Despite the usual problems that are to be expected we have had a productive year, each in our own way. This year in Africa has changed me forever, in ways that I did not believe as an international traveler, someone who has spent most of their life abroad, could possibly change. I am humbled and impressed by the people that I work with and sometimes a bit frustrated.
In April we had a wound care conference that took most of my time leading up to it, just running about booking every room in the hotels in Lira that we could use. The conference came out well and we were proud that Lira was able to do this for our students, for the community and hopefully we have advanced some of our concerns on wound care as it isn't always taken as a priority.
Of the single greatest success story for me, personally. In May I made a very quick trip to the US and Mexico City to watch my lovely granddaughters graduate, so proud of them. I came back for a donor visit from the US which involved 5 airports and 6 stops to arrive in time to greet the guests following my trip back. I knew that I was going to have some rather quiet times as the students had completed final exams. Fortunately I was actually able to get more done than usual. We visited the hospital almost every day and I was able to actually put my Quality Improvement grant into place and to find staff who were not so busy with students to set things up. I've posted before about the enormous amounts of supplies that I brought back. I used one grant that Seed had provided to purchase a nursing kit for each of my students. This included what most of us in the US would think of as necessary and needed supplies but items my students did not have, simple things, a stethoscope, bp cuff, and thermometer. Agnes invited me to go out with her on a trip to a very small health care enter and with road construction and all it took us nearly three hours to get to the centre. We had placed students there for an internship during the summer months and wanted to check on them and to also see another place. I have visited these centres in the past and knew that they have very little supplies, no way to do a proper prenatal exam because of not even having a thermometer. We arrived in early afternoon and found 4 mothers waiting to be seen by my students. The complete joy I felt, and pride in my students as I saw them busy at work with the kits that I had brought from the US taking Bp's and getting vital signs on the first visits. These small gifts are their property, theirs to take forward and do good, and already within the short time that has passed since I distributed them my actual dream was in action. Miles from Lira in understaffed and over populated areas the things I struggled so hard to purchase and get over here were actually being utilised for the people who surely needed it the most. We even came across a very young woman who was very hypotensive and were able to help make arrangements to have her seen at a better centre. If that is the right way of putting it. That group of students, "my" group, inspire me and have taught me to be more grateful for the things I have. They have taught me how to make do with very little and have been a great help in me settling in for another year in Lira.
Much more to say but the bus will be arriving soon taking us off to meet up with the group that we started out in DC with. That should be a very interesting experience. When we first gathered in DC we were three groups of Drs. and Nurse Educator's going to three countries. We ended up just finding our way into the room and sat at tables with others from different sites and I have lost contact with all of them. It will be very interesting to hear of what they have experienced in this past year. Feeling very Excited, and happy.
