Casa Guatemala

These photos are during my short stay at Casa Guatemala in Rio Dulce October 2008.

 Ready at the clinic.

From the river.

 Storage room - be prepared to convert European meds to U.S.

 Well supplied.

 Entry to clinic.  Room off front for clinic staff.

Volunteers quarters.

 Usually spent more time patching up staff than the orphanage kids.

 Halloween adventures.  The kids walked down a dark dock to then entrance to find me laid put on the gurney.

 Yes, more staff injuries - ankle and wrist.

Such a cutie.

Kabale, Uganda

I was graciously allowed by Dr. Sam to spend some time at the Regional Hospital in Kabale, Uganda in 2008.  The staff were very kind to allow me to participate in the care of the patients on the surgical ward.  The ward was divided into two sections where women and children were seen in the first and the men in the second.  Beds were separated by about 24 inches of space and family members were required to provide food and bedding. Most of the patients I participated in care for were orthopedic or post-surgical infections.

The Ugandan's are uniquely friendly and helpful.  It's truly something that has to be experienced.

CAUTION - GRAPHIC PHOTOS

Kabale Regional Hospital Grounds

RE Fx

Medication rounds.  Limited medications provided by the hospital.

 Friendly and helpful nurses.

 Old school.  White for the equivalent of RN and pink for LPN.

Trauma Room - nothing more needs to be said.

Dr. Antwoine.

Patient education - measles.

Autoclave

An interesting approach to traction.  I pretty much left this one alone.

 So grateful, even for the smallest gesture.

 Frequent amputations.

Wooden stick to the eye with probable future loss of vision.

 Traction for open femur fracture - no surgical repair.

 Pediatric ward.

 Kids on the walk to the hospital.

Post-surgical mom with baby.

 Surgical theatre.

Debridement of diabetic foot done with razor blade and no anesthetic.

A short holiday from the hospital.

Ugandan kids.

 New friends everywhere.

Resourceful to survive.

Ukuu, Kenya

This is the MCK dispensary at Ukuu, Kenya.  This is a clinic that was established in 2008 to support the community of Ukuu, Kenya.  It is on the property owned by the Methodist Church and overseen by a local board. I was invited by Dr. Kiara from Nairobi to spend some time in the village he grew up in and where his parent still live.  Mama and dada Kiara graciously opened their home and arms to welcome me to the community.



During my visit January and February of 2010 I saw in excess of 400 patients with the majority having malaria, amoeba, worms, typhoid, pneumonia, and/or a variety of chronic illnesses.  They are fortunate to be in the eastern hills of Mt. Kenya and thus provides for a year long supply of food and water.  Malnutrition was limited in my experience, but rather diabetes and hypertension becoming more prevalent due to excess calorie intake. Even though food was of plenty, access to affordable health care was still limited.  At the clinic the exams were free but a small charge for the medicines and lab tests help support the salaries for the two staff members.

Entry to dispensary.  Beautiful and green vegetation all around Ukuu.


                                             
  Exam room

    Initial interview area.  Ruth, RN in background.

   Ruth, RN and Jane, Lab Tech

 Me, after gaining 10kg while in Ukuu.  It's a cultural issue of providing food to all visitors.  After visiting many homes and consuming 3000 kcal per day it started to show.

     Packing the kids up for the clinic.

          My host family.

     Dispensary Board of Directors.

Jane at work.  All lab tests were done under microscope.  If there was no electricity, it was done via sunlight.  If no sunlight or electricity, done the next day.  :-(

       Another satisfied patient.

     Here for evaluation.  About 30% of all patients were + for MPS.

Fresh food everyday right from the backyard.  Host family that provided for all my needs.

Boiled milk in the morning.  Even though milk is boiled, brucellosis is common - perhaps from the dust in the pens for the cows.

 Host family and cow pen.

Dada and bbq for the evening dinner.