We got back from the safari late last night and woke up in the morning to hear that there was a robbery at the boy’s house. Supposedly, one of the construction workers was accused for stealing the guys’ money they left at their place while away on the safari. Of course the building was locked, but the robber had cut through the window. They suspected this young IHP employee because the week before the guy played soccer with them and had taken a shower at their place after the game. He knew where they had placed all their belongings. Later we found out that one of the guards was also part of the plot. This incidence was only icing on the cake of Paula’s frustrations with the current guard company. There’s tension in the air after the night when we were woken by Paula yelling at one of the guards who was talking loudly on his phone, when he should have been doing his job.
The awkward part was they all had to ride in one car to the police station. We were informed later that the prisoners are physically and verbally abused, even the ones waiting for trials. I knew the accused young man and felt sorry for him. Yes, it’s wrong to steal, but no one deserves abuse.
Since the boys had to go to the police station, it was a busy morning. However, like a usual Tuesday, it was a quiet afternoon with a few patients flowing through. Today I was with Dr. Bon. Yay!!! I love working with Dr. Bon! There were four patients today that I would like to share. The first girl was a girl from a local secondary school. She came in with typical “malarial” symptoms and insisted that we write a note for her to go home. We asked her why and she would not share with us why, but insisted that she must go home. I thought “oh, no” and all the possibilities came flooding through my mind. We asked her about school, relationships, home, etc. You can see and feel the anxiousness in her eyes and body gestures. There were some things lost in translation, but the problem seemed related to something spiritual. She also panicked when she realized we were writing in her school notebook about her doctor office (a usual protocol). She insisted that we rewrite everything. Dr. Bon suggested that perhaps she should talk to the school matron, but the girl just shook her head. I’m not sure what you’re going through, but I will pray for you. I said a silent prayer as she walked out the door with diagnosis of malaria.
The second memorable patient was my first patient with Schistosomiasis. The 7 year old girl came in with “malarial” symptoms and was sent to the lab with a B/S, urinalysis and stool analysis. Amidst the busy morning we receive her lab work and I saw “shisto seen.” I couldn’t help it, I ran to the lab and requested to see the schisto under the microscope. SOOOO cool!!!! Okay, not cool for the girl, but treatable. Dr. Bon said that there used to be many cases of schisto before they treated the shores of Lake Victoria. I’m not sure what they used for treatment.
So for those who don’t know, you get schistosomiasis from the schistosoma parasitic worm, swimming freely in open bodies of water as a cercaria or maturing in fresh-water snails. On contact with a human, the parasite burrows into the skin and matures into a schistosomula. Then the parasite migrates to the lungs and liver, maturing into an adult parasite. After maturation, it can migrate to various areas of the body: portal venous system, bladder, rectum, intestines, spleen, etc. Pretty cool, huh? Aaahhhh!! So cool!
Third patient: Teenage boy circumcision. Enough said. Although, local anesthesia was used, I was surprised by the boy’s calmness. Another boy who was jasiri (brave). I’m not sure what came first, culture or medicine. Culture: You don’t become a man until you are circumcised. Medicine: Studies show that circumcision lowers the risk of HIV transmission. So unlike my first circumcision experience, this surgery was easier with the use of a contraption that cups the penis head and aids for an even circumferential cut. One swift cut and done.
I know I’ve mentioned my disgust of the human mouth and I try to stay away when Dr. Bon performs tooth extractions. Today there was a 10 year old school girl who had to have 2 tooth extractions. I decided to suck it up and help Dr. Bon on this one. So I let the girl hold my hand with both her hands as Dr. Bon was anesthetizing. The high shrill of fear and pain with the death grip confirmed yet again my dislike for dentistry. Who knows what I will have to do in the future, but please God, please let there be a dentist.
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