Ok, I’m writing this one at home again, so I can’t remember what I wrote about last time…
I don’t think I’ve mentioned it already, so here it goes – I spent a week in a local government-run hospital called Princess Marina Hospital, which was arranged for me by Dr Moffat and Dr Magdi, both of whom I’m very grateful towards. I spent the mornings doing a combination of sitting around; pretty sure I’d been forgotten about, and following the doctors on rounds throughout the Male Medical Ward. One of the precursors for my time there was that I should actually try to help out, rather than remaining a passive observer getting in the way. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much I could do for the first few days until I know my way around and how to perform various basic tasks. I’ve learned a lot of the basics I think, and now (I’ve arranged to work in the hospital 1.5 days a week), I’m starting to help by filling out forms, fetching things and talking to the patients.
Oh, on a brief aside, I’ve picked up a bit of Setswana, but unfortunately, it is mostly variations on ‘how are you?’, which, in a hospital leads to distinctly non-standard responses to which I can only smile and shrug.
In the afternoons, I often wandered over the Female Medical Ward, where there are quite a few American med students, who are here on six-week rotations. Happily, they don’t mind me tagging along, and I’ve seen lots of basic procedures and learned even more. Everyone at the hospital seems bent on getting me to begin taking blood – something that I’m obviously nervous about (80% of patients are HIV positive…), but I think it doesn’t look too hard, and I’ll have to do it eventually anyway. Personally, I’m hoping for a patient who is out of it (technical term there, look it up if you have to), as they often are, and is not likely to question my credentials closely!
The hospital makes a nice break from the hospice, where there isn’t much going on at the moment (still no new clients…), and all I can really do is lend my IT skills whenever they’re needed. One thing I’ve started looking forwards to is going to the Pre-school to help deliver lunch, as that place is always lively – it lifts my spirits. Ah, and while I remember – the stationary and notebooks from St. Gabriel’s were gladly received a few weeks ago.
I’m also starting to get very excited about an upcoming trip to Cape Town, which I was very kindly invited on by Julie and Dave from church, who live there normally. It’s going to be a 10 day trip, three of those spent driving, with the rest divided between the many tourist destinations – Table Mountain, Cape Point, Whale-watching, Robben Island, even the Cape Penguins! So excited, the end of June can’t come fast enough!
Before I leave (not an event looking too far off any more), there are three more things I want to do – Cape Town, the magazine (proving difficult), and Chobe, which I intend to start researching soon. The solitary adventure is looking more and more plausible.
Sorry about all the brackets (not!).
