working at the hospital: Ashley's blog entry

We have been at HEAL Africa Hospital for a few days now, and each day has offered new experiences and situations both at the hospital and in the community. I have been working with nurses and doctors in the wards at the hospital, seeing trauma injuries and illness that are uncommon back in the states. There were two soldiers brought to HEAL a few days ago, both had been brutally injured by a bomb explosive. One of the men lost both his hands and had his arms amputated in surgery, also lost his left eye and sustained several wounds. I had the opportunity to perform the dressing changes on both these patients, teaching and reinforcing proper wound care for the ICU nurses and medical residents. It has been interesting to see how the healthcare system differs what we are used to in the states. At home, we have endless supplies and specialty products within reach at all times. Here at HEAL, many supplies and medications are donated, and they simply have to conserve as much as possible. There is a central hub where donation are sent, though the hospital is in need of more energy given to inventory and proper distribution of these supplies.

Time has also been spent visiting and observing a few different procedures in the operating room, where I was able to get a front slot standing next to the operative surgeon. At this hospital, surgeons and nurses pray together immediately before each procedure. The doctors were generous and walked me through much of their procedures, explaining the cases and answering any questions I had (between the minimal French I spoke and their little English, we understood each other surprisingly well). I visited Cascade, which is the location for children to come as outpatients and have plaster casts applied for different orthopedic conditions, including club foot (a common congenital malformation requiring ongoing manipulation and physical therapy).

Yesterday, I also spent time with women who are waiting here at the hospital for fistula repair surgery. These women stay together in a large open room with about 20 beds arranged side by side. I imagine it is therapeutic for these women to be able to live together for a time and have each other to talk with. They also have a large garden where they are able to practice growing vegetables, and a wide open court to walk around in and for children to play. This is my favorite place to hang out when I'm not working in the hospital, because when children see us, they are anything but timid. Children charge at us with big smiles and want to be picked up, or of course what "sweets". In my eyes, these children represent joy and hope for others here. So many individuals here have stories of trauma or torture, and lives here are so fragile.

My team continues to pray that we will be bearers of hope and love for our friends that we have met here. We are in ongoing discussion as a team about how we an best serve patients and staff here, when we are in places where we don't fully understand the suffering that exists. I will say that it is a beautiful time when we are able to come together and work, play, worship with those who live here.