Orientation: 2 days down, 1 to go

Haven’t been able to post to my blog since leaving Nairobi because I was having trouble with the Internet modem I purchased there.  But worked with an IT person at the hosptital today & hopefully the problem is fixed & I’ll be able to post this report:

Today completed 2 days orientation to St Joseph Mission Hospital, Migori, Kenya.  This AM joined 3 students & Dr. John, their American clinical preceptor, for morning rounds with the staff pediatrician.  Saw 14 children (age range 6 mos-teen).  ~50% had malaria, some with another Dx such as sickle cell anemia, carditis, or other compications.  Others kids had typhoid enteritis, upper lobe pneumonia, parotitis, abdominal injuries dt falling out of a tree, & an 11 mos old with burns on both arms due to boiling water that fell onto a table as child walked underneath (2 of the kids were so precious, I just wanted to pick them up & hold them)!  Other orientation lessons inc Kiswahili lessons, the Top 10 Tropical Diseases, Kenyan medical abbreviations, & road safety. Tomorrow we’ll all go by van or taxis to the nearby village of Bware.  We’ll meet the members of two local groups (BUCHWA & BBEKAS) and learn what projects they’d like us to assist them with during the next 4 weeks. Weather has been very warm & humid with thunderstorms this afternoon & last night, neither lasting very long. Food is tasty & filling: today’s lunch was spagetti with toppings of chicken cubes &/or lentils & cabbage-type salad. Yesteray after class, Kate & I walked down our unpaved road to the main road, then about 200 yards, across a pedestrian bridge spanning the local river, to a supermarket where we purchased extra bottled water, cookies, chocolate, and laundry detergent.  We’re using our REI purchased Steri-Pen to sterilize tap water a couple times a day& think it’s almost magic the way it works.