Okay. So my curiosity has gotten the better of me! Only a few of the people who regularly read my blog are listed in the "Followers" section and even some listed there I don't believe I've met. Also, I hear random comments from time-to-time about people who read regulargly and I had no idea. I would LOVE to hear from you--who you are, what you do, where you're from, what you think of what I've written or how I've set things up on the blog, etc... . (Since I'm very technically challenged and starting a slideshow on this blog is my greatest feat thus far in life, there are no gaurantees I can change things but your suggestions would be helpful! I can always find technical gurus to consult!) Also, I really want to get to know why this blog appealed to you--are you a nurse? do you have an interest in missions? do you just like random stories from exotic destinations? just knew me and thus felt obligated to read in case I asked you something about it when I get home? Or just thought, "Hhhhmmm...the title sounds like the beginning of a good book..." and found it to be almost as big as a book and are now stuck in curiosity at what might happen next? OR ... are you one of those people who live at their computer, rarely see daylight and are simply reading because there's nothing else to do right now? Really....any answer at all will do, no matter how outrageous!!! This blog in-and-of-itself has been an adventure for me and practice for the time when I am in full-time ministry, as my profile talks about. Thanks for sticking with me!!! I look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
Tobi Magill bigtomagill@juno.com
Monday, October 26, 2009
Finishing Well and Hyper, Hungry Little Boys...
I'm afraid that I've come down to my last week here on the Africa Mercy. Though part of me is ready to be home, another part is wanting to stay. However, God's made it clear that my time is done. Though I've enjoyed Benin, my heart is not really for Africa. God seems to be keeping me from my usual attatchments to the countries I've visited, knowing that I wouldn't want to leave if I had. He is clearly moving me into His own direction towards something new but exactly that will be is a mystery yet to be solved! Other adventures await!!! And in all of them, He is still God and He is always good!!! Praise the Lord!!!
In the mean time, I have seven days left in Africa and three of them are in the hospital. God has stressed to me in many ways that I must finish well. It's all well and good to begin something with passion and energy. It is entirely another to give so fully of yourself that there is nothing left at the end of the race. I've known all along that God has had me here for a specific purpose or reason. And though I've seen Him work through me in many different ways to affect those around me and though He's teaching me and given me answers and freedoms in issues I've been struggling with, I feel that I'm not seeing the main thing. Whatever it is, I don't want to get home and find that I've not done it. So to finish this adventure is to give myself fully to the people around me--both on the ship and in the ward and off the ship--so as not to miss whatever it is He is showing me and to finish this adventure in a manner pleasing to Him.
I've been reading the book of Nehemiah. Though Ezra had led the Jewish exiles back and rebuilt the temple, the city of Jerusalem itself remained in ruins without any protection whatsoever. Nehemiah was a cupbearer for the very powerful and pagan ruling king of the world (more or less), which means that he had the job of tasting all the food and drinks that were offered to the king. Everyone would then watch him to see if he died of poison or if the king would be safe to eat and/or drink that item. Fun job, huh? Every moment could bring life or death! On the other hand, you ate and drank only the best! Anyhow, he received word that Jerusalem was still in ruins and that the people there lived in poverty and fear of the peoples around them. He was greatly grieved at this and spent much of his time in prayer. After some days the king called him over and said, "What's wrong? You're not looking so good and you've never appeared before me like this? This is a matter of the heart not the stomach. What's wrong?" After Nehemiah told him, the king ordered supplies, soldiers, transportation, more Jewish exiles, and treasures to be sent with Nehemiah so that the city might be rebuilt. He also sent letters to the surrounding peoples that they were to assist and send supplies or monies as needed. However, shortly after organizing the inhabitants to build, several influential leaders of the surrounding peoples began to mock and try to scare them away from the building. They created lies about Nehemiah and threatened to pass these lies on to the king. But Nehemiah simply prayed with all the people and then reorganized so that there were well-armed guards at every low point in the partially finished walls and armed every worker so that if they were attacked they could fight back. He also told the liars that they could not frighten them away from what God had told them to do. And everything Ezra and Nehemiah did was bathed in lots of prayer because they had given themselves entirely to God and His will. The wall was finished in record time and it is said that the surrounding peoples "perceived that this work was done by our God." That is finishing well despite great hardship and opposition.
I don't have to fight for my life to finish the week (...not that I know of anyway!!!) but God doesn't expect me to invest any less. I pray (and hope that you will pray with me) with Nehemiah, "Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands."
Well, we're well into VVF and it has been a good start. Of the ten women currently post-operative, nine have had successful surgeries! No more leaking! The one who's surgery was unsuccessful the first time will be going back for further surgery. Though she was discouraged at first, Dr. Steve encouraged her to hang in there. "We are fighting a tough enemy and sometimes it takes more than one battle to gain victory. We are not done fighting yet!" These women have gone through so many trials in there lives, as I've described before. The hope of being healed becomes so very real that when the surgeries are unsuccessful at stopping the leaking completely, the discouragement is great. However, some women, because of the extent of their injury, need several operations to completely close. This can become an emotional rollercoaster for them. However, our friend seems to be doing quite well and is looking forward to her next surgery.
Despite the sad nature of the injury and the uncertain hope afterwards as they heal, the smiles on their faces when they first get out of bed and walk without leaking is so worth everything!!! They realize that it really is fixed! Their nightmare is over!!!
Some of these women were able to have other children before their injuries occurred or since if they had access to c-sections, so there are a few little bundles of cuteness to adore and hold around the ward! One such bundle is a bundle of purely little boy energy and speed and hunger! He's such a happy little man at one year old but he is perpetually-constantly moving and eating! The other morning he was so full that he was vomiting but right after vomiting he would go back to nursing!!! After 2-3 times of this, we finally had to say, "Okay, already! Your done! No more! Go play!" He's just about impossible to contain in any one area...his favorite is sitting up, scooting, using his feet to scoot himself forward and into trouble. He refuses to crawl but will hold your fingers and walk (or rather this tilted-forward-trying-to-get-the-feet-to-move-fast-enough run!) all over the place. And of course, everything belongs in the mouth--not a good thing in the land of foley catheters!!!! He's just about a full-time job by himself without taking patients but there's never a shortage of willing hands to help! He's been good for morale amongst the nurses, staff, and patients!
We also still have on-going max-fax and thyroidectomy surgeries and patients as well, but I haven't worked with them much this week or weekend. From what I hear, they have some cuteness going on, too, and their patients are doing well.
However, as we're wrapping up our outreach efforts here in Benin, everyone's feeling the exhaustion of the year's work and the stress of finishing everything before we sail on. Please especially pray for the hospital administration and doctors right now as they are having to decide who we can fit into the schedule for surgery and who will not be able to have it on this trip. There are several factors to consider in these decisions and it is never easy to see suffering and have to tell them that we can't help on this trip. For these patients, many meet the ship on screening days in other surrounding countries (some of our current cases come from Nigeria) or come back in a few years when the ship returns. National doctors and nurses are also being trained throughout the outreach to perform some of these surgeries so that they are available even after we leave. Our goal is to help those who have a life-threatening need for surgery first and then to help any others in need as much as possible afterwards while building up the country's own healthcare system through education or help in construction of needed buildings for clinics or education. We also strive to give quality care to those who do become our patients. So towards this end, decisions are being made and I know that they would greatly appreciate your prayers!!!
Thanks for all of your encouragement and prayers during my time here! I've felt it! I will tell you more next time! Talk to you soon!
In the mean time, I have seven days left in Africa and three of them are in the hospital. God has stressed to me in many ways that I must finish well. It's all well and good to begin something with passion and energy. It is entirely another to give so fully of yourself that there is nothing left at the end of the race. I've known all along that God has had me here for a specific purpose or reason. And though I've seen Him work through me in many different ways to affect those around me and though He's teaching me and given me answers and freedoms in issues I've been struggling with, I feel that I'm not seeing the main thing. Whatever it is, I don't want to get home and find that I've not done it. So to finish this adventure is to give myself fully to the people around me--both on the ship and in the ward and off the ship--so as not to miss whatever it is He is showing me and to finish this adventure in a manner pleasing to Him.
I've been reading the book of Nehemiah. Though Ezra had led the Jewish exiles back and rebuilt the temple, the city of Jerusalem itself remained in ruins without any protection whatsoever. Nehemiah was a cupbearer for the very powerful and pagan ruling king of the world (more or less), which means that he had the job of tasting all the food and drinks that were offered to the king. Everyone would then watch him to see if he died of poison or if the king would be safe to eat and/or drink that item. Fun job, huh? Every moment could bring life or death! On the other hand, you ate and drank only the best! Anyhow, he received word that Jerusalem was still in ruins and that the people there lived in poverty and fear of the peoples around them. He was greatly grieved at this and spent much of his time in prayer. After some days the king called him over and said, "What's wrong? You're not looking so good and you've never appeared before me like this? This is a matter of the heart not the stomach. What's wrong?" After Nehemiah told him, the king ordered supplies, soldiers, transportation, more Jewish exiles, and treasures to be sent with Nehemiah so that the city might be rebuilt. He also sent letters to the surrounding peoples that they were to assist and send supplies or monies as needed. However, shortly after organizing the inhabitants to build, several influential leaders of the surrounding peoples began to mock and try to scare them away from the building. They created lies about Nehemiah and threatened to pass these lies on to the king. But Nehemiah simply prayed with all the people and then reorganized so that there were well-armed guards at every low point in the partially finished walls and armed every worker so that if they were attacked they could fight back. He also told the liars that they could not frighten them away from what God had told them to do. And everything Ezra and Nehemiah did was bathed in lots of prayer because they had given themselves entirely to God and His will. The wall was finished in record time and it is said that the surrounding peoples "perceived that this work was done by our God." That is finishing well despite great hardship and opposition.
I don't have to fight for my life to finish the week (...not that I know of anyway!!!) but God doesn't expect me to invest any less. I pray (and hope that you will pray with me) with Nehemiah, "Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands."
Well, we're well into VVF and it has been a good start. Of the ten women currently post-operative, nine have had successful surgeries! No more leaking! The one who's surgery was unsuccessful the first time will be going back for further surgery. Though she was discouraged at first, Dr. Steve encouraged her to hang in there. "We are fighting a tough enemy and sometimes it takes more than one battle to gain victory. We are not done fighting yet!" These women have gone through so many trials in there lives, as I've described before. The hope of being healed becomes so very real that when the surgeries are unsuccessful at stopping the leaking completely, the discouragement is great. However, some women, because of the extent of their injury, need several operations to completely close. This can become an emotional rollercoaster for them. However, our friend seems to be doing quite well and is looking forward to her next surgery.
Despite the sad nature of the injury and the uncertain hope afterwards as they heal, the smiles on their faces when they first get out of bed and walk without leaking is so worth everything!!! They realize that it really is fixed! Their nightmare is over!!!
Some of these women were able to have other children before their injuries occurred or since if they had access to c-sections, so there are a few little bundles of cuteness to adore and hold around the ward! One such bundle is a bundle of purely little boy energy and speed and hunger! He's such a happy little man at one year old but he is perpetually-constantly moving and eating! The other morning he was so full that he was vomiting but right after vomiting he would go back to nursing!!! After 2-3 times of this, we finally had to say, "Okay, already! Your done! No more! Go play!" He's just about impossible to contain in any one area...his favorite is sitting up, scooting, using his feet to scoot himself forward and into trouble. He refuses to crawl but will hold your fingers and walk (or rather this tilted-forward-trying-to-get-the-feet-to-move-fast-enough run!) all over the place. And of course, everything belongs in the mouth--not a good thing in the land of foley catheters!!!! He's just about a full-time job by himself without taking patients but there's never a shortage of willing hands to help! He's been good for morale amongst the nurses, staff, and patients!
We also still have on-going max-fax and thyroidectomy surgeries and patients as well, but I haven't worked with them much this week or weekend. From what I hear, they have some cuteness going on, too, and their patients are doing well.
However, as we're wrapping up our outreach efforts here in Benin, everyone's feeling the exhaustion of the year's work and the stress of finishing everything before we sail on. Please especially pray for the hospital administration and doctors right now as they are having to decide who we can fit into the schedule for surgery and who will not be able to have it on this trip. There are several factors to consider in these decisions and it is never easy to see suffering and have to tell them that we can't help on this trip. For these patients, many meet the ship on screening days in other surrounding countries (some of our current cases come from Nigeria) or come back in a few years when the ship returns. National doctors and nurses are also being trained throughout the outreach to perform some of these surgeries so that they are available even after we leave. Our goal is to help those who have a life-threatening need for surgery first and then to help any others in need as much as possible afterwards while building up the country's own healthcare system through education or help in construction of needed buildings for clinics or education. We also strive to give quality care to those who do become our patients. So towards this end, decisions are being made and I know that they would greatly appreciate your prayers!!!
Thanks for all of your encouragement and prayers during my time here! I've felt it! I will tell you more next time! Talk to you soon!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Swimming, Sleeping in a Hammock, Water Volleyball and Other Missionary Activities.....Hee,Hee!
Yes, we have all heard the phrase "Suffering for the Lord" and it is often applied to missionaries. But living abroad definitely has its upsides! For me, I made the sacrifice and suffered for the Lord (*completely tongue-in-cheek!*) once again at Bab's Dock with several friends! Another beautiful boat ride out to the semi-fresh water lake, swimming (watching a wiry 60+yr old man run up, a wide childish grin splitting his face, and cannon-ball in like a little boy, splashing the sun-bathing girls!LOL! Very entertaining!), several rounds of water volleyball (aka, let's-see-if-we-can-make-it-more-than-once-over-the-net-and-keep-it-out-of-the-marsh!), a good hot lunch of BBQ chicken, some amazing french fries, and delicious chocolate crepe, reading and sleeping in a VERY comfortable hammock with the sun filtering in and out of the palm and other trees overhead,....Yup. Just suffering for the Lord in Africa!
The next morning, I joined my roommate and one of our day volunteers, Betty, and her husband for church. Betty and her husband are actually from Kenya so they do not speak French or any of the other tribal languages spoken here, though they are fluent in English. Because of this, they chose an English-speaking church here in Cotonou. That particular morning they had a combined service of both their French and English churches from that denomination in the area so the service was longer than normal to allow for the constant translation between French and English. The church was much more conservative than the others I attended and was a little easier to follow because of the English translation. This church sang a few hymns and choruses (the congregation singing all together in whatever language they knew it in!), had a small orchestra to accompany, a choir, and special music. It is not that different from most conservative American churches you might visit. The pastor first did a Bible story, and though it was time for the service to move on, took time to answer a question one of the congregation had about his personal bible reading in Job. He answered it fully, clearly and patiently. Then picked the service back up and moved on. I was very impressed. This is not typical of the pastors of the churches I have attended so far. His message was very clear and connected and made better sense than the other speakers I've heard in churches here. But in typical African fashion, there were three offerings, each for something different--one for the church's upkeep, one for the church's building fund (though the structure (walls, floor, roof, balcony, third floor, etc) is there, the building is far from being finished), and for missionaries they support in Senegal. They reiterated how Senegal is about 95% Muslim making it a very difficult region to work in. He said something about there being three Christian churches there. I think he might have said "only three Christian churches in Senegal" or might possibly be referring to three of that particular denomination or missionary's. I'm not exactly sure. Either way, the country of Senegal is desperately in need of the truth, difficult though it may be to give. The church building itself, even in bare, rough cement and structure, was impressive. The front of their building project offering envelope showed the drawing of what they expected the church to look like when it was done. It looks like it will be really neat inside and out. Overall, I was really impressed with the whole church.
The little boy in front of us was busy playing an easy game of "spot the Yovoes!" He was quite fascinated by us and even came to sit between us for a while! His older sister (about 8-9yr) was more discreet and just kept peaking back at us or watching us when we weren't looking. Both got more bold as the service went on, but the little boy soon wore himself out climbing all over and fell asleep in his mother's lap.
I also had the chance to speak with one of my former patients who's active in the church there! That was a surprise but refreshing, too! We discharge them from the ward and may get to see them if they visit the ward after their post-op checkups but, generally, we don't see them again. It was nice to see how well she's doing and that she recognized me, that my care of her did make enough of a difference that she remembered me.
I often feel like I'm playing the bad guy at work--"you have to drink more water", "close your mouth and swallow!", "yes, you have to take these pills", "come on...you have to get out of bed for a while...", "no, you can't go up on deck 7 today", etc. I feel like all I'm doing is forcing people to do uncomfortable or painful or tedious things they don't want to do. After they've had major surgery on their mouth, the last thing they want to do is swallow anything even a few days later. After they've had bone taken from their hip, the last thing they want to do is walk! Some view having to take a lot pills as meaning "you're really sick" and they don't want to take so many because they feel okay right now.
One woman would take the same pills four times a day. Three of those times she would take them without fuss but every morning at 6am, we had to have a 10-15 minute discussion/coaxing session to get her to take the same pills she'd been taking the other three times a day for several days without a problem! Every morning had a different angle--"I think I will throw up if I take them" (gave medication to prevent); "I need to drink warm salt water to keep me from throwing up before I take the med" (very originial....got the salt water--won't make a lick of difference but if it means that she would take her pills, she can have the salt water!); "I need to brush my teeth first" (a very common objection....fine, brush the teeth first)!!! It got to be pretty entertaining to see what her excuse would be in the morning!
Because of the condition of drinking water where they live, they are used to drinking very little water so getting them to drink lots of water is like pulling teeth! After a few days of the nasogastric (NG) tube, all they can think of is getting it out and making them keep it in and take the feedings is tiring to both of us! And after they've just had surgery to free their jaw joints, to keep it as flexible as possible, we have them start stacking Popsicle sticks between their molars every two hours--whereas they may get four in without too much pain, their jaw needs to fully open to six sticks which causes a lot of pain. Even though all of these things are necessary and very important to their health, I still feel like the bad guy having to enforce it!
But there is a reason we must push for these things. Without learning to swallow, they'll just drool and have to eat through a tube for the rest of their life (the tube not being an option here in Benin). Their hip bone will heal but it is important that they get out of bed so that they don't get open sores from laying in one place. That would mean more risk for infection and longer healing time, longer time in the hospital, and more time away from their families and jobs. Some of these pills give their bodies nutrients to heal and prevent infection. For the patients who have had a goiter removed (a giant lump on their thyroid gland in their neck), they need replacement thyroid hormone for the rest of their life or their bodies will shut down and die. We give no more pills than we have to. Some have to keep the NG in to allow their mouth to heal sufficiently. Otherwise, they would try to eat too soon and the incisions in their mouth would break open, hurting the healing tissues and allowing infections to start! They must drink water to prevent getting dehydrated. If they get dehydrated, the volume of their blood is less which means that the wounds are not getting the blood supply that they need to heal. Also, dehydration can cause dizziness and they may fall and get hurt....not something we want to see happen and for which we make efforts to prevent, including drinking water (or tea or juice or anything else we can coax them into). If they don't do the sticks exercises, their jaws will freeze up again, as if they had never had surgery and they will go back to eating whatever fluids they can get, whatever food they can sop in juice or milk to soften and force between their clamped jaws. All of these things, though they are difficult, painful, and tedious, are for their benefit. Keeping this perspective and keeping in mind what their alternatives are help me pull myself together and make it happen.
I think that this may be how it is with us and God sometimes. He allows the painful, uncomfortable, and tedious things to happen and even encourages us in them because He knows the alternative of leaving us as we were. All of His plan for us is for our good, to develop us into a better person than we previously were! How we must grieve Him with all of our complaining and resistance! What an amazingly patient and good God we serve! The Master Healer of all that plagues us!
I found these verses in my reading today and they fit these thoughts so well:
"The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy." ~Psalms 147:11
"For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation. Let the saints be joyful in glory; Let them sing aloud on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth." ~Psalms 149:4-6a
The next morning, I joined my roommate and one of our day volunteers, Betty, and her husband for church. Betty and her husband are actually from Kenya so they do not speak French or any of the other tribal languages spoken here, though they are fluent in English. Because of this, they chose an English-speaking church here in Cotonou. That particular morning they had a combined service of both their French and English churches from that denomination in the area so the service was longer than normal to allow for the constant translation between French and English. The church was much more conservative than the others I attended and was a little easier to follow because of the English translation. This church sang a few hymns and choruses (the congregation singing all together in whatever language they knew it in!), had a small orchestra to accompany, a choir, and special music. It is not that different from most conservative American churches you might visit. The pastor first did a Bible story, and though it was time for the service to move on, took time to answer a question one of the congregation had about his personal bible reading in Job. He answered it fully, clearly and patiently. Then picked the service back up and moved on. I was very impressed. This is not typical of the pastors of the churches I have attended so far. His message was very clear and connected and made better sense than the other speakers I've heard in churches here. But in typical African fashion, there were three offerings, each for something different--one for the church's upkeep, one for the church's building fund (though the structure (walls, floor, roof, balcony, third floor, etc) is there, the building is far from being finished), and for missionaries they support in Senegal. They reiterated how Senegal is about 95% Muslim making it a very difficult region to work in. He said something about there being three Christian churches there. I think he might have said "only three Christian churches in Senegal" or might possibly be referring to three of that particular denomination or missionary's. I'm not exactly sure. Either way, the country of Senegal is desperately in need of the truth, difficult though it may be to give. The church building itself, even in bare, rough cement and structure, was impressive. The front of their building project offering envelope showed the drawing of what they expected the church to look like when it was done. It looks like it will be really neat inside and out. Overall, I was really impressed with the whole church.
The little boy in front of us was busy playing an easy game of "spot the Yovoes!" He was quite fascinated by us and even came to sit between us for a while! His older sister (about 8-9yr) was more discreet and just kept peaking back at us or watching us when we weren't looking. Both got more bold as the service went on, but the little boy soon wore himself out climbing all over and fell asleep in his mother's lap.
I also had the chance to speak with one of my former patients who's active in the church there! That was a surprise but refreshing, too! We discharge them from the ward and may get to see them if they visit the ward after their post-op checkups but, generally, we don't see them again. It was nice to see how well she's doing and that she recognized me, that my care of her did make enough of a difference that she remembered me.
I often feel like I'm playing the bad guy at work--"you have to drink more water", "close your mouth and swallow!", "yes, you have to take these pills", "come on...you have to get out of bed for a while...", "no, you can't go up on deck 7 today", etc. I feel like all I'm doing is forcing people to do uncomfortable or painful or tedious things they don't want to do. After they've had major surgery on their mouth, the last thing they want to do is swallow anything even a few days later. After they've had bone taken from their hip, the last thing they want to do is walk! Some view having to take a lot pills as meaning "you're really sick" and they don't want to take so many because they feel okay right now.
One woman would take the same pills four times a day. Three of those times she would take them without fuss but every morning at 6am, we had to have a 10-15 minute discussion/coaxing session to get her to take the same pills she'd been taking the other three times a day for several days without a problem! Every morning had a different angle--"I think I will throw up if I take them" (gave medication to prevent); "I need to drink warm salt water to keep me from throwing up before I take the med" (very originial....got the salt water--won't make a lick of difference but if it means that she would take her pills, she can have the salt water!); "I need to brush my teeth first" (a very common objection....fine, brush the teeth first)!!! It got to be pretty entertaining to see what her excuse would be in the morning!
Because of the condition of drinking water where they live, they are used to drinking very little water so getting them to drink lots of water is like pulling teeth! After a few days of the nasogastric (NG) tube, all they can think of is getting it out and making them keep it in and take the feedings is tiring to both of us! And after they've just had surgery to free their jaw joints, to keep it as flexible as possible, we have them start stacking Popsicle sticks between their molars every two hours--whereas they may get four in without too much pain, their jaw needs to fully open to six sticks which causes a lot of pain. Even though all of these things are necessary and very important to their health, I still feel like the bad guy having to enforce it!
But there is a reason we must push for these things. Without learning to swallow, they'll just drool and have to eat through a tube for the rest of their life (the tube not being an option here in Benin). Their hip bone will heal but it is important that they get out of bed so that they don't get open sores from laying in one place. That would mean more risk for infection and longer healing time, longer time in the hospital, and more time away from their families and jobs. Some of these pills give their bodies nutrients to heal and prevent infection. For the patients who have had a goiter removed (a giant lump on their thyroid gland in their neck), they need replacement thyroid hormone for the rest of their life or their bodies will shut down and die. We give no more pills than we have to. Some have to keep the NG in to allow their mouth to heal sufficiently. Otherwise, they would try to eat too soon and the incisions in their mouth would break open, hurting the healing tissues and allowing infections to start! They must drink water to prevent getting dehydrated. If they get dehydrated, the volume of their blood is less which means that the wounds are not getting the blood supply that they need to heal. Also, dehydration can cause dizziness and they may fall and get hurt....not something we want to see happen and for which we make efforts to prevent, including drinking water (or tea or juice or anything else we can coax them into). If they don't do the sticks exercises, their jaws will freeze up again, as if they had never had surgery and they will go back to eating whatever fluids they can get, whatever food they can sop in juice or milk to soften and force between their clamped jaws. All of these things, though they are difficult, painful, and tedious, are for their benefit. Keeping this perspective and keeping in mind what their alternatives are help me pull myself together and make it happen.
I think that this may be how it is with us and God sometimes. He allows the painful, uncomfortable, and tedious things to happen and even encourages us in them because He knows the alternative of leaving us as we were. All of His plan for us is for our good, to develop us into a better person than we previously were! How we must grieve Him with all of our complaining and resistance! What an amazingly patient and good God we serve! The Master Healer of all that plagues us!
I found these verses in my reading today and they fit these thoughts so well:
"The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy." ~Psalms 147:11
"For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation. Let the saints be joyful in glory; Let them sing aloud on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth." ~Psalms 149:4-6a
Friday, October 16, 2009
The Importance of Obedience...
God's really been impressing on me lately the importance of obedience. I realize that I frequently "look for the magic pill," as I've frequently been told. I want God to change or fix things NOW and *POOF* it will be changed. But that's generally not the way He works, especially in matters of our character. In order to change things in me, He asks for my cooperation. That is, He asks for my obedience. If I trust Him to make the changes, then I need to trust Him enough to do what He's telling me to do! It wouldn't do any good if I went and asked my Dad how to change the oil in my car and then decided to ignore the need to change the oil or tried to change it my own way. It could seriously mess up my car either way. In the same way, I can't ask God to change my heart and then either ignore the issue all together or try to fix it n my own way. I could seriously mess up my life that way.
I've been reading the book of Ezra lately and it is amazing to me exactly how God worked everything out when Ezra and a few of the children of Israel were obedient! First off, the book describes how some of the children of Israel were allowed to return home to Israel, to the area surrounding Jerusalem, and how they started well, getting their families and homes in order and then began in earnest to rebuild the temple. But then opposition from surrounding peoples came up and letters were written to the conquering king at that time, reminding him of Israel's power and might in the past because of their God. The surrounding kings worried that if they were able to rebuild their temple, their God would be with them again and would help them overthrow everyone around them. The king agreed and ordered them to stop building. What the surrounding people failed to realize is that Israel's God was just as powerful without a temple as with one. Though the Israelites did obey the king and stop building, there is no indication that they stopped following God. Then Ezra, a wise man known to the king, is selected to lead more of the children of Israel back to Jerusalem and finish the temple. Again and again, Ezra describes how God worked out difficult situations and all because "the hand of our God is upon us." God first wins the heart of a powerful, formerly pagan, king and impresses it upon his heart to have the children of Israel return to Jerusalem and rebuild His temple. Then, though He allows the enemy to make their play, He is already coordinating faithful men into positions where, when the time is right, they can step up and lead more of the children of Israel back to Jerusalem and finish the temple. God also influences the heart of a godless king to not only allow them to return and build but also gives them generously from his treasury and his land and then orders the enemies of the first group to give the Israelites whatever they need in order to rebuild the temple! Throughout his whole narrative, Ezra remains very humble, seeking what God would have him do at every turn, and gives God the full credit for whatever is done. So right after the second group arrives, they hear the opposition and are told by them to stop building until the king can be notified of their activities. Basically, Ezra and the leaders tell them, "Okay. Go tell the king. That's fine with us." And they continue to build. They knew in their hearts that God had sent them to rebuild the temple and they obeyed despite opposition.
There are so many times when I have no opposition but myself and I still choose not to obey! But look at how God provided for everything beyond their wildest imaginations when they humbly recognized God and obeyed! Who am I to object to God's directions? If I say that I trust His leading, then I must also demonstrate my trust by obeying. It is not a mindless following but rather a conscious constant choice to yeild to His plan over my own. These are two of the foundation stones of an abiding relationship with God--trust and obedience. Without either one, you are not abiding. And what's the purpose of asking God to change you if you're unwilling to do what He says to be changed? ...very convicting for me!
Anyway, to finish Ezra's story, the king replies to those opposing peoples that not only has he ordered them to complete the temple but those peoples surrounding Israel were to give every assistance and any materials needed for building or for the sacrifices! Isn't God amazing?! Even in the heart of a godless king and the very enemies of His people, He provides for their needs and protection while they obey His will! What a mighty God we serve! Who better to be in obedience to?!
I've been reading the book of Ezra lately and it is amazing to me exactly how God worked everything out when Ezra and a few of the children of Israel were obedient! First off, the book describes how some of the children of Israel were allowed to return home to Israel, to the area surrounding Jerusalem, and how they started well, getting their families and homes in order and then began in earnest to rebuild the temple. But then opposition from surrounding peoples came up and letters were written to the conquering king at that time, reminding him of Israel's power and might in the past because of their God. The surrounding kings worried that if they were able to rebuild their temple, their God would be with them again and would help them overthrow everyone around them. The king agreed and ordered them to stop building. What the surrounding people failed to realize is that Israel's God was just as powerful without a temple as with one. Though the Israelites did obey the king and stop building, there is no indication that they stopped following God. Then Ezra, a wise man known to the king, is selected to lead more of the children of Israel back to Jerusalem and finish the temple. Again and again, Ezra describes how God worked out difficult situations and all because "the hand of our God is upon us." God first wins the heart of a powerful, formerly pagan, king and impresses it upon his heart to have the children of Israel return to Jerusalem and rebuild His temple. Then, though He allows the enemy to make their play, He is already coordinating faithful men into positions where, when the time is right, they can step up and lead more of the children of Israel back to Jerusalem and finish the temple. God also influences the heart of a godless king to not only allow them to return and build but also gives them generously from his treasury and his land and then orders the enemies of the first group to give the Israelites whatever they need in order to rebuild the temple! Throughout his whole narrative, Ezra remains very humble, seeking what God would have him do at every turn, and gives God the full credit for whatever is done. So right after the second group arrives, they hear the opposition and are told by them to stop building until the king can be notified of their activities. Basically, Ezra and the leaders tell them, "Okay. Go tell the king. That's fine with us." And they continue to build. They knew in their hearts that God had sent them to rebuild the temple and they obeyed despite opposition.
There are so many times when I have no opposition but myself and I still choose not to obey! But look at how God provided for everything beyond their wildest imaginations when they humbly recognized God and obeyed! Who am I to object to God's directions? If I say that I trust His leading, then I must also demonstrate my trust by obeying. It is not a mindless following but rather a conscious constant choice to yeild to His plan over my own. These are two of the foundation stones of an abiding relationship with God--trust and obedience. Without either one, you are not abiding. And what's the purpose of asking God to change you if you're unwilling to do what He says to be changed? ...very convicting for me!
Anyway, to finish Ezra's story, the king replies to those opposing peoples that not only has he ordered them to complete the temple but those peoples surrounding Israel were to give every assistance and any materials needed for building or for the sacrifices! Isn't God amazing?! Even in the heart of a godless king and the very enemies of His people, He provides for their needs and protection while they obey His will! What a mighty God we serve! Who better to be in obedience to?!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Back to the world of Max-Fac...then we start VVF...
Yes, after six weeks (or there abouts) of plastics I am back into the world of maxillo-facial surgeries and NG feeds! The first night back was fairly busy as I reacquainted myself to this genre of care but the last two nights have been fairly quiet. ...Hence, this update at 2am my time! We have only 8 plastics in-patients left on the ward and have discharged several general surgeries (hernia repairs, cyst removals, etc) and max-fac patients over the last two days but tomorrow starts another day of admissions in preparation for Monday's surgeries.
In another week we will be starting two weeks of surgery for VVF (vesico-vaginal fistula) ladies. These surgeries are to repair holes between the birth canal and urinary and/or fecal tracks. There are many causes of VVF (or the other varieties of fistulas we'll see) but one of the main ones is the disproportion between the pelvis size and the size of the baby being born. The children here start working very young and often carry loads on their heads that would be heavy for you or I to carry. This, combined with poor nutrition, means that most of the energy they get from their food is put into their work and not into growth. So, often, they remain smaller framed. Also, sometimes these girls are married quite young (more so in the northern rural tribal areas) and have not yet finished growing themselves when they become pregnant. (A young woman doesn't stop growing until at least 18-21 yr of age.) Because of their smaller frames, the baby's head is too large to fit through the pelvis and becomes stuck. These women are often in labor for several days (one I've heard of was in labor for a week!) without medical clinics available or too far away to get to. With no one around to help, the baby dies and sometimes, so does the mother. If the mother survives, she soon realizes that her urine and/or feces leak constantly and she may also have some weakness or paralysis of her legs. Because of the leaking, no one wants her around and she is often rejected by her entire community, even her husband and family. The social shame, embarrassment, disgrace and rejection that go with these conditions cause untold emotional pain for these women. Some of these women come to us young (16-20yr). Others have had to deal with this for more than 20+ yrs! Along with the surgery, they have exercises to do and their bladders and muscles must be retrained to function properly. They also need lots and lots of complete support (emotional, social, spiritual, physical, etc.). Not all holes are able to be fixed and some may take more than one surgery but each woman comes here with the hope of being "fixed." There are many fears and expectations as well as emotional scars that each one must deal with. At the end of these two weeks, each woman receives a new dress to symbolize the new life that she's been given and we celebrate with them at the New Dress Ceremony. Though many of these women are unable to have any more children some do. They will never be able to have a natural birth again as that may cause the repairs to tear. So each woman is given a card stating that arrangements have been made with a local doctor to provide free c-sections should they have more children.
I have heard several of these ladies' stories--some ending with joy and happy reunions with husbands and families while others are unable to return home or bear children and must find other means to live--and yet God shows Himself faithful to each one. Along with providing them a new life through their repairs, we have the opportunity to tell them of another new life they can have through Jesus Christ. The joy you see in their smiles, knowing the pain they have already experienced, can't help but encourage you! Everyone here is looking forward to those two weeks!
Wow! I can't believe it! I have only three weeks left! One more week of max-fac and general surgeries then two weeks of VVF and my time here will be over! Though I am looking forward to being home, I have tried to enjoy every day for what it holds. My worst fear is that I'll get home and have regrets about opportunities I didn't take and what I didn't do. I already know that there will be several African friends that I will miss! Thank the Lord for heaven! I'll have all of eternity to see them again!
In another week we will be starting two weeks of surgery for VVF (vesico-vaginal fistula) ladies. These surgeries are to repair holes between the birth canal and urinary and/or fecal tracks. There are many causes of VVF (or the other varieties of fistulas we'll see) but one of the main ones is the disproportion between the pelvis size and the size of the baby being born. The children here start working very young and often carry loads on their heads that would be heavy for you or I to carry. This, combined with poor nutrition, means that most of the energy they get from their food is put into their work and not into growth. So, often, they remain smaller framed. Also, sometimes these girls are married quite young (more so in the northern rural tribal areas) and have not yet finished growing themselves when they become pregnant. (A young woman doesn't stop growing until at least 18-21 yr of age.) Because of their smaller frames, the baby's head is too large to fit through the pelvis and becomes stuck. These women are often in labor for several days (one I've heard of was in labor for a week!) without medical clinics available or too far away to get to. With no one around to help, the baby dies and sometimes, so does the mother. If the mother survives, she soon realizes that her urine and/or feces leak constantly and she may also have some weakness or paralysis of her legs. Because of the leaking, no one wants her around and she is often rejected by her entire community, even her husband and family. The social shame, embarrassment, disgrace and rejection that go with these conditions cause untold emotional pain for these women. Some of these women come to us young (16-20yr). Others have had to deal with this for more than 20+ yrs! Along with the surgery, they have exercises to do and their bladders and muscles must be retrained to function properly. They also need lots and lots of complete support (emotional, social, spiritual, physical, etc.). Not all holes are able to be fixed and some may take more than one surgery but each woman comes here with the hope of being "fixed." There are many fears and expectations as well as emotional scars that each one must deal with. At the end of these two weeks, each woman receives a new dress to symbolize the new life that she's been given and we celebrate with them at the New Dress Ceremony. Though many of these women are unable to have any more children some do. They will never be able to have a natural birth again as that may cause the repairs to tear. So each woman is given a card stating that arrangements have been made with a local doctor to provide free c-sections should they have more children.
I have heard several of these ladies' stories--some ending with joy and happy reunions with husbands and families while others are unable to return home or bear children and must find other means to live--and yet God shows Himself faithful to each one. Along with providing them a new life through their repairs, we have the opportunity to tell them of another new life they can have through Jesus Christ. The joy you see in their smiles, knowing the pain they have already experienced, can't help but encourage you! Everyone here is looking forward to those two weeks!
Wow! I can't believe it! I have only three weeks left! One more week of max-fac and general surgeries then two weeks of VVF and my time here will be over! Though I am looking forward to being home, I have tried to enjoy every day for what it holds. My worst fear is that I'll get home and have regrets about opportunities I didn't take and what I didn't do. I already know that there will be several African friends that I will miss! Thank the Lord for heaven! I'll have all of eternity to see them again!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Playing tourist....
I've never been very good at playing tourist. I'd much prefer to be helping someone somewhere. However, rest is just important as the work and often makes for a lot of good memories!
Last Saturday, a large group from the ship went to Bab's Dock for the day. Bab's Dock is owned by a German couple who built their resort on a shallow semi-fresh water lake (it is a very short distance inland from the ocean). It's a beautiful little retreat offering sunbathing, relaxing in hammocks or on mats around decks and the sandy beach, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, water volleyball, a restaurant with wonderful food, and a variety of animals around (they keep a pet monkey, several donkeys, some dogs, and of course, the ever present lizards seen everywhere). It was so much fun! I decided that I really don't know how to kayak, though I have been before (and quite successfully, I might add!)--their small yellow kayak I couldn't even keep from rolling for more than 15 sec! Every time I would swing the paddle to row I would tip myself over!!! Thankfully the water was only about 3 feet deep! You could walk across the lake if you wanted to. Most of the water got no higher than mid-chest on an average person.
My friend, Gry, and I decided to try the two-person kayak and that went much more smoothly! We did a bit of exploring, discussing what might really be in the water we had been swimming in! Hhhmmm....some things are better not to know! I also tried to ride the small one-man sail boat with one of the ship's officers; however, the plastic surface is completely smooth and there is nothing to brace yourself on if you are not sitting in the pilot area! I slid off every time the wind would catch the sail and tip the boat a little!!! My friend, Gry, graciously pointed out after several of my dunkings that the idea behind sailing was to ride IN the boat! Huh! Whoda thunk it?! At one point, I decided that we were going fast enough, I'd try barefoot skiing since I was dragging behind the boat anyway but that created too much drag and slowed the boat right down. I did eventually manage to stay on long enough for a ride by straddling the mast and tucking a foot under the ledge of the boat on either side! Quite a sight, I'm sure, but it worked! That little boat got moving pretty fast once we were going!!!
To get out to Bab's Dock, we had to take a motor boat through a tunnel carved out of the many trees with their highly visible roots, looking much like hundreds of fingers dipping into the water. It was beautiful! I did see a few smaller tunnels/canals off of the wide one we took that I think go to the beach side homes and farms we saw driving to the boat launch. I even saw them moving a zimmy-jea'n(motorcycle) across the lake on a boat!
Sunday was another day off, one to relax. A fellow nurse and I did a tour of the ship for friends and family of one of our translators. Then, after our ship's evening service, I was invited to the gospel concert of one of our other translators. I went with him and one of the other day volunteers who works in engineering. It was really good but a little weird. The concert was held in what looked like a bar and seemed like it was coming at the end of an all-day church service. There were about 20 people there when we got there and the worship team was still leading songs up front. Soon they introduced the group that was to give the concert and even though the group started their music right away, several people got up and left. For the rest of the evening, only a few people remained, some drifting in and out of the building. And one man started picking up chairs and putting the room back to normal weekday order not long after the concert started! And it was to go for over an hour yet! It was peculiar! I've never been to a concert where someone was invited to play and then right after they start, people leave and start cleaning up! But as they say, "that's Africa!" The engineer is from Benin and helped me learn a little of African dancing, which by the way, is excellent exercise!!! Dance for an 1-1/2 hr and you really feel it! I have now mastered a sort of shuffling step in time to the music--just going forward and back or side-to-side--but it is African dancing! He tried to teach me the more traditional, what I call "chicken", dance but that is way beyond my skill level! I think I'm hopeless on that one! Anyway, we had a lot of fun and I could really feel the Holy Spirit there as well. Being a little northern baptist girl, dancing in church is definitely new but it gave me a new appreciation for worshipping the Lord with everything I am. The dancing isn't for people around you. It's for the enjoyment of the music and having fun praising the Lord!
Monday and Tuesday were busy work days. Many of our plastic surgery patients have now been here for more than a month consecutively. I think the winner has been here for 43 days now and still healing! Infection interrupts the healing process and greatly delays their discharge from the hospital. However, we now have a number of them that will be going home soon. Though we cover a lot of teaching right around the time of their surgery (since we normally don't keep them more than a few days generally), we realized that that was a long time ago for most of these patients. So to prepare them for their discharge we did a big group teaching about preventing infections in their wounds, signs and symptoms of infection, what to do if they think it is infected and good hand washing. If we had just gone through the teaching, simply telling them everything, I think they would have just let it go in one ear and out the other. But I had two of my girl friends who are translators here working with me and they did an excellent job of asking questions to make them think, frequently reviewing and reiterating the important points, and thoroughly explaining everything! I also pulled another nurse in last minute to role-play a scene with me and asking the patients what we did that spread infection. Then we role-played a cleaner scenario and then talked about the things we had done to prevent the spread of infection. We also talked a little about purifying their water at home and about how there are many different bacteria and they need to be treated in very different ways. Therefore, it is very important that when they think they have an infection that they go and see a doctor instead of just buying an antibiotic tablet or two or three on the street. (And yes, that's common! It's expensive to buy the whole round of antibiotics and many feel that more than 2-3 tablets is unnecessary.) We also told them that it was not just a "crazy yovo" thing to wash hands all the time. That it served a very important purpose no matter where you were from.
I ended by telling them that now that they knew all about infection they could watch each other and the nurses and tell us when we were messing up. One of my nurse friends came up to me the next day,...apparently, she'd picked up a cup that had been sitting right-side up on the floor next to the patient's bed and proceeded to fill it up for him in order that he might take his meds. The patient stopped her, saying, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! Are you trying to KILL me?!" then laughed with the nurse that she'd been "caught." Apparently, they were paying more attention than I thought....to both the lesson and us! She also told me that she overheard one patient reprimanding another for scratching one of her wounds (a BIG cause for infection in these patients!). LOL! At least I know they understood everything!
Then yesterday, I got to play tourist again and went for a very relaxing day with friends at El Dorado Beach Club. We pay a small fee to get onto the beach then we can stay as long as we want. We had two of our translator friends with us and attempted to teach them how to swim using a boogy-board for a floaty! They both did pretty good. One of them picked up the idea of body-boarding pretty quickly and got in several good rides. For me, it was much like the beach I grew up going to so I was excited to get back into body-surfing! It was great! And we had some good-sized waves coming in! Also got to spend some time climbing around on the rocks that formed the small harbor we swam in, laying in the shade of one of the cement shelters reading, had a long and interesting discussion about doctrine and took lots and lots of pictures!
After these two trips, playing in the water and frying myself thoroughly, I've come to the conclusion that my water-proof sunscreen is not nearly as water-proof as it says it is!!! Oh, well! The burns look a lot nastier than they feel so I shall survive and live to tell the tale of other adventures! Talk to you later!
Last Saturday, a large group from the ship went to Bab's Dock for the day. Bab's Dock is owned by a German couple who built their resort on a shallow semi-fresh water lake (it is a very short distance inland from the ocean). It's a beautiful little retreat offering sunbathing, relaxing in hammocks or on mats around decks and the sandy beach, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, water volleyball, a restaurant with wonderful food, and a variety of animals around (they keep a pet monkey, several donkeys, some dogs, and of course, the ever present lizards seen everywhere). It was so much fun! I decided that I really don't know how to kayak, though I have been before (and quite successfully, I might add!)--their small yellow kayak I couldn't even keep from rolling for more than 15 sec! Every time I would swing the paddle to row I would tip myself over!!! Thankfully the water was only about 3 feet deep! You could walk across the lake if you wanted to. Most of the water got no higher than mid-chest on an average person.
My friend, Gry, and I decided to try the two-person kayak and that went much more smoothly! We did a bit of exploring, discussing what might really be in the water we had been swimming in! Hhhmmm....some things are better not to know! I also tried to ride the small one-man sail boat with one of the ship's officers; however, the plastic surface is completely smooth and there is nothing to brace yourself on if you are not sitting in the pilot area! I slid off every time the wind would catch the sail and tip the boat a little!!! My friend, Gry, graciously pointed out after several of my dunkings that the idea behind sailing was to ride IN the boat! Huh! Whoda thunk it?! At one point, I decided that we were going fast enough, I'd try barefoot skiing since I was dragging behind the boat anyway but that created too much drag and slowed the boat right down. I did eventually manage to stay on long enough for a ride by straddling the mast and tucking a foot under the ledge of the boat on either side! Quite a sight, I'm sure, but it worked! That little boat got moving pretty fast once we were going!!!
To get out to Bab's Dock, we had to take a motor boat through a tunnel carved out of the many trees with their highly visible roots, looking much like hundreds of fingers dipping into the water. It was beautiful! I did see a few smaller tunnels/canals off of the wide one we took that I think go to the beach side homes and farms we saw driving to the boat launch. I even saw them moving a zimmy-jea'n(motorcycle) across the lake on a boat!
Sunday was another day off, one to relax. A fellow nurse and I did a tour of the ship for friends and family of one of our translators. Then, after our ship's evening service, I was invited to the gospel concert of one of our other translators. I went with him and one of the other day volunteers who works in engineering. It was really good but a little weird. The concert was held in what looked like a bar and seemed like it was coming at the end of an all-day church service. There were about 20 people there when we got there and the worship team was still leading songs up front. Soon they introduced the group that was to give the concert and even though the group started their music right away, several people got up and left. For the rest of the evening, only a few people remained, some drifting in and out of the building. And one man started picking up chairs and putting the room back to normal weekday order not long after the concert started! And it was to go for over an hour yet! It was peculiar! I've never been to a concert where someone was invited to play and then right after they start, people leave and start cleaning up! But as they say, "that's Africa!" The engineer is from Benin and helped me learn a little of African dancing, which by the way, is excellent exercise!!! Dance for an 1-1/2 hr and you really feel it! I have now mastered a sort of shuffling step in time to the music--just going forward and back or side-to-side--but it is African dancing! He tried to teach me the more traditional, what I call "chicken", dance but that is way beyond my skill level! I think I'm hopeless on that one! Anyway, we had a lot of fun and I could really feel the Holy Spirit there as well. Being a little northern baptist girl, dancing in church is definitely new but it gave me a new appreciation for worshipping the Lord with everything I am. The dancing isn't for people around you. It's for the enjoyment of the music and having fun praising the Lord!
Monday and Tuesday were busy work days. Many of our plastic surgery patients have now been here for more than a month consecutively. I think the winner has been here for 43 days now and still healing! Infection interrupts the healing process and greatly delays their discharge from the hospital. However, we now have a number of them that will be going home soon. Though we cover a lot of teaching right around the time of their surgery (since we normally don't keep them more than a few days generally), we realized that that was a long time ago for most of these patients. So to prepare them for their discharge we did a big group teaching about preventing infections in their wounds, signs and symptoms of infection, what to do if they think it is infected and good hand washing. If we had just gone through the teaching, simply telling them everything, I think they would have just let it go in one ear and out the other. But I had two of my girl friends who are translators here working with me and they did an excellent job of asking questions to make them think, frequently reviewing and reiterating the important points, and thoroughly explaining everything! I also pulled another nurse in last minute to role-play a scene with me and asking the patients what we did that spread infection. Then we role-played a cleaner scenario and then talked about the things we had done to prevent the spread of infection. We also talked a little about purifying their water at home and about how there are many different bacteria and they need to be treated in very different ways. Therefore, it is very important that when they think they have an infection that they go and see a doctor instead of just buying an antibiotic tablet or two or three on the street. (And yes, that's common! It's expensive to buy the whole round of antibiotics and many feel that more than 2-3 tablets is unnecessary.) We also told them that it was not just a "crazy yovo" thing to wash hands all the time. That it served a very important purpose no matter where you were from.
I ended by telling them that now that they knew all about infection they could watch each other and the nurses and tell us when we were messing up. One of my nurse friends came up to me the next day,...apparently, she'd picked up a cup that had been sitting right-side up on the floor next to the patient's bed and proceeded to fill it up for him in order that he might take his meds. The patient stopped her, saying, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! Are you trying to KILL me?!" then laughed with the nurse that she'd been "caught." Apparently, they were paying more attention than I thought....to both the lesson and us! She also told me that she overheard one patient reprimanding another for scratching one of her wounds (a BIG cause for infection in these patients!). LOL! At least I know they understood everything!
Then yesterday, I got to play tourist again and went for a very relaxing day with friends at El Dorado Beach Club. We pay a small fee to get onto the beach then we can stay as long as we want. We had two of our translator friends with us and attempted to teach them how to swim using a boogy-board for a floaty! They both did pretty good. One of them picked up the idea of body-boarding pretty quickly and got in several good rides. For me, it was much like the beach I grew up going to so I was excited to get back into body-surfing! It was great! And we had some good-sized waves coming in! Also got to spend some time climbing around on the rocks that formed the small harbor we swam in, laying in the shade of one of the cement shelters reading, had a long and interesting discussion about doctrine and took lots and lots of pictures!
After these two trips, playing in the water and frying myself thoroughly, I've come to the conclusion that my water-proof sunscreen is not nearly as water-proof as it says it is!!! Oh, well! The burns look a lot nastier than they feel so I shall survive and live to tell the tale of other adventures! Talk to you later!
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