Life on the Equator

Wasuze otyano,

Just thought I’d share some practical aspects of living at Kiwoko. I’m feeling really settled this week now that I’ve had time to adjust to the wonderful weather and getting up at 6am every morning! I’m staying in a guest house with six rooms and there are currently five other girls staying here who are all medical students from England. We have lunch prepared for us and we make our own breakfast and dinner. But they cook so much for lunch there’s usually enough left over. The food is all Ugandan and really nice. Interesting and questionable meats in some dishes but they taste good! I’ve also thought of a few things that all you people in the UK should be grateful for… J

1. You don’t have to walk umpteen kilometres to your nearest well to pump your daily water.
2. You do not have to carry it back in jerry cans and filter it all before using it
3. You don’t have bats and rats crawling round your roofspaces
4. You do not have lizards permanently living on the walls
5. You do not have to leave a saucepan outside for milk to be delivered which you then have to pasteurise yourself!
6. You do not have half of Uganda’s insects on the floor of your living room.
7. Time is a well known concept that most people understand
8. You have transport that

a)      Works majority of the time

b)      Takes you where you actually want to go

c)      Is not an imminent death trap

d)      Leaves roughly when it says it will, not give or take an hour or two

And a few clinical aspects of life at Kiwoko. I have finished my first week on male ward which just seemed so different to any ward I’ve been on in Scotland. Towards the end of the week I began to see the method amongst the madness, to an extent. There seemed to be no logical approach to the order of the day which was different most days I was there. But I enjoyed it and the patients were friendly. I tried to pick up a little Luganda which amused them no end…I wasn’t great. This week I have started on female ward and thoroughly enjoyed my first day. I don’t know whether I’ve just settled more into the way of the ward here or whether this ward seems more organised. It’s hard to tell. But I had a really good morning and was hands on from the beginning. So I’m learning quickly that the phrases they tell me to repeat aren’t always what they let on….I found this out after saying something to a patient who just laughed. The staff and students still won’t tell me what it means! The sister of the ward has been here since the hospital was first set up which I think is 25 years this year (maybe next)!!

And just an example of a patient I met this morning. A teenage girl presented to the ward last night with vomiting and abdominal cramps. The staff were unable to get her story but she was adamant her father could not be allowed to see her. The on call doctor overnight managed to conclude that she was pregnant and had gone to someone to get an abortion. She was given the juice of a grass to drink and paid for this. This is what made her ill and had brought her in. So they kept her overnight. This morning on the doctors round it was decided that she’s definitely not as old as she’s saying she is. It transpired that the father of the baby is a shopkeeper and significantly older so she may be trying to appear older thinking it would make it less of an issue. It doesn’t as she’s still under 18 and considered to be a child. The question of consent has been raised and she got very upset so it’s unsure if that is because she was raped or because she is ashamed and embarrassed of her actions. She was taken for an ultrasound and the baby is healthy with a strong heartbeat at approximately 8 weeks. She didn’t seem in any way pleased that her attempt to abort the baby had failed. The plan is for a counsellor to meet with her and explain that it is in her best interests that her parents know sooner rather than later as the more time they have to adjust the better her chances of staying with her family are. So the girl, her father and the counsellor will meet this afternoon to discuss the situation. The father may be angry but accept the consequences, or he may take her for a second attempt at abortion or he could send his daughter away from the family clan. This will shame the whole family and has been known to happen but can cause disruption within the family clan and she could be taken in by an aunt. Unfortunately the staff on the ward think that the most likely option is that he will take her for an abortion. So just to keep her in your prayers that the outcome will be the best for her and her unborn child, and that the parents can show grace and love in this tough situation.

I also had the opportunity to go to a different church on Sunday. I travelled by boda which was quite exciting, might make that a regular when I return to the UK! The church itself has been established through an American run orphanage called New Hope, Uganda. It’s not very far away and there were maybe 300 people attending. The music was very similar to Carrubbers and we even sang some of the same songs! And then they increased the tempo and sang a few more in Luganda. Which was very difficult despite the words on the screen I was still half way through the second line and the slide would change. But as long as you had your arms waving they didn’t mind the mzungus not singing! The sermon was solid and really good! So that was encouraging to know that the truth is being proclaimed to all these orphans and surrounding villagers. The people were warm and welcoming. I’m hoping to return next week again.

That’s all for now!