i am exhausted exhausted.
(i did that on purpose- saying the word twice is ugandan for emphasis).
today was a very long day that began with a 5:30 breakfast with my three precious boys, a full day at clinic, and finally a trip to mulago hospital. after an incredible amount of work, we were able to locate the two patients i'd sent yesterday- basically by walking through ward after ward of sick, and i'm talking, sick people, and trying to identify them visually. as suspected, being the only muzungu in the entire complex, i stood way out and was recognized by the patients. and lets just say the 'information' desk wasn't the only thing missing. the other thing was, hygiene! oh, and sheets, privacy, infection control, food, medicines and doctors. it was kind of a disaster. it looked exactly the same as it did 8 years earlier when i'd come through as a medical resident. i will say more later- it needs to settle.
i got home late and went to a talk at the university sponsored by the student group 'international justice'. there was a very inspirational ugandan radio host talking about changing the world, instead of dr. ian clarke who was supposed to talk. i think he might have been too busy changing the world.
i walked home in the dark under the beautiful, life giving, night sky. clear and dark and full of God's little white lights. a sky that looks different and the same as it always has. the air was cool and the moon was away and i could see orions belt. those three steady bright stars at the top of the sky. holding things together, and i felt full of life and thankful.
the take home message for the day is - yes, the world needs to be changed.
it starts with each of us. it's starts now.
okay, tomorrow, i'm going to bed.
(i did that on purpose- saying the word twice is ugandan for emphasis).
today was a very long day that began with a 5:30 breakfast with my three precious boys, a full day at clinic, and finally a trip to mulago hospital. after an incredible amount of work, we were able to locate the two patients i'd sent yesterday- basically by walking through ward after ward of sick, and i'm talking, sick people, and trying to identify them visually. as suspected, being the only muzungu in the entire complex, i stood way out and was recognized by the patients. and lets just say the 'information' desk wasn't the only thing missing. the other thing was, hygiene! oh, and sheets, privacy, infection control, food, medicines and doctors. it was kind of a disaster. it looked exactly the same as it did 8 years earlier when i'd come through as a medical resident. i will say more later- it needs to settle.
i got home late and went to a talk at the university sponsored by the student group 'international justice'. there was a very inspirational ugandan radio host talking about changing the world, instead of dr. ian clarke who was supposed to talk. i think he might have been too busy changing the world.
i walked home in the dark under the beautiful, life giving, night sky. clear and dark and full of God's little white lights. a sky that looks different and the same as it always has. the air was cool and the moon was away and i could see orions belt. those three steady bright stars at the top of the sky. holding things together, and i felt full of life and thankful.
the take home message for the day is - yes, the world needs to be changed.
it starts with each of us. it's starts now.
okay, tomorrow, i'm going to bed.
2 comments:
I hope you get some satisfying rest.
thanks susan! i did. have a great day.
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