Thursday we went to the airport to pick up Michael, a scribe and student from Texas who has come to experience Malawi for a few days. His trip here and our trip to the airport was fairly uneventful. On the way to the airport, we stopped at Daeyung Luke Hospital. Dr. and Mrs. Podgore are building a house there and they also were concerned about a nurse who works at the hospital. We found their house undergoing construction, with a most awesome view! And we found the nurse, Grace, in good health and good spirits! She is a delightful young woman. I hope we see her again when we go to Daeyung Luke.
The rest of Thursday was pretty routine, although we did lose power so we took Michael to the Copper Pot to eat. The food there is great and it gave him a chance to have some Pakistanian / Indian style food.
Friday I worked at ABC, Michael spent some time with me and some with Verson, the clinical officer on the non-private side. Taona, our girl from Gusu with the infected leg, is back at ABC. Verson and I have looked at the xrays - we think there is a small avulsion type fracture, so she is back on IV antibiotics. However, she looks and feels so much better and actually has a tiny bit of movement in the knee without pain. We will have the specialists from the CURE hospital (orthopedic hospital in Blantyre) see her next time they come.
In the afternoon we went to Kamuzu Central Hospital, mainly to show Michael but also to find a patient from the village clinic that we had referred there. If any of you know KCH, you know it is a sad, crowded, unorganized place. We saw the pedi ward and went to the Casualty Dept (ER) to find Dr. Muyco - the head of the ER and surgery at KCH. No luck but we left my number. We then set out to find 'our' village patient in the Gyn section. We finally found her having a procedure and the doctor was a young woman from the US, an American, currently working with a small NGO there! She lives in Texas when she is 'home' (husband in military, currently in Iraq, from the same base, Ft. Hood, as my son!) but originally is from Ohio. I got her number and hope to shadow her sometime! We did find out that if you are a 'charity' patient and you have a biopsy done (for cancer) it will take 6 months to get the results. If you can pay 7,000 kwacha (~$38) you can results in 2 weeks. Becky gave the money - none of us want this lady walking around with cancer for 6 months before we know - she already is going to have a difficult time because she is here! By now, we were 'done' at KCH and all went home. Poor Michael, one day out from flying, he was exhausted... however, we got a call that evening about an impending delivery at the clinic (baby, not fuel, haha) so off we went again. Dr. Sonia Mathia is the OB-Gyn doctor on campus. Michael got to hold up the lady's leg and see the delivery up close, later he got to assist with suturing. Joseph got the baby, did the newborn resuscitation stuff (dry, stimulate, etc) and help the nurse suction the child. All went well, but not perfectly. Mother and baby did fine - that is what matters... the fact that the power won't support the suction AND the warmer, or that the main light Dr. Sonia Mathia uses keeps going off... ah, well, this is Africa! After that long day, we had peanut butter sandwiches for dinner (a big let down after Copper pot), but at least we got to eat them with the ambiance of hurricane lamps (again, no power). Saturday we all went to see Bambo and Amai Whiskas in their village (right in Lilongwe, actually). He has built a duplex that he currently rents out. The trip to the village was fun - we took a wrong turn and had to ask to directions - a young lady got in the car and 'escorted' us. Her name was Marie and her English was great! I think she enjoyed getting to practice a little. We found the Whiskas' with her help, and enjoyed some drinks and biscuits (cookies). Michael got to see / feel a swarm of Malawian kids and enjoyed it! Joseph was checking out the water supply, with the intention of a plumbing project there (I will keep you posted as it works out). After a nice visit, we took Michael to ABC to meet one of the students, Oscar. Michael hung out as Oscar did his radio show and then off to Civo Stadium to see a soccer match. Michael seemed to have a great time and met lots of folks. We meanwhile were on the unsuccessful hunt for fuel! Today (Sunday) looks like another full day, starting with church.
Prayers: that we find fuel, that Anatashia continues her slow recovery, that Taona's leg continues to heal, that we stay safe and well and that our newly repaired car will stop making all those weird sounds!
Praises: for the medical part - safe delivery, lady with biopsies, etc. That we have power much of the time and water almost all the time! That we live in a safe compound.
Pictures: Grace and I at Daeyung Luke Hospital
Taona at ABC, waiting for an xray
Joseph with Bambo and Amai Whiskas in front of the new duplex he built.
Bambo and Amai Whiskas in front of their house
Michael with a swarm of Malawian children!
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