Wonderful Wonderful Water

After 4 days without running water, I am happy to take a warm shower and clean the filth from my hair. The funny thing is, I didn't mind. Perhaps Africa is rubbing off on me...or maybe it seems like something minor like having to cart water into the house in buckets just feels more authentic. At least we have running water most of the time - which i've taken for granted all my life but see now how important it is.

It's the dry season right now, so water is actually quite precious around here. Some of the kids that we see in the hospital are sicker than they might be at other times of year, when families have more time and resources to offer them - when they aren't too busy trying to keep their livestock alive to take their kid to a doctor. but now is a time of famine. And hospitals and clinics are a long way from their homes, so sometimes prayer and home-made medicines are all they have. I'm told that the "short rain" season will start soon. If the rain comes, things will change a lot around here. For me it'll be minor - a muddier walk to the bus in the morning and maybe a shift in the illnesses that i see in the hospital. But for the people who live in remote areas of Tanzania, I'm told it will be reason to celebrate.


Good news - my patient with the hepatomegaly that are treating presumptively for Tuberculosis (TB) is getting better! None of the tests we did explained his huge liver and ascites, and we don't have PPDs here, presumably because all of these kids have been vaccinated with BCG (although it still might be helpful). But he's Maasai and therefore at risk for TB, plus he had bilateral otitis media and his ESR was elevated...so we started TB therapy and he looked great today. I'm proud to say, he is almost EAGER to give me high fives now (used to refuse to even look at me).


Yesterday I spent the day getting to know the palliative care team, whose office is conveniently located just up the street. They have an impressive setup here - a group of nurses and clinical officers who travel to the homes of the sick and dying and provide support: morphine for pain, daycare for the sick to give the families a reprieve, spiritual services, etc. It sounds like many of the patients that they see have HIV, TB and/or cancer. My interest in palliative medicine has grown a lot in the past year - and there is a huge need for this service in a country with such limited access to medical care and transportation - so i'm happy to learn from them while I'm here.


Clinic tonight went late, so dinner consisted of my favorites from home: english muffin with PB, a bowl of cereal (the last the of the "Maximize" breakfast cereal purchased by li'l bro earlier this month), and ice cream. Tomorrow we'll get fresh vegetables, disinfect them, and make a real meal. Although, truth be told, I am just as happy with PB & J as i am with beef stroganoff.


And now, a few more photos, this time not medically related:

Photo with my roommates and the interns at a birthday celebration

The Cabbage Patch that I pass on the walk to/from Selian. There have been no sightings of Xavior Roberts, although i'm told he lives in Georgia.

Happy to be on Camera