Tis the Season

Thanksgiving is over… now onward to Christmas.  There is no Black Friday in Mutomo.  There isn't the huge stress of preparing for the holidays that so many people suffer at home.  In fact, people do very little here for Christmas.  I’m told that if you live in Nairobi, there is more celebrating for Christmas.  But here, people go to church and have a meal together.  No exchanging of gifts.  No Christmas trees. 

My stocking ready for Santa. Unfortunately I'll probably just find bugs in it.

I’ve begun my own small traditions of celebrating.  I've been listening to Christmas every day.  This year, songs like I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas and I’ll be home for Christmas take on a different meaning.  I’m very grateful that Anita was able to find an electric keyboard for me.  Now I can continue playing Christmas carols (when the electricity is working).  Despite the absence of Christmas trees and other decorations, I’ve managed to add a little Christmas cheer to the house.  It’s amazing what you can do with a bit of blank paper, and box of low-quality crayons, a pair of scissors, and a roll of tape (I had to search a few different stores to find a place that sold tape).  I now have makeshift versions of a Christmas tree, Santa Clause, and a Nativity scene on my wall.  I passed the afternoon on my day off today cutting out snowflakes.  I didn’t think such simple things like music and homemade decorations could make me so happy, but they really make me feel more at home for the holidays.

Mutomo Catholic Church, all dressed up in purple for Advent.

Excited for mail!

I’ve recently received two packages from my parents.  The last package cost me $66 in customs fees!  Despite the cost, it’s nice having items from home.  I get so excited as I open my mail, relishing the experience of discovering each new item… I feel like Tom Hanks in Castaway carefully opening his FedEx packages (only without the volleyball).  Included in this latest package were a variety of food items, a Christmas stocking, a strand of Christmas lights (for when I have electricity), and two CDs of Christmas music.

On my walk with Sr. Jennifer

On the days I have off from work, I really enjoy getting out of the hospital and going for walks if I can find someone to go with.  Last week I had an outing with Sr. Jennifer (a school teacher who lives in the convent next to the hospital) to a nearby dam which was recently built by World Vision.  Like many Kenyans, her lifestyle is so relaxed and unhurried.  She invited me to meet her at the convent for our walk, but not before we had sat and had tea for half an hour.  We then proceeded to the dam at a pace no faster than a stroll.  Once we arrived, I snapped a few photos and thought we were to leave soon.  We ended up sitting and chatting for a couple hours, enjoying the biscuits and bottles of soda that she brought along.  Whenever I asked if we still had time, she would reply, “The day is ours.”  I’m learning to appreciate the simplicity of life here.  People are rarely rushed.  They are content to sit outside or go for walks, enjoying one another's company.  It was a great day, aside from the terrible sunburn I got.

Sr. Jennifer, stopping for a rest and a snack on our outing.

My house viewed from above Mutomo

Today I had another great walk with two neighbors.  Mutomo is bordered to the northeast by large, rocky hills.  We went up to the top of one of the hills for a spectacular view of the town.  I could see everything from the top, including the hospital, and my tiny house.  The experience of walking uphill made me realize that I’ve become slightly out of shape these past two months.  At home I went running almost every day.  Most days in Mutomo, the farthest I walk is two minutes to get from my house to work; otherwise I sit around the house in the evenings, eating starchy, salty foods with little fiber.  I’ve identified a few good places to run.  If I ever manage to have a day off when it’s not raining, hopefully I can start to exercise.

Trying for a photo with the goat, but he wouldn't look at the camera.

Spaghetti dinner!

Thanksgiving was the first big meal I’ve cooked since arriving in Mutomo.  The experience was a bit of a confidence booster, and I decided to cook for my neighbors again this past week.  But what to cook?  The options in the market are limited and unvaried.  So I did what all Americans do when they don’t know what else to cook… I made spaghetti.  It actually came out very good, along with a homemade tomato sauce, eggplant parmesan, and chicken with rosemary (from Nairobi).  It’s nice to be able to cook my meals every now and then, though it’s a challenge in such a small kitchen, especially when the power goes off, and the cleanup is very tedious.

My two neighbors; they were comparing themselves to the Muppets...

...see the resemblance?

Proof that I actually work.

 So far it probably sounds like I only go for walks and eat a lot.  But I do actually work.  Yesterday we had one of the busiest days yet.  In the morning we had two admissions.  One of them was a woman who reportedly had some sort of domestic dispute with her husband and then poisoned herself.  After we had her stabilized and started her treatment, I went for lunch break.  When I returned, Winnie (a new nurse at the hospital) said, “Thank God you’re back!  We have three new admissions!”  We quickly set about assessing and treating them all.  In the midst of all this chaos, we had still another admission: the husband of the woman who had poisoned herself!  Turns out that "domestic dispute" was a case of domestic violence… the woman had stabbed her husband in the abdomen with a sword!  He came directly from the operating theater after a laparotomy.  Layla, the surgical resident, reported that he had lost one liter of blood.  He’s doing well today.  His hemoglobin and vital signs are stable, and his pain is well-controlled.

Posing with Tabitha the day before she was discharged.

With Beatrice on her last day on medical ward.

Sadly Beatrice, my favorite nurse to work with, is leaving medical ward.  She normally works in the nursery and was filling in on medical temporarily for another nurse on leave.  It was really a breath of fresh air to work with someone with such a passion for patient care.  I’ll be working with her again when I rotate to nursery in a few months.  Hopefully the quality of care can continue even when she leaves.  Winnie shows a lot of promise as a new nurse.  She asks lots of questions, genuinely cares for the patients, shows the ability to critically think, and is hard working, always willing to step up when something needs to be done.  The unit has been short staffed recently, and we’ve had to pull nurses from other units to assist.  On several occasions lately I’ve been the veteran nurse on duty.  Oftentimes the nurses will ask me questions, and I get to explain a procedure, a lab result, a treatment, etc.  I enjoy the opportunity to teach, and I am still learning from the staff here.  It’s nice to be able to collaborate.