The sun sets earlier here.
By six pm the sunset was already overtaken by the inky blue night and by eight Matt and Amandas had fallen asleep on the couch, lulled by the white noise of a crackling fire.
My first actual day here and it was good. The only reason I managed to wake up on time was because my body still doesn’t know what time zone it’s in.
We went to worship at 7 and we sang some hymns in Chichewa and someone read from Ezekiel. There’s a book I haven’t heard about in a while.
They introduced me in front of the staff and I never know quite what to say about my situation. I usually tell the truth, just not the whole truth.
I met dr. Hayton who I admit I was a little intimidated by just based on what I had heard about him being a typical surgeon. I found him to be a humble yet confident leader and I’m glad he’s here. He took me on the tour of the hospital and the grounds and talked with me about the importance of sustainability in global health and the mission field in general. The exterior of the hospital is beautiful. All red brick and open arches lining the breezeways.
I end up in rounds with dr. Kemwendo and Stella, one of the clinical officer students. The prevalence of HIV and tb are immediately apparent as one in every four women we round on are sero reactive. Every pulmonary complaint is suspicious for tb. Later we talk about how the rate is something like 16%, but in the district we are in it’s more like 38%. I can’t wrap my head around that number; it’s so high I’m skeptical. Amanda from Canada tells me we don’t make the patients with tb wear masks because it stigmatizes them.
My brain runs like wheels spinning in sludge as I try to drudge up the facts I learned on flash cards and study sheets and promptly pushed aside when I decided to go into psychiatry. The first patient is a man with ascites tho. Or rather abdominal distention. He says he’s proud of his notoriety as the town drunk. I do hear the Malawi rum is bomb. Make a mental note to pick some up before I leave.
Rounds are finished by 1030 and I twiddle my thumbs while Stella writes notes. I wish I knew more. I wish I could be more useful. Matt is a fourth year surgery resident and he functions like an attending here. Providing much needed coverage for the surgeons esp on weekends.
On my way home I miss a turn and get a little lost.
I think that it’s been a good day and then a text from Francine reminds me that my whole family is at my uncles funeral and I’m devastated I’m not there.