Pothawira, Senga Bay and Partners in Hope

Sunday we drove to Peter and Emma Maseko's in Senga Bay (outside of Salima). We had planned on doing Monday - Tuesday-Wed and Thursday at the clinic. However, Monday was Labour Day in Malawi, so the clinic was closed. We went to the Pothawira orphanage and visited the kids, gave some blankets to the babies and gifts to the Mommies and cooks. Then into town where the girls (Kelley and Joey) shopped for chitenje's. It was HOT, so we dropped off Emma and then went to the Livingstonia for lunch and a 'rest' - the lake side is much cooler. I swam so I was really cool. May is the official start of winter but I don't think the Salima area got that memo yet! Tuesday - Thursday (morning) we worked at the clinic. Tuesday was a typical 'day after a 3 day week-end' and Peter and I saw 261 patients. I am starting to get the hang of being a Malawian doctor, although I still see stuff that I have no idea what it is. We saw much more malaria that should be around this time of year (dry season), mostly in babies and little ones. During the week, we saw burns, wounds, sickness of multiple degrees, nasty untreated ear infections, and coughing - lots of coughing. The saddest cases - an 11 year old girl with genital warts who we tested and was HIV positive and a 6 month child who weighed 3.5 kg (a severe failure to thrive). I sent some patients to the district hospital for blood transfusions due to severe anemia due to malaria. I had an awesome translator, Mary, a nurse from Salima District hospital who was on holiday and was working to make extra money. After we finished at Pothawira and got back to Lilongwe, we spent Friday morning at Partners in Hope with morning rounds (always an enlightening experience - makes me realize how I am NOT a Malawian doctor!), then to Intermed to order medications for a village clinic on Sat. and Globemed to buy malaria test kits.  After yet another trip to the ForEx to change money, we went to Four Seasons for lunch. Tomorrow - Chinsapo!  You may find some of the pictures not to your taste if you do not have a medical background, so beware! All photos were taken only after verbal permission from the patients!

Outside waiting area at Pothawira - people everywhere!

Nurse Mary and I.

Several day old burn from hot porridge.

Joey giving blood at Salima district hospital, with Kelley watching (and me taking photos). The guy from the blood bank drawing the blood was named Saviour. 

This poor little guy had a terrible ear infection with drainage and maceration of his entire ear. He was not a happy camper.

Small child with burn on her hand - she dipped her hand in hot porridge. She had been seen at another facility where she showed up with colgate on the wound. It occurred several days before we saw here and it looked pretty infected.

Same girl, palmar surface of her hand. I am really worried about the fact that these burns seemed to be circumferential around several of her fingers.

Lunch at the tearoom at Four Seasons. Joey

and Kelley excited about the meal. It really was delicious.

Oh, darn, we had already eaten before we saw these snacks along the side of the road - mice on a stick ('mouse kabobs'). 

A shout out to all who have supported with medications, supplies and monetary donations! I am already calculating costs for next year. I accept donations year round! Gas is still about $8 / gallon. Food is expensive (except the mice, which are a bargain!). And of course, medications are a big bite out of the budget!