Ships log # 20

This week has sped by with the focus on the patient screening day on Wednesday - the stats for the day are as follows :

7,354 people in total (patients, caregivers and family) showed up

4,236 patients came through the gate for assessment

Peak crew on site: 311

Line was open for 12 hours and 20 minutes.

The line snaked around three roads which had to be cordoned off from traffic.

The day was extremely well organised with dozens of designated escorts ferrying patients and their families from one station to the next - from medical, surgical and physical assessment to photographing to scheduling to final check - palliative care and prayer stations were also provided. I personally think that the escorts got the hardest job on the day as they had to be mindful of those patients who we were not able to help as well as though who were preassessed as not even appropriate for assessment. All assessed patients (4236) came thru the final check station that I was on whether they were scheduled for surgery or not. The majority of people were either accepting of their lack of opportunity for surgery or relieved that they were part of the group of chosen ones. Some patients were confused by the whole event, some were very upset that they hadn't been scheduled for surgery but others with the same condition had, and the parents were just very thankful that their children were going to be given the chance of a better life.

Many patients were found with conditions that could be readily treated like this multiple nodal goiter .....




.... but there were others like this child with bilateral club feet that may need such extensive treatment that it is not possible on the ship as on going rehabilitation treatment may be required after Mercy Ships departs.

 

We had visits from several Congolese media groups and the president  Denis Nguesso and entourage arrived in style to examine proceedings.   There was also a reporter from the US -  Dana Perinos - who  fronts a talk show on Fox news who with her husband are supporters of Mercy Ships.  They  took many photos and interviewed crew members and did a live article from the ship on Thursday night.  The link is as follows:

http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fon-air%2Fthe-five%2Fcontent%2Ffollow-dana-perinos-mercy-ships-mission&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNE_8NZbP3DvRhuOTpF0p-bN5RiYDA

or if that doesn't work copy and paste as below :
 www.foxnews.com/on-air/the-five/content/follow-dana-perinos-mercy-ships-mission

I am apparently in it but have yet to see the full clip due to lack of good broadband here. Dana  was press secretary for George W Bush and has of course numerous stories to share and is a brilliant speaker so we were entertained one evening with stories of war zones and behind the scenes transgressions !!

It was a huge day with most people working 12hrs straight - including moi :) - but the time seemed to go very quickly in 3hr slots - was alerted to looking at somebodies watch usually when my stomach started to rumble :D

We finished the week ensuring we had the correct instrumentation, dressings and equipment for the first batch of patients and left work  on Friday feeling very satisfied at the week just gone.  I intended to have a quiet start to the weekend so come Saturday checked emails, started this blog and went for a long walk on the local surf beach.  It looks harmless but has a big undercurrent so we are not advised to swim there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday evening saw us watching the chosen movie night film - Arsenic and old lace - in black and white with Cary Grant - filmed circa 1910 (yes I am just kidding) - certainly post Charlie Chaplin but only just - but we rocked in the isles and   screamed with laughter - so a good night had by all.

Sunday saw me attend church at the local Assembly of God - great vocals and band but very emotional as the current pastor and his wife of 17 yr told the congregation that had been asked to move to Libreville, in the Gabon to start a bible school - much heart felt thanks and crying later we were finally given refreshments and headed home - each one of us thinking about when we would need to say goodbyes at some stage in the near future :(

 

 

 

 

Sunday afternoon lifted our spirits somewhat as we heading in a land rover an hour out of town to a forest area with promises of dense Congo jungle and beach side fare at the end.  We arrived at the top of a gorge and half our party descended the steep decline with the aid of a rope ladder......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 ........ the rest drove straight to the beach - we made our way thru tangled trees and  open tussock areas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Under foot ranged from red clay to fine white sand with just one small stream being fed by an audible spring. 

 

 

We came across large wild beasts... aka small black ants !!  Suggest you zoom in on this photo for good effect :)

 

 

 

...and some unidentifiable mud mounds.

 At the end of the journey we relayed tales to our colleagues of meeting huge snakes and spiders, hearing lions roar and imagining the little people that lived in the mud mounds (??) . They did not believe a word of it but we never- the- less had trekked thru the Congo jungle and survived  - and we deserved a feast at the end of it :D

 

On the beach at the end of our trail was conveniently placed a restaurant which apparently cooked the best fish around. We subsequently dined on fresh bass and plantain (fried banana but much sweeter - yumyum)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WOW - what a week of it - life in Africa is so full of surprises - you never know who you are going to meet and what you are going to learn - I continue to enjoy the community atmosphere and have found a whole new family - I now have even more places to visit on my world travels and have learnt that just about every state in the US is represented on the ship.  We do have many Australasians as well and have enjoyed a hilarious night out on Friday ...... but will keep that for next time .  Will just say however that the ANZAC cause is hail and hearty.

Definitely time for bed - first surgery tomorrow - can't wait to get going now - TTFN xoxo