Doctors to the Rescue

My day started as all normal days might start back in the the States, picked up a donkey cart.  The picture is of the Pajero, my daily driver when she works, and the cart on top.  I swear the community of Maai Mahiu really must think us mzungus (foreigners) are a weird bunch.  Driving all day around the town in a big SUV with a hand plastered on all sides and a huge donkey cart on the rack.  I got more odd looks today then ever.   I think we honestly make it harder for ourselves sometimes :)

The doctors from Kansas arrived a few days ago and today was their second day seeing patients.  We arranged for an average of 150 to be seen every day for 4 days.  It's been a pleasurable, managed chaos, if that's possible.  The pre-organization has paid off, thanks to Doctor Steve and Alison!!!  The doctors are amazing, seeing patient after patient from 8:30 to 5 with no rest and short lunches.....Have to admire their dedication to helping others.  I have always wished I had the stomach to be a doctor.  I know if it had been in my cards my services could have been used all over the world.  But back to the day.   The only dentist in the group, I learned actually new my uncle Mike from the Air Force.   He's been a rock star who lost count yesterday with well over 100 teeth pulled.  Yeah that's right one after the other and even pulled 11 out of one 40 somethings hurting mouth.   There really is no other option as  there are no x-ray machines, drills and specialized operating machines so it's pull them.  If they are bad they come out.    The locals eat a lot of processed sugar, drink lots of tea with sugar and don't really brush or floss.   So you can imagine the teeth and many of these have lived with rotted teeth for years.   I hate a small tooth ache and back home get it fixed immediately......never would I settle for years.  

We had a brilliant surprise today.   A woman came in VERY pregnant and ready to give birth.  There was little time and the doc  and nurses jumped to action delivery a beautiful, tiny baby girl, Theresa.   How adorable she was wrapped in a make shift blanket.  She truly was the toast of the clinic today.   This government clinic does not generally deliver a lot of babies as they charge 1200 shillings ($200) which is often too costly for a poor family.  So they use mid-wives, which made our treat that much sweeter.  And on the same subject but a sadder note I was part of a still birth.   See it really is just a  perfect example of how fast things change here.   I know reading about beautiful Theresa and then I bust a quick hard left on you is startling but really that is how it is daily here.   When you least expect it, IT happens.

Actually, I was leaving to go show part of the team the disabled kids day care and the ShoSho Shamba.  As we pulled out a matatu, a van basically with bench seats used for local transportation, pulled next to the Pajero.  Out jumped various people asking for help.  It was very confusing but it took a very short time for us to get the picture of BABY.  Out rushed the OBGYN doc and nurses and the woman was definitely full of baby and having a baby NOW.  And it wasn't 30 seconds but they had her laid down on the bench seat in the matatu and out popped a tiny little baby.  We found out later it was 7 months old.  Almost instantly the look on the doctor's face said it all.  It was still birth.  Sorry if I use "it" to be honest I never found out if the baby was a boy or girl.  It was a hard fact of life to see in person.  Of course we all know things like this happen, it's part of life.  But seeing it in person, going in with the baby and watching the doc clean her/him up was tough.  The baby looked like a baby and seemed to me to be able to live on it's own.  And it made it very real and extremely sad.  The look on the mother's face said it all.  She knew that the baby had passed.  I have not really come to terms with this event and it might take some time.