Thank goodness its Friday

September 25 

I reported to work this morning around 8 and realized that the morning would again be spent developing films. We had left many undeveloped in the cassettes, even though we left work at 7 pm the evening before. There simply were not enough hours in the day, nor energy in our bodies to complete all the work. So until about noon we spent our time developing films and making sure we x-rayed the patients we had turned away the day before. There were a few we had to ask to return which had come long distances and all I could do was apologize. Something about me doesn’t want to see them suffer. That is challenging for me. 

We actually took lunch before we began on today’s patients because if we had not, there would have been no break. I had great difficulty walking back and forth by patients who had waited for 8 hours, seated on the concrete floor, and yet there was nothing that could be done. And then to know that some would not get their results until the next day, or in this case not until Monday, that gets to me. For instance, one 9 year old boy came in with a sling on his left arm. His shoulder was hurting and they said he had fallen out of a tree. When we finally brought him into the room (he was one of today’s patients whom we had to wait to radiograph) we tried to remove the sling and he grimaced and began to cry. It hurt him so much to have us move his arm, though he hadn’t made a sound until then. I told Charles I would x-ray him with the sling on and I promised that the film would turn out. I shot an AP shoulder and then a Y-view, and as escorted him back out to the hall I realized he would have to wait until Monday in that condition. Not only were we really behind on the films, but by the time his would be developed (if we did them that day) there would be no way for him to go see a doctor. So all weekend he would be in the sling, in pain. 

Some of that time waiting for films to be developed served as great opportunities for Charles and I to talk more about how things are at hospitals here in Uganda. Something that is very different from Western culture is that when a patient is in the hospital here, their family or maybe a close neighbor has to bring food for them. There is not a cafeteria or Cafe Yumm that they can run to to grab some food. If they even come in the middle of the night in labor, still someone must bring them food or drink. There simply are not resources to offer that service for people. And the same goes for patient gowns. I finally realized, as I watched one patient after another with an IV still in place come for x-rays, that they wear their normal clothing while admitted into the hospital. And the only time that I have seen any sort of scrubs or hospital attire is when I’ve observed the surgery gowns on the clothesline to dry. I’m not sure if that is sterile technique (in fact, I’m sure it is not), however, we do the best we can with what we have here. 

Though the process is a long one, I do love to see films hanging in the sunshine to dry. As I’ve said before, we hang films outside to get them dry after they’ve been developed, and to me there is something artistic about it. But an automatic processor would be much better here. It would not only streamline the process but also provide better care for patients. One time when I was outside checking the films I noticed a woman bent over one of the tubs that are typically used for washing clothing or dishes or something like that. She was slowly washing something. As I watched closer I realized it was a baby! She was hand washing what looked to be a newborn, or only a few day old child. I just stopped and watched for a minute. It is incredible to me what these kids survive. And I’m not talking about being washed outside, however, it is part of the life here and its really amazing.

An ‘emergent’ case came in this afternoon that cut the line. A doctor came and said that he had a patient who was having convulsions and a very hard time standing and paying attention so they needed us to shoot a lateral skull film. When the patient came in, he really was in as bad as shape as they had said and we had a pretty interesting time getting him to stay in the position we put him in for the film. We ended up developing that one right away (so it is possible...) and when the attendant came back after taking the patient back to the ward, we gave her the film wet. A wet read. I think the only time I had ever heard of that was when Rees told us about it in RDSC 101. Charles said “they are looking for something here” as he pointed to the outer most portion of the patient’s brain. As far as I could tell they were trying to rule out meningitis. Wow...

Though this whole hospital experience has been challenging and tiring, I am so honored to be here, serving these people. As I was in the middle of an exam yesterday and I realized the situation (it has been hitting me in waves), the passage out of Isaiah 58 came to mind. Verses 10-11 say:

“...and if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in darkness and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.”

And it was as if God was remind me of His provision and protection over me. Though I’m being exposed to things I cannot see and I am seeing more than I ever imagined could be seen, He has me and will strengthen my frame. The blood of Jesus is powerful and He has covered me. Its incredible for me to realize. 

I don’t think that the timing of me coming here was an accident at all. I began to think about how that would have been this week if Charles was alone. And not that I’m super special or know a ton, but it is always easier to get a lot done with an extra pair of hands. Its also opened my eyes to a lot. Not only the magnitude of their suffering, but also the history of this area, which was something I had hoped to be able to learn before I came but didn’t have the opportunity. It really is amazing to be here.