FINALLY in the hospitali!

Jen, Pavan, and I just walked back to town from the hospital, it took us an hour, but it is a sunny day and we had beautiful trees, sunflowers, and corn crops all around us. We have been working in the hospital since Wednesday and each day has opened our eyes to new things. I think today I really started feeling comfortable at the hospital. After going on rounds with the Doctors, I asked the nurse if I could help with anything and she let me help!!! So I was a courier taking charts to the pharmacy, bringing doctors orders to the Xray/EKG/ultrasound tech, finding the Dr. to get an explanation for one of his orders…I am learning a ton but it is a challenge to find ways to be helpful. Most of our influence is in greeting patients, smiling at them, holding their hands through difficult procedures. I guess it sounds simplistic, but the impact is huge. There is so much sickness here and so little hope to offer. I think the staff are burned out and desensitized, so our distance from this discouragement allows us to offer kindness to the patients that the staff are probably to tired to offer.

Yesterday was strange because someone we knew was admitted into the hospital – the lady who washes and cleans at the house where we stay. She fell and appeared to have a serious head/neck injury. It was frightening to realize that we NEEDED the health care to work, and that might possibly not be an option. The cool thing is that there are other volunteers here with us. We are learning the ropes alongside an American nurse and Doctor, and two German medical students. So we all joined forces and forged some new paths at the hospital. We got her 4 x-rays (a luxury) and had her on meds and diagnosed within an hour (a miracle).

I am loving being here. I have no doubt we are making a difference, and am even more certain that all of us are already permanently changed from what we have experienced.

I have 3 minutes of internet time, so I can’t write more now.

By the way, it is really nice to be distant from the distractions of internet, tv, phones, etc. I feel so much more alive. Wish there would be some way to keep that up when I return. Someone let me know if they have any ideas.

-rach