Christmas is coming soon!

-

Christmas activities have begun and people are busy preparing for Christmas Day.  The hospital  got decorated up and everyday I have a Christmas scrub top and Christmas socks to wear!

Last week one of our doctors was gone to a workshop, so I was on call for anesthesia and didn't get called out one night--yeah!!

On Tuesday Major and I took off for a 1 day trip to Harare--a killer!  We left at 0400 and got back at 0100 the next morning!  I had a doctors appointment to scope my bladder, but got there and had another infection, so he couldn't do the scope and back on IV medications for a week.

Dr. and Mrs. Kajese picked me up from the doctor as Major ran around.  We went to lunch and then he started my IV cannula and got to spend some time visiting with them.  I made up the medicine and gave my first dose on the way home!  This time for some reason the cannula keeps infiltrating, so I have had to have restarted 4 times in 7 days!  Tonight is my last dose so let's hope this is the last!  I've been on IV meds 3 times in the last 6 weeks!  Enough!

Friday I headed back to Harare with Michael driving (Major's son), his sister Carolyn and their 2 cousins, Nancy and Christine.  We went for our Christmas weekend in Harare.

On Friday night we attended the Christmas Pantomime.  This is a very British Christmas tradition where they perform a children's story and the main Female lead is done by a man and the main male lead by a female.  They always throw in local jokes and toss candy out to the kids.  This year it was Snow White and we met up with Megan and Matt to see it.  Megan is doing her research her from her residency program from Stanford.  She just got finally approval so in January she starts her data collection.

Saturday morning the girls and I went for our pedicures and manicures and then did some shopping at the flea market.  Michael went for a haircut and to hang out with his uncle.  Then we went to the movies Saturday night to see "Almost Christmas" with Danny Glover.  We saw it in the movie theater with the reclining seats and they really enjoyed it! It rained very hard while we were in the movie and then we went to dinner afterwards and home for another DVD where we all fell asleep before it was over!

On Sunday morning we headed back home after some grocery shopping.  We got home to still no ZESA (electricity).  It had been a week by then!  An hour later a visitor joined us, David Greene.  His father had driven him from Marondera (a town 1 hour east of Harare).  He is 20 years old and thinks he wants to be a doctor, so he is here to follow our doctors and see!  He has been following our doctors and is very enthusiastic about it all, so far.  He is here for 3 weeks with us!

Monday was a very busy day at the hospital because this is a day every week when people can't work in their fields to honor their ancestors.  So they all flock to the hospital!!  One of our clerks went on leave so we put Michael and Carolyn to work as clerks and weighing and doing vital signs!  Carolyn has been helping me do some computer work for my ART patients too.  Her dad didn't want her sitting during the holidays--so we are keeping her busy.

Wednesday I had to run to Harare again!!  This time we got home by 9 p.m. after leaving at 0500, so not too much of a killer of a trip!   We had to transfer money and buy needed drugs for the hospital so I had to go to sign the bank papers!  I hope no more trips over our road for a while!

Today David went out on our Vaccination and ART clinic and he really enjoyed that!  It was an hour away at Magororo.

It continues to rain hard and frequently so fields are growing and people are happy.  We still have no electricity 12 days later and they keep saying maybe tomorrow (every day since we have been out!).  Our solar works well but runs out because it has been cloudy and rainy and not charging so much!  We use our back-up generator when needed for operations and X-rays, but try not to use it everyday to save on diesel expenses.  We hope soon!

 Dr. Kajese and Baby Alexis

 Christine, Nancy, Carolyn and Michael and me

Pantomime Play

Group the Pantomime with the Christmas hats on!


 Nail time


 Christmas decorated at the hospital



One of my Christmas scrub tops


 Michael and Carolyn working in Out-patient Clinic


Comments

  1. essay bestJune 10, 2017 at 6:00 AM

    You people are doing such a noble work of visiting the hospitals of Zimbawe. You people do celebrate your Christmas and other special events with these poor people and patients. Salute to your hardwork

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJanuary 11, 2019 at 12:32 AM

    My absolute favorite blog. Keep up the great work!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Unpacking cintainer, interviewing a new doctor

-
Image
It has been busy this week unpacking the container that arrived recently.  We have been unloading it a truck load at a time and bringing it up to the hospital to unload.  Carolyn Mereki has been helping to unload and sort and then she delivers it to the different departments. We are really happy with a lot of good supplies that we are unpacking to use at the hospital. We are putting the barrels and boxes in the hallway outside my office and opening them when we have time.  It is always fun to see what we get! On Friday this week we traveled to Kadoma (1 hour south of Harare), about 4 1/2 hour drive for us.  We met up with Mashoko administration to interview 6 people for jobs at Chidamoyo and Mashoko as doctors.  We have tentatively made decisions, but have another 2 people to interview--so please pray with us that we choose the right doctor. The doctor strike continues since 1 March.  No settlement and government hospitals only doing emergencies so we can't really refer o
Read more
-
Image
 I stopped chemo in mid-February and the oncologist tried a period of Immunotherapy by itself to see if it would work.  In March I started to produce a lot of abdominal fluid (ascities) and had to go to the hospital every 2 weeks and then every week to be tapped to remove the fluid.  They got off up to 8.8 liters a time which gave me a few days relief before it would come back.  It made it hard to breathe without laying on my sides and I couldn't really eat without pain. So, I was in bed a lot of the time. They decided I needed to start Chemo again with the Immunotherapy.  My Oncologist said it was not time to give up yet!  He said the chemo helped before to shrink the tumor a bit so they felt if I could shrink it again I wouldn't have to go for tapping.  I was all for that. He did remind me there is no cure only remission and that I have months not years to live but he felt there were other drugs to try if these don't work.  I am usually not in pain so I am so thankful for
Read more

Happy Boxing Day

-
Image
Our Christmas dinner theme was Hawaiian Retro Christmas--so we had dress 1950's Hawaii. Michael, Major's son decided to add some tummy to his costume to look like his Dad! Enjoy these pictures!
Read more