I know that every week is a week, but this was a WEEK! And that's not to say it was horrible, or particularly wonderful, but it WAS. It was a bit of everything...
- there was restful quiet with books being read (!)
- there was busyness in being the go-to medical muzungu around
- there were lots of patients to be seen and relatively speaking a lot of staff to actually see them...imagine that....
- there were lots of perplexing clinical and mercy related decisions to be made
- there were hours of sitting on a bench outside the ward chatting with fellow nurses waiting for the ward to be "jiked" (bleached)
- there were lots of meals and much time spent alone (most of which I was thankful for)
- there was a walk up the road after dark by myself that enabled me to decide never to do that again (nothing happened, but it felt as if almost anything could have)...note to self...
- there were lots of laughs with kids at the door
- there were lots of losses of patience at the door (front and back)
- there was a lot of feeling at loss for words while walking alongside new teammates
- there were feelings of comraderie
- there were feelings of being really alone and alienated
- there were feelings of "I can actually do this"
- there were feelings of "I most certainly cannot do this"
- there were many mornings of wanting another hour or two of sleep
- there were a few naps to be had in the afternoons (shh, don't tell :)
- there were good conversations with biological family
- there were good conversations with my "family" here
- there was a lot of sweating done, from before getting out of bed in the morning until after getting back into bed at night
- there were lots of cold showers taken
- there were many sms messages sent to and received from traveling teammates
- there were 4 episodes of Get Smart re-runs watched and thoroughly enjoyed by yours truly :)
- there were lots of smiles from precious little kids, sick and well
- there was a lot of mocking from kids just as precious but somehow also very annoying
- there were gestures of inclusion from coworkers
- there were comments of isolation/alienation from coworkers
- there was SUN and blue sky
- there were clouds and rain
I have felt the paradoxes very acutely this week...it was a week, that's for sure.
3 comments:
Hi Heidi, Just a little note to tell you that I am glad you are back having a week and managing it so very well. I can only imagine how tough it must be to be so very hot and so very busy. I am thinking of you and praying for you as you go about your work, being God's hands providing comfort and healing to the people in Bundibugyo. God bless. Judy in HMB
This list reminds me of the "opposites" books that we used to read as very little kiddos. :) I'm amazed at all you did in a week - sounds like enough to keep you busy for a whole MONTH! Hope the new week ahead is a good one for you, friend!
Can you list "go-to medical muzungu" on your resume? It's a nice title.
H
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