Here we are waiting to meet Marc and Kylie after on eight hour bus ride from Nairobi to Eldoret. Not the most enjoyable drive (we were airborne 50% of the time) but we saw lots of zebras. Note the happy anticipation. That is because we have not seen Marc and Kylie for almost a year!
Yippee!! Marc and Kylie arrive..and after the beginning of a tropical rainstorm no less. We are waiting for the driver from Kapsowar Hospital to pick us up.
We arrived in Kapsowar in the dark but in the morning we had this gorgeous landscape to wake up to! The hospital and missionary houses are perched on a waterless peninsula surrounded by rolling hills covered in lush green fields and pastures. To the east is the Rift Valley and you can see mount Kenya on a clear morning. This picture is the view from Marc and Kylie's backyard. I am sure that this is one of the most beautiful places on earth. Not only does the high altitude allow for a fabulous view, it also makes the weather cool and comfortable and keeps bugs and common African diseases (such as malaria) at bay.
Dad and I began working in the hospital our first day. Dad will be helping with outpatients for two weeks. I will be doing a five week international elective as part of my fourth year of medical school. My first few weeks will be spent in the pediatric ward. Kapsowar hospital has four wards and 120 beds. Marc and a Kenyan physician are the only doctors working right now. This is the Greidanus team intensely interpreting an x-ray of one of my patients. It is great to be able to walk up the hill and consult my own dad and brother!
Kylie is often busy doing secretarial work for the hospital or teaching, but she has also been home with mom cooking delectable things for us. Mom's African culinary training while my parents were missionaries in Nigeria is being put to good use. Here we are enjoying a lunch break in the back yard.
After some sustenance, we are back to work for the afternoon. I am working with one of the Sudanese interns. (You can read one of Marc's precious posts to learn about their amazing story.) We round on the patients with the very helpful Kenyan nurses and then review with Marc.
As anticipated, the practice of medicine is very different here. We have cases of malaria, typhoid, HIV, and TB. All diseases I have not seen much of in Canada and need to read up on. The medical director, Dr. Steve Lee, has started a lecture series which has been very helpful.
The lab tests, medications, and available equipment are impressive for Africa but limited by North American standards. My second day at work a little premature baby named Cynthia stopped breathing. We tried very hard to resuscitate by hand with a bag and mask, but without a ventilator there was nothing more we could do. So far in my medical training I have only experienced the death of palliative patients. This was very different and difficult.
When not working, there is time to relax . Here we are hanging out in Marc and Kylie's house. Note the spectacular view through the back door.
On our first weekend off we took a day hike along the ridge of the valley. Here I was temporarily joined by some local shepherds.
This is mom and I in the village centre of Kapsowar. It is a vibrant place. Everyone is very friendly. Especially when we try a bit of the swahili we are learning. Marc and Kylie have made many friends here and they are all eager to meet us.
Sometimes all of the stares are uncomfortable. There is really no chance of blending in. Especially when Mom and Dad wear their safari gear which you can see a sample of in this picture:).
We have loved our first week here. Today we are headed to church. We have prepared a few songs to sing with Dad's guitar. This is a beautiful land with wonderful people. Working with them and serving them is an amazing opportunity. We are looking forward to the weeks ahead!
3 comments:
Welcome to bloggerville Clyn, and I'm glad you're all having such a great experience!
Also glad to see that Mom and Dad are putting their safari gear to good use ;)
PS- I love the picture of team Greidanus around the X-ray. Too bad Rob's not with you guys too!
It's so exciting to see "Team Greidanus" (as julie calls it) taking on Africa. Whoot! Whoot!
your family never ceases to amaze me. I am so blessed to have been a student at the U of L, and as such, introduced to Bette and Pete. What an honour to know such an incredible group of people!
also...I hardly ever read a blog that leaves me choked up, and this one did.
what? emotions on the internet? it's true. it happens.
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