Rugazi Week 4

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Rugazi week 4

Day 34- Went on the pediatric unit with Mike and in the afternoon prepped for our health presentation at Saint Michael’s High school. The topic was about latrine and hand hygiene and I presented on hand hygiene. The students and staff were very receptive and asked lots of questions. In the evening Lindsey and I watched football.

Day 35- Went to Out Patient Department (OPD) with Brian (clinical officers), were we assessed many different health issues. Afternoon Rugazi Group B went to Nyakatunga village to evaluate our research project. Our project was very successful the community members were very engaged; many had cleaned their latrines, created toilet covers, tissue baskets and brooms, and even started building new pit latrines.

Day 36- In the morning I worked on the research report with the group members and in the afternoon had a visit from our supervisor. She helped us finalize our reports and provided us with more suggestions. In the evening we presented at an all-girl catholic school about latrine and hand hygiene. This time Gena presented on hand hygiene (very well with a thorough visual demonstration) and I got stuck with the topic on female reproductive health focusing on hygiene aka wiping front to back!!!! Also afterwards the girls surrounded us and continued to ask more questions about development. In the evening worked on report from 9:30-11:30 pm.

Day 37- Last day at Rugazi!!! I went to OPD and worked with Heather and Ronald (clinical officer). Since I was the only female nurse available, I had to do some interesting and personal examinations which had fascinating findings!!!! In the afternoon went on a walk with Ben and Gena to take pictures of Nyakatunga village at a distance. In the evening had a final met with our site supervisor Ida and discussed our community findings and project. At supper time gave our Ugandan group members aka “Ugandan Family” our gifts which are some sweet ass friendship bracelets (they love them!). Dance Party #2!!!!! We had an outside venue-danced under the stars and drank some flavorful fruit punch!!! Partied till 1:30 am, these Ugandan’s know how to dance!!!

Day 38- Bye Bye Rugazi-finished packing and had a late breakfast. Ben, Lindsey, Heather, Gena, Norman, Marsden and I went to the Health center and took pictures of us assessing a patient. Left Rugazi at 3:30 pm and got picked up by Menopause!!! Instantly broke down while we loaded the bus; back on the road within 30 minutes to only have6-8 more break downs with 2 major breakdowns. Whoop Whoop the bus smelt like exhaust. We successfully and safely arrived back to the university around 7:30 pm were we quickly unloaded our luggage and hustled back to our dorm that is across from the university. Once we unloaded some items we went for supper at Café Ark and oh my god it was good!!!! Sarah and Leandra , the two other Canadian students arrived around 11 pm and were rescued by menopause-who would of thought!!!!

Day 39- Slept in a little bit and at 10 am went to see Frank about our safari trip. Took boda’s there (becoming pros!), once we met up we discussed itinerary and paid off the trip in full!!!!! Boda back to Nakkumatt aka Wal-Mart where we went grocery shopping and then had lunch with the others. In the afternoon we went to Lakeview Hotel to go swimming, totally miscalculated the distance and ended up walking for 45 minutes. Once there we got to see a wedding and enjoyed lounging by the poolside getting some rays!!! I definitely got slightly less pasty!!!! We boda back to the golf course supermarket where we bought ingredients for Guacamole, devilled eggs and chapattis!!! We had a quick supper and then had company over from 9:45 till 2:30 am aka Mike, Norman, Marsden, and Isaac. We talked all night and played an intense game of spoons which I won!!!

Day 40-Slept in yay!!! Went shopping for jersey and got myself a sweet black, gold and white Ugandan cranes jersey (love it!!!) Had rolex for lunch and did a butt load of laundry in the afternoon. Went for groceries again and had spaghetti for supper which was delicious. We had a quiet evening.

Day 41- First attempt/ day at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital. Met up with Dr. Maling who showed us around the hospital and introduced us to a staff member who would further introduce us to each ward we requested. Unfortunately no one was available in labor and delivery department, so I ended up not going and stayed with Heather and Lindsay at internal medicine. We got showed around the ward then were informed to join the doctors on rounds beginning at internal med. emergency. We scrambled around trying to find the emergency department and when we finally did find it, no one would really help us until we met one doctor called Marvin and a nurse who should us around the surgical emergency unit. Crazy incident: we saw a patient who got stepped on by an elephant, his left side of his abdomen had staples and a small portion of intestine protruding out with a glove on it to keep it moist. Crazy!!! Went back to internal med and found out a certain physician was not aware of our presence and has not approved of us being their so we were encouraged to leave and follow up with Dr. Maling. So off to Maling’s office we go!!!! We explained the situation and well hopefully we strike gold tomorrow!!! Met up with some group member from the Rugazi Health Centre on campus and had a nice visited and then went back to the dorm. We spent the rest of the morning at Café Ark and had some sweet ass ice coffee and a salad-yah I took a gamble and ate tomatoes, lettuce and cucumber and it felt good!!! In the afternoon went shopping for leather sandals and found some bought two pairs!!! We went to African Leather!!! I also got some stamps for my postcards. Bed News no power more than 12 hours so we had to go out for supperL. Came back from supper and what the heck both dorms beside us have power-sigh- called maintenance and well not availableL.

Day 42- 24 hours without power!!! But Happy Birthday Baby Lindsay!!!! Second attempt to work in the hospital and we are finally successful and get to go ahead to observe the internal medicine unit!!!! We observed doctor rounds in the morning and I assisted the nurses with inserting a nasogastric tube into a stroke patient. Since the patient was very resistive to care we were unable to successfully insert the NG tube. During this event Leandra and Gena joined and observed and well I ended up using Gena’s pen light to assess NG tube placement and accidentally got bodily fluids on her pen-soooo sorry Gena and I will clean it!!! Happy ending pen is sterilized!!!! After that we departed from the unit together, picked up chapatti’s for lunch and ate lunch back at the dorm. Gena and Lindsay stayed at the dorm to have naps and Leandra, Heather and I went to Nakumatt to pick up Lindsay’s birthday cake!!! Came back to the dorm with cake and fresh fruit and started preparing pancakes for supper!!! They turned out awesome, a little piece of home!! Around 8 pm some friends showed up (Ben, Mike, Norman, Marsden, Tony, Cris, and James) and we celebrated Lindsay’s birthday by candle light with sherry, lots of laughs and stories. The cake well the icing tasted good but the cake itself was heavier then pound cake and drier then a popcorn fart but hey its food!!! Other than the cake the night was a success!!! Had some very sad goodbyes with the Ugandan students, I’m going to miss all of them.

Day 43- Now 48 hours without power, thank god we still have running water. Another successful day on the internal medicine ward, Heather, Lindsay and I followed Dr. Sam all morning. He is a wonderful Dr. to follow I was able to joke with him and see some interesting cases and we were able to successfully insert the NG tube in the patient on the previous day (patient tolerated the procedure). Had chapatti’s and eggs for lunched and well I am currently charging my cell and this lap top while blogging. I can’t believe this is my last day in Mbarara; I’m going to miss my Ugandan family so much. Though on a happier note I am excited to start my safari adventure and within a couple days I’ll be at Bwindi National Park hanging out with some wild gorillas!!!!

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