Here is an update from Kevin...
Today was the busiest day so far for me. Three guys came in from a motorcycle accident. One had a bad broken arm and was bleeding all over. No helmets of course. We had to send two of them to the city to get x rays and the bone set. Lorenzo has a 1 year old with an ischemic bowel, he's really bloated, needs surgery. We can't get him anywhere until tomorrow, 4 hours away they might be able to help him, might not. We may just watch him get really sick and die. His mom isn't here, just the dad and 2 other kids, they are all sleeping on the floor in the clinic together. We gave them dinner and a blanket. It's so sad.
I'm learning a lot of acute care medicine by watching but am so frustrated at what tools I don't have to help. A simple book, tool or instrument would mean much better patient care that i could help with but I didn't know what I would need so i am not prepared well. If there is a next time I will be better prepared. Our cholera kid is doing ok. We sent one guy home who will probably die tonight, but he's old and ready. I'm still struggling with the notion of what we are doing here versus what we could be doing (should we just be handing out food and clothes). Actually, the docs are doing a lot for most of the people, i just haven't played a key role in any diagnosis which was really was my hope in coming. But when you look into a guys eyes and see cataracts all over them you cant do anything, they just send him away. Lots of vaginal infections. Not too much malaria.
I've tried to be cheerful doing the work of an lpn or pharmacy tech. The people here are impressed at the labs i can do but the quality is so poor. It makes me frustrated to say 'the white count is about 12 to 14 when I should say it's exactly 9.2 or something like that, those are clinically significant differences but i just cant do much without better tools.
Pray that something awesome happens that will testify to the power of God. The best part so far is talking to the two pastors here and some of the translators. I told one of them i wanted to be a pastor and he wants me to preach at his church, wish i could. They are cool guys who have seen so much tragedy yet they still rejoice. Our one doc calls it a psychological adaptation coping strategy to stress, I call it the spirit of God.
2 comments:
What an incredible, life-changing experience. I will be praying for him and for those whose lives he touches while he is there.
eager to read the update that kevin is home safe - i that reflecting on his time will be more difficult that the 'norm' since he was in the midst of such sickness. reading about the 29 week baby was very scary for me, i am so surprised that the baby is still alive - praise God for that! saying a special prayer for the baby and his/her mama.
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