05.09.2011 The Germans are Here!

05.09.2011 The Germans are Here!

The hospital we volunteer at is sponsored by a hospital based out of Germany.  Once or twice a year, a team of doctors, surgeons, and nurses come to Arusha to perform surgeries, which will start tomorrow.  This trip, they have arrived to perform pediatric orthopedic surgeries.  They introduced themselves in church today, and I am very excited about their arrival.  What they are doing is absolutely amazing.  The hospital grounds were swimming with local families and children who desperately need medical help.  Some had orthopedic deformities that prohibit them from walking, so they have been crawling on their hands all their lives.  Screenings were done last Saturday to determine who would get help and who wouldn’t.  That is a job I would not want.  To have so many families coming to you in need and desperation, and having to turn so many of them away would be extremely hard for me.   

Tanya, the nurse from Belgium who essentially took us under her wing, also opened her pediatric ward today.  A hospital from Belgium hired her to come to Arusha, manage the construction of a pediatric ward, hire nurses specifically for the peds ward, and to run it.  She was both extremely nervous and excited about welcoming her first patients today.  All of the orthopedic pediatric patients will come to her ward post surgery.  Ashlee, Tanya, the four newly hired nurses, and I will be caring for them.  I am glad that Ashlee and I came during the opening.  This way, we have a foot in.  None of the local nurses have had a chance to become comfortable and set in their positions, so we will be able to teach them easier.  Instead of thinking, “What is this mzungu doing?  I’ve been doing wound changes this way in this hospital for years.  She’s been here a week. I’m not listening to her,” hopefully they will be open to new techniques.  I’m praying. 

With all of the Germans, and five other volunteers who will be here for a week, and with the surgeries not being performed until tomorrow, there wasn’t much for Ashlee and me to do.  Instead of taking up space in the wards, we went to the hospital orphanage to help the mamas feed, clean, and watch the babies.  When we walked in the room where the fifteen or so babies and toddlers were, there were no mamas in the room and the toddlers were on a counter top.  The mamas set them there to feed them, but I’m talking nine month olds to two year olds. On a counter top.  With no supervision.  Two were running the length of the counter back and forth.  Ashlee and I starting setting them down on the floor, but then we realized they were probably up there for a reason, so we stood there and made sure they didn’t fall.  That started to backfire when several of them ran up to my chest, wanting to be held.  I thought they were going to push each other off onto the ground.  Luckily, the mama came in with their food just then.  We fed all the children (babies included) rice and beans.  We each had a bowl, and a communal spoon.  Two of my kids started hitting each other.  I would say, “wewe, acha!” but they didn’t listen.  I  set the bowl down to pick up a child to move them away from the kid they were hitting, and then another child would grab the bowl and spoon and make a mess.  I can’t think of a better way for the mamas at the orphanage to feed the babies and toddlers, but I sure was wishing for some high chairs.  The mama came out with smashed avocado next.  The watoto hated it!  As I was holding one, the mama put a spoon full in her mouth.  She tasted it for a second, and then started gagging, spitting it out, and rubbing it off her tongue with her fingers.  I had never seen a baby gag because of taste before!  I started laughing, and then cleaned her up.  A few minutes later, the mama came back with another spoonful of avocado.  The baby shut her mouth tight, threw her hands over her mouth, and started vigorously shaking her head no.  It was so funny to see!  My white lab coat got full of beans, rice, and avocado!

After feeding, we sat on the ground and played with the children.  Mostly, we held them and tickled them.  The laughter of the children here seems to be more musical and enchanted than it is back at home.  Maybe it’s because I hear it less. Maybe it’s because I don’t know where these children will be in ten or twenty years, but at least I know I made them laugh today.