Day 6

Hello friends, family, and newcomers. Welcome to or welcome back to my blog where I am documenting the process leading up to and during my first humanitarian mission to Eldoret, Kenya.

Today is Friday, April 4th, marking the official start of Campaign_52. We woke up at 6 AM to get ready. Most of us will head to the hospital in our regular clothes and change into scrubs upon arrival. After preparing, we went downstairs to have breakfast at the hotel. Once we finished eating, we departed for Gynocare. The road to Gynocare is very bumpy, it has many divets, rocks, and curves. There are also many shops along the side of the road that we pass by each morning. These are people's businesses and homes. There are sometimes even cows grazing. There is no electricity or running water in this part of town. However, this does not stop the people, it. is always bustling and men, women, and children are always out and about doing what needs to be done. The resourcefulness here is something to be admired.

This year, a counter was introduced to track the total number of cases we handle. It will be updated daily so we can know our progress when we leave. This morning, we began with 6 cases, thanks to Dr. Hull and Dr. Spivak, who started yesterday. We gathered in the conference room to ensure everyone knew their assignments and locations for the day. Then, we proceeded to our designated areas. The work we came to accomplish has finally begun, and it filled my heart with joy.

Today, I was tasked with rounding on the ward alongside Dr. Spivak. Before heading to the ward, we evaluated five patients in the clinic to determine if they required surgical intervention. An interesting observation is that, apart from their charts and the women stating their names, there is no other method to identify them. In the US, we use MRNs, bracelets, birth dates, and names for identification. This is not the case here, and there are instances where we must triple-check to ensure we have the correct person.

After the clinic, we headed to the fistula ward. Rounding was quite an experience. The previous day, Karim had shown Becci and me around, so we were familiar with the layout, but knowing where things are and actually participating in ward rounds are entirely different experiences. The hospital has several wards where women stay when preparing for surgery, recovering post-op, or awaiting medical management, further testing, or transfer to a larger facility. To give you an idea of the number of patients in the fistula ward, there are 6 rows, a room for pediatric patients and their families, and some women even share a bed with 1-2 others. I wish you could have seen the setup and watched me walk around with my computer, typing up information for each woman, including why they were there, our plan for them, and what needed to be done. Sometimes I held the computer with both hands and typed with my thumbs like a phone; other times, I held the laptop with my left hand and typed with my right. We finished the fistula ward around 1:30 PM, having started at 8, and took a break for lunch before rounding on the private ward. For lunch, I had a similar meal to the day before: rice, chicken, veggies, and water. I still find the food very good, and my mind and body appreciate the consistent and nourishing meals. After lunch, we resumed work on the private rounds. These are smaller rooms with 1-5 women each. I continued using my computer to ensure proper documentation and information collection. We completed rounds around 5 PM. We then took ourselves, along with some snacks, tea, and water, into the smaller conference room to create a list prioritizing patients and planning for the upcoming days. Dr. Spivak categorized all our surgical cases based on the procedure needed and priority level. From there, a list was created through Tuesday. Watching her efficiently and fluently organize everything was truly impressive. We worked hard all day to ensure every woman would receive the care and procedures they needed while ensuring smooth operations for future rounds. We triaged 93 women on this first day.

While Dr. Spivak and Kairm were organizing the surgical schedule, I dedicated my time to compiling a comprehensive spreadsheet using Word. I documented every patient we encountered from the beginning to the end, listing them in the order we saw them. I detailed their diagnosis, medical history, the reason for their visit, whether they needed to be scheduled for surgery and which surgery, or if conservative measures were being taken, or if they were there for a completely different reason. This process took nearly three hours, but it was incredibly worthwhile because, by the end, we had a well-organized list of patients for future reference. The plan is to update this list daily as patients are discharged, operated on, relocated, etc. I also included photos we took of specific patients so that treating physicians could review them. I felt a strong sense of accomplishment upon completing this task. Dr. Spivak was incredibly diligent, and it was a great experience to work with her in this capacity.

Following our lengthy day, we printed the list, arranged the theatre (OR) schedule for the next day, and reviewed everyone's assignments. We then updated the total number of completed cases to 37. 37 cases after day one (kind of 2), and our minimum goal for the year is 52. How cool. Afterward, we loaded the vans and everyone returned to the hotel.

For dinner tonight, we ate at the hotel restaurant, and Becci and I shared a margherita pizza. It was decent, though not the best I've ever had. Still, it was comforting after the day we had. After dinner, we enjoyed Dawa tea, a blend of ginger, lemon, and honey. This is a common drink in Kenya, where "Dawa" means medicine in Swahili, and it's used as a remedy for those feeling unwell. It was delicious, and I can see how it would be helpful for colds or flu.

After we got our tea and spent some time sitting downstairs, I headed up to bed. Dr. Hull and I stayed up quite late watching fascinating TV shows about snakes and veterinary topics. We were laughing so much that I thought I might wet my pants. It was such a fun night and a great way to unwind from a stressful day.

Today was an amazing day, and being here feels almost unreal. I know I keep mentioning it, but it's true. After just one visit to the hospital, interacting with patients has profoundly changed my life. I want to hold onto these memories and the emotions they bring. Observing these women, who endure conditions like female pelvic fistulas and cancer, yet still manage to have such radiant smiles, was truly enlightening for me. Time for bed, until tomorrow :)

All Love,

Meg