Aler Camp, end of the week...
Today is Friday, April 28th and the end of our first week of working in the camps. It was a good day as once again we were able to see all of the patients that came seeking healthcare, close to 400, and we finished by 2:45 PM. It is nice to be done early and not wiped out. This is the first camp that we came to last year and I was overwhelmed by the sheer masses awaiting our arrival, it is one of the largest camps in northern Uganda and I don't remember if there are 50,000 or 60,000 people here.
The nice thing is knowing that with just over a year of having our mobile medical clinic attend to this camp, the situation has improved drastically. The things we were treating for today were many children with bronchitis, many cases of malaria as the rainy season has brought out the mosquitoes, and more STD's, TB, and Immosuppressed Syndrome patients. I think we had only one severly dehydrated child that needed IV therapy for malaria.
I enjoyed seeing many small babies today, they are just adorable and smile at me so easily. Their black, curly hair is as soft as lamb's wool. I was totally shocked when one mother came and unwrapped her tiny little bundle for me. It was a 2.2 pound preemie, that was already 3 weeks old! You have no idea what a marvel this was to me, as by the mother's dates this child was only about 31-32 weeks when it was born at home in a hut in the most inhospitable type of setting. And it had already survived to three weeks of age! It was breastfeeding well and it looked great! The lungs were clear and the heart strong. I spent more time than I needed to cooing over it as I was just fascinated by its survival. I congratulated the mother on a job well done. She had come to see us as had many of the other mother's with new babies because they thought their babies' were crying too much! I laughed and told her that even "muzungu" babies cry a lot! Muzungu or Mono is the word they use for white people. They were impressed to know that even our babies can cry a lot.
We now have a three day weekend before us as Monday is the Ugandan Labor Day. However, we will be going in to the office for a few hours on Monday to organize supplies shipped over by Northwest Medical Teams with the purpose of distributing them to the local hospitals and clinics that are always terribly short on supplies. We are so spoiled in the U.S. as I know that we dispose of so many things that in other countries would make a huge difference.
Enjoying my time here, Brenda
Today is Friday, April 28th and the end of our first week of working in the camps. It was a good day as once again we were able to see all of the patients that came seeking healthcare, close to 400, and we finished by 2:45 PM. It is nice to be done early and not wiped out. This is the first camp that we came to last year and I was overwhelmed by the sheer masses awaiting our arrival, it is one of the largest camps in northern Uganda and I don't remember if there are 50,000 or 60,000 people here.
The nice thing is knowing that with just over a year of having our mobile medical clinic attend to this camp, the situation has improved drastically. The things we were treating for today were many children with bronchitis, many cases of malaria as the rainy season has brought out the mosquitoes, and more STD's, TB, and Immosuppressed Syndrome patients. I think we had only one severly dehydrated child that needed IV therapy for malaria.
I enjoyed seeing many small babies today, they are just adorable and smile at me so easily. Their black, curly hair is as soft as lamb's wool. I was totally shocked when one mother came and unwrapped her tiny little bundle for me. It was a 2.2 pound preemie, that was already 3 weeks old! You have no idea what a marvel this was to me, as by the mother's dates this child was only about 31-32 weeks when it was born at home in a hut in the most inhospitable type of setting. And it had already survived to three weeks of age! It was breastfeeding well and it looked great! The lungs were clear and the heart strong. I spent more time than I needed to cooing over it as I was just fascinated by its survival. I congratulated the mother on a job well done. She had come to see us as had many of the other mother's with new babies because they thought their babies' were crying too much! I laughed and told her that even "muzungu" babies cry a lot! Muzungu or Mono is the word they use for white people. They were impressed to know that even our babies can cry a lot.
We now have a three day weekend before us as Monday is the Ugandan Labor Day. However, we will be going in to the office for a few hours on Monday to organize supplies shipped over by Northwest Medical Teams with the purpose of distributing them to the local hospitals and clinics that are always terribly short on supplies. We are so spoiled in the U.S. as I know that we dispose of so many things that in other countries would make a huge difference.
Enjoying my time here, Brenda
posted by BrendaTravels | 7:03 AM
1 Comments:
Big Hello from Alaska. Just had time to check the news from Uganda. My friend Sally is there. I am just excited that you 2 and the rest have this chance to make a difference to these people. What a joy to hear what is happening. I know things appear bleak, but look at your effort. Praying for the people there at the camp, and for you too. Hang in there. SW in Alaska
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