize more and more how specialized maternity nursing is. I remember taking maternity in nursing school thinking how I was never going to use any of this information... I found it stupid and pointless. Now I find myself looking up medications, Apgar scoring, and disease that pertain to this population.

I am also trying really hard to learn Kiswahili. Partly because I want to be able to communicate with my patients but also because a couple of the nursing students refuse to speak to me in English, they say it’s for my own good. It’s extremely frustrating not being able to understand anything, but, in the last few weeks I have gone from completely clueless to only clueless. I have to admit I am thankful to have them as unofficial language teachers.

Although my week days are dedicated to work I have been able to go out into the village of Tabaka. It’s not the most exciting place, but, it is known for one thing, soap stone. This part of the country has an abundance of soap stone which the locals use to create carvings. I live amongst a village of artists, these carvings are absolutely incredible. This is the number one thing I love about traveling, you see the beauty in the world, whether that be through art, surroundings, or the people. Will continue to blog.

*Permission by patient or parent was given to take photo*

                                                     

Newspaper comic December 12th

 

 

After delivering this baby girl

Pre C-section

Soap Stone Carvings

 

Tabaka

I have arrived at Tabaka. Tabaka is small town located in western Kenya (Nyanza province). I would like to say the ride from Nariobi to Tabaka was uneventful but my car was involved in an accident. No one was injured (thank god) but it resulted in waiting four hours at a police station located in Rift Valley. Needless to say the situation made me nervous.

I have finally started working. I have been placed on the maternity ward. Never in a million years did I think I would be a maternity nurse. I never really thought I was “cut out” for mommies and babies. Although I just started, I know this ward is going to be full of emotions. Seeing life happen in front of you is truly a miracle, it’s the most amazing experiences to be a part of a healthy birth. Unfortunately, mother or baby death are far too common here. Today, I lost my first patient. Her name was Juliet. Juliet was born 30 weeks gestation. Despite being premature she lived 4 weeks and 5 days. In fact, she was getting strong and healthier by the day. Then, I arrived to work this morning and baby Juliet had died. The nurse had no explanation as to what happened, in fact looking through the notes baby Juliet had not been monitored all night. The doctor believes the mother fell asleep on her.

Situations like this are extremely frustration. In such a fragile state this baby should be monitored throughout the night and slept separate from her mother. How did this breakdown in care occur?

There are several other things I have witnessed that would never occur in the United States. Seeing this I am beginning to realize why I am here. To educate and hopefully set a good example as to what it means to monitor, access, and care for your patients.

Tabaka Mission Hospital (outside the maternity ward)

Delivery room

 

Looking way more important than I am

Nairobi

I spent about four days in Nairobi. While in Nairobi I had the opportunity to meet most of the CMMB staff in Kenya. We were able to eat pizza and have lots and lots of tea. I also had the opportunity to do some sightseeing in Nairobi. I visited the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust that focuses on conservation, preservation, and protection of orphaned baby elephants. They maintain a safe environment away from poachers and provide education to all their visitors.  It was an incredible experience to watch the baby elephants in a safe and natural environment. I also was able to visit African Fund for endangered species. It’s a similar organization that protects giraffes. They also educate the public and provide protection for the giraffes. However, the giraffes are domesticated (with names) and enjoy being fed and kissed by the public. I never thought I would kiss a giraffe. I finished my stay in Nairobi by going into the City Center observing all the iconic buildings.  I will be starting work at Tabaka Mission Hospital this week.

After being kissed by Ed.

 

Orphaned Baby Elephant

 

Nairobi City Center