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Hello....a few updates for you!

1) We have been very busy with the research project. Research in a developing country is a unique experience- most steps take much longer than in the states, but T.I.A. (this is africa). It seems that we are continually working on the project with half a result to show for it by the end of the day: getting approval or access to vital items, getting patient charts pulled, etc. It all takes more time than we were expecting. I have found that research reminds me of writing a term paper- the research and writing are actually quite boring but you just hope for an exciting final result! It has been more and more exciting the longer we do it (and more of a headache!) And I do enjoy my time more when the guys are doing charts with me (they are spending half their time with patients and half doing this research) 

2) I am blown away with the realities of the limited resources hospitals in developing countries face. To begin with, the lack of computerized records. Kalen and I have discussed many times recently that if we won the lotto we would want to buy a computerized records software. There are so many benefits of having computerized records (including the help it would have been for us in this project!). Other limited resources are a lack of individual rooms, blankets, staff, lab results, medical equipment, outdated ultrasound machine, TV's or any sort of entertainment (a patient just stares at the nursing/doctors center desk all day- the ER is just one big open room with gurneys lining the wall and the center desk 2 ft away for doctors to write notes, talk, etc). 

3) For our research, we go through the surgical admissions registry to look for ICD's (intercostal chest drain). Some days, of 30 admissions, 17 of them will be ICD's! It's staggering how many chest tubes (and thus stabbings) they have in this area. Equally, or more, shocking is that by far the number one surgical admission I have seen is for ICA (incomplete abortions). From my development/health graduate courses I have a new understanding and belief about the lack of resources available to women all over the world. 

4) Exciting story- Two nights ago Kalen and I went to sushi for a date night. We were driving down our street to the main road "Beach Rd". I'm driving and turning right onto Beach. To my left I see a man shaking pretty violently laying half in the street and half on the sidewalk. It was dark and I couldn't tell if he had leg braces on or if there was something else by his legs. I am telling Kalen to look, look and we make a u-turn to help him (after I have Kalen give me his wallet and cell phone in case it is an elaborate robbery attempt!) By this point a local jogger and hotel manager have come over to the gentleman on the ground. Kalen jumps out and I stayed in the car. I just see Kalen crouching down talking to this man and the other people. Then Kalen pulls up the genlteman's pants leg and gives him a shot of something from the gentleman's bag. The group continue to help the gentleman for about 10 minutes longer and then help him get up. The hotel manager helps him walk back to the hotel and we see the gentleman has a very bad limp. Kalen gets back and it turns out the man was diabetic and his blood sugar was too high. As he was walking across the street he got dizzy and either passed out or just fell over. He seemed to have some hip problem too which hindered him from getting up. He had been shaking and reaching for his insulin when Kalen came up and Kalen figured out what was happening. But he was also deaf. Before Kalen realized this the gentleman kept signing to Kalen 'thank you' and Kalen was asking "are you hungry?". The gentleman finally pulled out his clip board from his rolling brief case (which I thought were his leg braces when I saw him laying there) and wrote to Kalen that he was deaf. As we were getting ready to drive away the police pulled up behind us (mind you we are on the side street, which is not busy itself) I assume because I had my hazard lights on. We explained why we were pulled over. I assume that our American accents proved to him we weren't up to no good and we weren't lying. I was really impressed that without calling the police, they showed up because of my hazards within about 15 minutes. There may be some very dangerous places in this country but apparently our apartment is not in one of them! I was really impressed with Kalen in this situation. The community's little knight in shining armor.

5) It has been VERY cold this week. We posted pictures from the storm that came through. Buildings have tile floors and no insulation so it's just as cold inside as out, if not colder. The hospital is absolutely freezing. Yesterday I had 4 t-shirts on and a fleece to make me not cold. I feel for the patients who are in hospital gowns with one blanket. 

6) Since the desk we work at is in the middle of the ER, we are in the middle of all the action. Sometimes it is heartbreaking. Yesterday there was an elderly man who was crying for hours. It was difficult to see this man, who I respect for his age, in such a vulnerable position. I felt like his sense of respect was diminished some how by being in the resource limited hospital, with hospital staff that couldn't give him much time because there were so many patients. I wanted to look at him and give him a look of comfort, that I heard him crying and I knew he was in pain- give him even that basic level of understanding from one person to another. But I didn't, because I didn't know what else to do for him. As if looking at him would make him think I was a doctor because I sat at the table. It feels like the wrong decision but I didn't know how else to respond. It's these tiny, little experiences that leave the biggest imprint on my day. 

7) There is MAJOR sports fever here. The Confederations Cup is a world wide soccer tournament that was chosen to play here as a warmup for the 2010 World Cup. (Yeah for US upsetting Spain in soccer!!! We ended their 35 winning streak and Spain is ranked #1 in the world. We will play Brazil on Sunday for the Confederations Cup Championship, Watch it!).  Additionally, South Africa just lost to Brazil in the semifinals and will play Spain for 3rd place.  The ICC Cricket world championships in London was all over the TV here because South Africa made it through to the semifinals!  Lastly, the British and Irish Lions (a selected team of the best rugby players in the UK) came through South Africa and played at venues all over the countryside.  In the end, South Africa's Varsity squad made short work of the Lions (GO SA!).  

8) Along those lines- the marketing budget for 2010 World Cup must be ginormous. They have billboards, bumper stickers, every 3rd TV commercial allocated towards the World Cup. 

9) They also have every 5th commercial and every episode of the local soap operas targeting HIV/AIDS awareness. The commercials are hilarious, I wish I could tape them somehow. And the soap operas are educational (see, they teach you something, they're not all trashy)

10) Leaving the best for last- between the sushi and the wine, I am in heaven.......