This is the motto that hangs on the sign outside of the main entrance to Tenwek Hospital, and it definitely describes the attitude of the staff that I've met here. I arrived at Tenwek Wednesday afternoon, and within several hours had already received my pager, my call schedule, and had a full tour of the hospital! I will be serving as a "consultant" (aka. attending physician) in the pediatric department while here and my first call night is Friday night! I'm actually really nervous about being on call tomorrow- things are obviously done differently here than in the States. I'm not familiar with some of the medications used here and many of the medications I'm used to using are not available here. Not to mention the fact that I've already encountered several cases today that I've never encountered in the United States. I would definitely appreciate your prayers for wisdom and that God would divinely give me the knowledge and capability that I will need to treat these children!
I've met many wonderful people here at Tenwek. Everyone has been very welcoming. I attended a woman's bible study last night that was led by one of the female Internal Medicine Attendings. There were several Kenyan interns there as well as a few female spouses to physicians at the hospital. After introducing ourselves we went into the hospital and prayed with the patients and their families. It was such a unique and incredible experience! How many hospitals are there where you can freely approach your patients and pray with them?
I won't go into the gruesome details of the day for all of you non-medical folk who might be eating lunch as your read this =) But a few examples of things that I saw today:
-- A new diagnosis of HIV in a 5 y/o with a CD4 count of 124 who likely has PCP pneumonia with a very poor prognosis.
-- A child who presented with vomiting and was found to have diffuse colitis with multiple enlarged abdominal lymph nodes, a partial small bowel obstruction, several pulmonary nodules, and also has facial features of Down Syndrome. This child very likely has disseminated tuberculosis and is unlikely to benefit from treatment.
-- An 8 y/o female presented in liver failure from an unknown etiology was vomiting up worms this morning during rounds.
-- There is a 6 y/o with TB meningitis that has obstructive hydrocephalus and received a VP shunt yesterday, but the liklihood of shunt failure is quite high due to the high CSF protein content.
-- There is a baby in the NICU with gastroschesis (the bowel is currently being kept alive in a foley bag that is tied to the top of the babies incubator with a long piece of gauze).
-- There is another baby in the NICU with tetrology of fallot and cleft lip/palate who will likely be discharged tomorrow because the family cannot afford proper treatment and we do not currently have a pediatric cardiothoracic or facial surgeon.
I miss you all and am thinking of you! I hope all is well back home. Keep me posted with updates! I love fun emails =)
I've met many wonderful people here at Tenwek. Everyone has been very welcoming. I attended a woman's bible study last night that was led by one of the female Internal Medicine Attendings. There were several Kenyan interns there as well as a few female spouses to physicians at the hospital. After introducing ourselves we went into the hospital and prayed with the patients and their families. It was such a unique and incredible experience! How many hospitals are there where you can freely approach your patients and pray with them?
I won't go into the gruesome details of the day for all of you non-medical folk who might be eating lunch as your read this =) But a few examples of things that I saw today:
-- A new diagnosis of HIV in a 5 y/o with a CD4 count of 124 who likely has PCP pneumonia with a very poor prognosis.
-- A child who presented with vomiting and was found to have diffuse colitis with multiple enlarged abdominal lymph nodes, a partial small bowel obstruction, several pulmonary nodules, and also has facial features of Down Syndrome. This child very likely has disseminated tuberculosis and is unlikely to benefit from treatment.
-- An 8 y/o female presented in liver failure from an unknown etiology was vomiting up worms this morning during rounds.
-- There is a 6 y/o with TB meningitis that has obstructive hydrocephalus and received a VP shunt yesterday, but the liklihood of shunt failure is quite high due to the high CSF protein content.
-- There is a baby in the NICU with gastroschesis (the bowel is currently being kept alive in a foley bag that is tied to the top of the babies incubator with a long piece of gauze).
-- There is another baby in the NICU with tetrology of fallot and cleft lip/palate who will likely be discharged tomorrow because the family cannot afford proper treatment and we do not currently have a pediatric cardiothoracic or facial surgeon.
I miss you all and am thinking of you! I hope all is well back home. Keep me posted with updates! I love fun emails =)
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| The view from my guesthouse! Isn't it beautiful? More pictures to come later! |
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