light blue crocs

…they’re big shoes to fill! What you see documented above is pretty much the only way I feel capable of filling them.

You see, 2 years ago, when I came back to Bundibugyo from spending 2 months in Kampala, Jennifer had these light blue crocs she was wearing to the health center everyday. She told me that Grammy Aylestock (her mom) left them for her when she came to visit while I was away. Jennifer proceeded to wear these shoes to the health center everyday for the next 2 years, they’re comfy, cool, easy to clean and protective of the toes from whatever grossness is going on on any given day. Now she’s gone, but she left her shoes behind (both literally and figuratively). The last couple of days I’ve been wearing the light blue crocs to the health center. That I can do. It’s kind of a reminder to me when I am missing her presence on the ward and look down and see them, that she’s with us in spirit and prayer! Now, the figurative filling of Jennifer’s shoes? I cannot.

But today I couldn’t help but think there might be one more way I can reasonably try to fill a role that Jennifer held while she was here. And that’s the Bundibugyo status blog updates…what is the state of things here and rallying prayer and action from the ends of the earth. Articulate I am not, but honest I am, so here’s the first installment of Bundibugyo today.

Nyahuka Health Center:

• In the biggest news of the day, I walked into OPD and found our Clinical Officer who had gone off to medical school seeing patients. After greeting him and thanking him for the work, Biguye took escorted me over to the hospital store and along the way I asked if medical schools were on break/holiday right now (in Uganda grade schools and colleges and medical schools are all on different schedules it seems to me…). Biguye (senior in charge Clinical Officer – NP/PA level clinician) informed me that the school had “pushed him out.” So, it seems he’s back for good (or at least until the next educational opportunity presents itself). Biguye said, in true African fashion, that “for me I am clapping, but for others maybe they are crying” (translation: this is good news for me but maybe not for others).
• I mentioned Biguye was walking me over to the hospital store. There’s not usually much to be done at the hospital store because there’s not usually much of a supply of medicine or supplies there, but he walked me over to show me the contents of the recent National Medical Store delivery! Talk about big news! It’s so much easier to provide medical care with medicine! Imagine that. So, we reviewed the supply, delivered in July, ordered in April (2 delivery cycles behind) and not actually what we ordered, but I guess they expect that we should be happy with whatever we get. We are thankful but not exactly happy.
• It’s also a lot easier to provide medical care when you can do lab testing to determine the actually status of diseases in a patient instead of just having to guess based on their clinical appearance. Well, currently there are no HIV patients in Bundibugyo getting CD4 testing done. There used to be NGO funding for this test which helps clinicians determine the stage of the virus in a given patient based on their ability to fight infection. Ie. There is currently no way to tell objectively whether an HIV patient has moved from HIV into AIDS and therefore in need of Anti RetroViral (ARV) therapy, leaving it up to the clinical judgement of the clinician. There used to be NGO funded support for this testing (done at a private laboratory center), but it has ended. The Ministry of Health funds PCR testing (testing for the presence of the virus in a person based on virus DNA), but not CD4 testing. A Ministry of Health team came to Nyahuka this week to evaluate the Early Infant Dianosis process provided to patients and what could be done to improve the process. Staff from a Baylor University program in Kampala was part of this group. Assusi presented the current CD4 issue and they made no promises but said they would report the issue and get back to us with recommendations. They evidently indicated that it could be that CD4 testing could be made possible within the district instead of having to send all of the testing to Fort Portal for processing. We’ll see what comes of it all, but it’s encouraging to me that all of this is going on despite our transition and lack of involvement in such details. God is moving! Thank and pray for real follow through in improving care for HIV patients in Bundibugyo.

Team:

• The Clarks are coming, the Clarks are coming! The Clark family has been in the US making an addition to their family and as of email check yesterday it seems will be returning to Bundibugyo next week with a new little dude in tow: David August Clark. Can't wait to meet him, and have the rest of the Clarks back!
• We will make our second attempt at post-Myhre pizza tonight. Last week's attempt was most successfull if I do say so myself. Travis was pretty proud of himself, and rightly so! Several rounds of "go Travis, go Travis!" rang out throughout the evening (which also included a showing of a movie on the big screen with the projector!).
• I think 5 new missionaries were approved for future service in Bundibugyo yesterday at the WHM "sending center" in Philadelphia. You're most welcome Pamela, Ann, Josh, Michael and Leslie!
  
• Pat Abbott made some kick-butt bagels for us for dinner the other night. Hot sesame bagels, in Bundibugyo?! "go Pahti, go Pahti!"
• isn't it interesting how much of life here revolves around food?! I love it.
  

So, I’m sure there’s a lot more going on that I’m not privy to, but here’s the news from my little slice of life.