First Full day


Running around the landing strip

 

Today was my first full day of work at the hospital.   I started early by getting out for a run. After days of sitting in an airplane it felt good to get some exercise.  After that the devotions/bible reading with the Sage Femmes (midwives) started at 0800 and then rounds.  Fortunately there are 3 OBGYNs working at the moment (the one I am replacing leaves for Dubai on the weekend). There is also a family doctor with extra training in Obstetrics and Gynecology.  Esther has been here the longest and I followed her around today so I am being eased into the routines again.  We saw a woman who had a cesarean for an infected pregnancy, an ectopic pregnancy, and a lot of patients with hypertension.  There is also a specific type of cancer that affects women that seems to be VERY prevalent hear.  I hardly see it at home, but they are always looking after 2 or 3 woman with it here.  Someone has speculated it could be due to the type of pesticide they use on their crops. 

At 10:00 on Wednesdays there is a break for Cinnamon Buns and visiting.  They do take left overs to the Surgeons that are working in the Operating room.  Then we were off to the Out Patient clinic.  Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays are usually maternity patients.  Some are normal visits, but there are a lot with problems either in this pregnancy or a previous pregnancy.  Women who have been pregnant several times but never had a live baby, Malaria (really common right now),  Unclear dates (thank goodness we have an ultrasound in the clinic), Lots of high blood pressure, undiagnosed ruptured membranes, etc.  There is a break from 1300 to 1500 and then we go to 1800.  The official language of Niger is French which I can work in, but the unofficial language is Hausa which I don't know at all (Sannu is the common greeting).  Fortunately there are translators that work in French and Hausa to see the patients.  Tuesdays and Thursdays the clinic is supposed to be mostly Gynecology with a bit of an emphasis on Infertility.  There is a booklet of protocols for people like me who don't see some of this stuff except when they come here. 

The other missionaries are all extremely friendly and I have been invited out for dinner again tonight. Tomorrow I am on call for the first time so I may not get to the blog. 

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