life is beautiful

January 16-17, 2007

A baby died Monday night. He had hydrocephalus in addition to pneumonia, malnutrition, and who knows what else. He had a strong heart, they said, and that’s the only thing that kept him alive for that long. They took him to the morgue and had him embalmed and then his mother had to travel back with the body. Wrapped and in her suitcase. On public transportation. Rebecca, one of the social workers, told me this, and of course I was shocked.
“This is Uganda, Sarah,” she said. “It happens all the time. It’s just life.” I really didn’t know how to react. How could I? It is just a fact of life here, as horrible as that is. The people in the guest house (Jean, Rich, Aubrey, and I) talk about it a lot, how change needs to happen at a governmental level, and it’s so complicated, and how on earth can we help fix things….
Already, I’m used to seeing babies with hydrocephalus. It just doesn’t shock me anymore. And yet I try to imagine my own child suddenly developing a large forehead and then his head ballooning disproportionately and his eyes starting to bulge from the pressure. It just wouldn’t happen! The mothers frequently ask me, “Do you see this in America?” Oh, I wish I could help them, could take them all home with me and provide for all of their families. Or at least adopt a few babies and raise them.
On a brighter note, this week has been really good. Aubrey and I have just been wandering around to the different departments to learn all we can about the facets of the hospital. Normally, we work in OPD (OutPatient Department), where the intakes and general diagnoses happen. Yesterday, however, we went to the x-ray department, and Ronnie explained everything you could ever hope to know about it, and we watched one (behind the lead wall to be safe, of course – don’t worry, Dad).
Today we went to physiotherapy with Joan (they pronounce it Jo-anne, though, so I am constantly calling her the wrong name), and she explained the different conditions that these children usually face – being spastic (having extremely taut muscles – they don’t move much) or floppy (the opposite), having club feet, and slow development in general. She worked with a few children, showing the mothers how to stretch the tiny muscles. Some of them are in so much pain during the physical therapy. I had a hard time watching.
I also talked to Sylvia yesterday about the possibility of putting together a resource booklet for the mothers when they leave CURE. We brainstormed and decided on a general information section (explaining hydro and spina bifida, etc.) as well as different regional sections outlining resources available for their specific districts. I’ve talked to the social workers about it and plan to talk to Joan, the surgeons, the nurses, the spiritual director, and the mothers to see what would be most beneficial for them. I’m really excited about it even though I know it’s going to be so much work. I just wish I knew how to make that work sustainable (the regional information will be outdated in a year).
One thing that is interesting to me is that confidentiality, which is extremely important in the American social work, is virtually nonexistent in this setting. The social workers meet with the mothers with doors opened and discuss clients openly. In the ward, a large whiteboard covers one wall, displaying each patient’s name and any comments (“Failed ETV”). I guess on the part of the mothers, it doesn’t really matter, since most of them are illiterate anyway and can’t read the board. But still, it’s an interesting component. I guess it’s too hard to keep things confidential in this setting, where all the patients are in constant contact and all sleep in the same room.
Things are getting easier. I learned how to count to twenty in Luganda yesterday. (Remembering all these words is a different story!) The compound is beautiful, with the banana plants, lush green grass, palms, flowers….we even picked an avocado today. (I finally got on Rich’s shoulders and unsuccessfully jumping for it! Oh, muzungus are so funny!) I’m starting to remember my way around town and frequently find myself visiting Cissy and Solomon’s (and little Lizzie, whose picture was in the last post!).

Thursday, January 18

Today we got off work a little early to participate in a Beth Moore Bible study with 15 other muzungus (remember, that means “white person”!). I’m so excited about having that fellowship and a time to just be able to be my American self without worrying! J Melissa also lent me a cookbook about cooking American food in Africa. Genius. I’m getting tired of eating just noodles, bread, vegetables, and fruit!
Hmm. I think that’s all I have to say. J