day to day. . .

last thursday i had pregnant mom clinic in the far west. i also of course end up seeing some kids and other people! it truly is a blessing for me to be able to do this because the people in that area don't have access to medical care. i head back out today and will try to do a prenatal clinic every wednesday.

yesterday we had a 15 year old come into clinic. he was horribly malnourished. had been sick for 1 month. we did blood work on him and he has 1/3 the amount of blood he should. he had a horrible smell and some awful infection in his abdomen. there was some mixture of stool and pus coming out of his belly button. we got a truck and sent him to the hospital with money and hopes that he will be able to get a blood transfusion. his name is nesly. when we loaded him up on the truck he kept saying thank you, thank you. then he said to me - " nurse, if i live i will come back and see you." what a hard reality.

color. . .

i wrote this while i was in the far west this last week.

Color.

Color is amazing.

Color defines my life.

Some colors blend in beautiful melodies.

Others contrast in stark differences.

The ocean is deep languid blue.

The color stretches until you can see no more, until it reaches the soft hazy blue of the skyline.

The ocean is such that you feel it could consume you.

The sky is such that you feel as though you could float.

When I see the ocean it is love, deeper and wider than I could ever imagine.

The soft green and yellow of the cactus and trees stretches across the landscape.

The hues blend in almost indistinguishable shades.

Their colors are the feeling of warmth.

The egrit flying across the field is perfectly white, clean and pure.

The yellow flower with its soft petals against the sharp thorns speaks to me of hope.

The bright orange flowers on top of the long spiraling cactus are joy.

Color is life.

Life created.

Life continuing.

what a day!!

today was a bit crazy! if there were some way that i could just write about each situation, they do deserve their own story.


i am trying to think of how to even share how much has gone on today, but i don't think i can. it started with me going to the airport to pick up a couple guys who are visiting for a few days. they both work with other organizations and want to partner with us here. in the middle of the tour i was trying to give them one of the nurses asked me to come help start an IV. we have two little girls - one 4 years old and one who is 11 who both have typhoid. 103-4 fever anyone??


walking out from that to continue my tour there was an extremely malnourished baby. it has been a while since i have seen a little one this small. after lunch we had twins brought in whose mother died that morning after giving birth to them at home over an hour away from here. the afternoon brought a woman with an extremely swollen arm who i had asked to come yesterday when i saw her out walking, she may have elephantitis, not sure, but took some pictures and i will send it on to others who know more than i do.

the afternoon continued with a couple of my sewing ladies returning their projects. they really are doing such good jobs.

while i was trying to talk with our dentist and the guy who is visiting we had a mother carried to the birthing center on a bed who is having seizures and is only about 7 months pregnant.

i went through the birthing center after dinner to check on everything and the woman having seizures had another one. after we got her medicine i figured the nurses were a bit busy so i stitched up the guy who had been waiting for a while with a huge laceration on his head. he had been it by a rock.

then i boiled some water and cleaned isaiah's bottles. those are his little feet. he is 4 pounds now!!

i am very glad every day isn't like today!! and i am extremely grateful to whoever left some great chamomile tea here.