May 25, 2014
Hi again! I wrote too much yesterday so I decided to break it into 2 parts…..
I know you’re interested in what I’ve been doing here. Cathy, a friend of mine here and my walking partner, asked if I would be interested in helping her with “asset registry” for the hospital. It’s a fancy way of saying inventory so the hospital has a list of what equipment, machines and accessories they have, how long things last and when they need repair or replacement. It includes things like the various trolleys with meds, wound care items, charts, scales, automatic blood pressure cuffs, suction machines, oxygen regulators, flow meters, incubators, transformers, etc. Each item is engraved with it’s assigned number when it goes on the list. Organization is a strength for Cathy and she has put a lot of time in the wards and at home on her computer trying to get it all straight and complete. I’ve joined her for the final stage of identifying manufacturers, model and serial numbers, and any other identifying info. It’s a lot of details so I’m glad she’s in charge of this.
This has taken us to the wards and we work around the patients and the machines and equipment they may be using. Every ward we visit makes me very aware of how sick these patients are. Many have waited a long time before coming in and many have waited too long. So there are patients who are struggling to breathe, bad burns, injuries from knives to muscles, tendons and other soft tissue, all kinds of presentations from TB, malaria, and one young girl had tetanus. The Lord uses the drs and nurses to help many get better and that brings much joy but the reality is that there is also sadness here for staff and families when a patient is lost often due to waiting so long to come. In each case, there are chaplains here ready to minister to the spiritual needs of the patients and their families. So as I help Cathy on the wards, I greet the patients and their families (about all I know in Pigeon is basic greeting) as the Lord gives opportunity and I smile- the universal language.
I’ve also looked for other little opportunities to be of help like preparing veggies for the college group staying next door, making friends and sharing a meal with a young family practice resident and his wife who are here for a short while, and gardening Saturday mornings with a young woman doc who has a huge garden. Bill and I have been praying each day for the Lord’s direction and that we would be obedient. We are here to support the ministry here and those on the front lines here ( and wherever we go) for the glory of God.
Mrs Kilowatt (aka Jackie)