Good times & bad

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Lots has happened in the past week. I have had good times (that have been extremely good) and bad times (that have been extremely bad). I first had my birthday. My 29th in Malawi. I had a wonderful day. It started with a soda on the Chancy Maples floating bar, watching baboons that were fighting on the rocks. I had a great Malawian lunch at a local pub next to the hospital, I swam and snorkeled in the lake & I even had homemade chocolate birthday cake. On Friday afternoon we went to an MTO attackers football game. They lost 5-3 (which was debated as much as usual) but we had a great time anyway. We taught the local kids how to do the Mexican wave. Saturday we headed to Cape Maclear with 5 new volunteers, for some more swimming, snorkeling and island hopping in Lake Malawi national park followed by another night of birthday celebrations.

On Monday I went back to work and spent the morning in the maternity ward. It was busy as there had been 3 births the night before. I weighed and took temperatures of mothers and their babies and also learned how to check their umbilical cords. I managed not to steal any babies (though I was temped). Yesterday and today I have been back in the pharmacy. Something new that I just learned is that the malaria drugs (Coartem) that are given out for treatment of malaria here are all being donated by USAID for the next 2 years. After 2 years - not sure? It will fall back on the government of Malawi.

The bad times that I have had this week? They all happened on Tuesday. I woke up in the morning to news that one of our gardners had died of AIDs. His wife had died 2 days earlier. That afternoon I received a text to tell me that Joakim (the LETOA project coordinator whom I worked with in Tanzania) had also died of AIDs. Three people I knew, in just one day.

I got really upset about Joakim. I’m not sure how much of it was due to the fact that his death brought up a whole load of other issues for me. I thought about the kids in Tanzania, the teacher (who sent me a text to ask for help paying for treatment at the hospital, which I received whilst sitting in the airport waiting to board my flight to Malawi), all the people in Uganda - the generation that died and the sad kids that were left behind. I thought about the ARV clinic at the hospital. The fact that the hospital has had no test kits for the past 2 weeks, standing in the registration area in front of a room filled to the brim with HIV positive patients coming to collect their monthly supply of drugs, and I thought about the time when the nation’s supply of drugs ran out and patients were given TB drugs instead.

I am still thinking.

At the same time, I have regular day-to-day living, enjoying Malawi, the beauty of it, the music, and all the fun times I have had with people I have met since being here. I have just over 2 weeks left. I’m not ready for this adventure to end.

I’m not sure I’ll be able to make it to the internet next week as there as so many volunteers here now that we have to take it in turns. I’ll be back as soon as I can though. Thanks to everyone who sent me birthday wishes, and to my sister and Ann & Alan, whose Christmas cards I received this week! Happy Birthday to Matt and Gina too 

Joanna x

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Photos

Sarah, Kaye, James, Me, Neale & Jake
On African time, waiting for our boat to Liwonde N.P.

Nelson (head nurse) and me
...with some of the equipment we bought for the maternity ward

Comments

[Jill Kolas]

Happy late Birthday!
Hi Joanna, A great big late HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!! From all of us in Clinical Affairs. 2 more weeks! WOW! We are so proud of you and what you are doing Joanna. You have always been our hero We love you, Jill and Clinical Affairs