There was a huge thunderstorm overnight - crashing, banging and lashing with rain. Still managed to sleep well - the heat seems to leave me shattered at the end ofthe day. Anyway, woke to beautiful blue skies and a very busy Nekemte. The call to prayer started early - most Ethiopians are orthodox Christians and many attend church on both Saturday and Sunday. I tucked away a delicious fetira (pancake with honey) and chai and set off for the hospital lecture room, ready to start at 8.30. When I got to the hospital, there was a large crowd of people surrounding the hospital gates. The gates had been barred and no one was allowed in - when the hospital is full, it is full and that is that..
I sat in the doorway of the lecture room for a few minutes while the students were getting their books out, looking out over the view of Nekemte. The birds were singing and we were surrounded by lush greenery, coloured with bougainvillea and hibiscus. Not a bad place to spend some time learning with a great bunch of young people!
The students had asked to do a session on diabetes, following on from a young patient we saw together on the ward yesterday. 28 years old, diabetes for 10 years, under treated for most of that time due to all the difficulties of managing this condition here, now presenting blind in one eye, with what looks like end stage renal failure and congestive cardiac failure. This appears to be all too common here and getting worse as the Ethiopians westernise their culture.
We had a great session - lots of hard work, but lots of laughing too. After we were done, we all walked back to the town centre where I am staying. They think my big floppy hat is hilarious - they may have a point! By the time we had started to walk back, the sun was high in the sky. - it was baking.
I spent the rest of the afternoon hiding in the shade of the Internet cafe, working on our report of the visit.
Looks like another thunderstorm may be on the cards for tonight...
Yours
Julie
I sat in the doorway of the lecture room for a few minutes while the students were getting their books out, looking out over the view of Nekemte. The birds were singing and we were surrounded by lush greenery, coloured with bougainvillea and hibiscus. Not a bad place to spend some time learning with a great bunch of young people!
The students had asked to do a session on diabetes, following on from a young patient we saw together on the ward yesterday. 28 years old, diabetes for 10 years, under treated for most of that time due to all the difficulties of managing this condition here, now presenting blind in one eye, with what looks like end stage renal failure and congestive cardiac failure. This appears to be all too common here and getting worse as the Ethiopians westernise their culture.
We had a great session - lots of hard work, but lots of laughing too. After we were done, we all walked back to the town centre where I am staying. They think my big floppy hat is hilarious - they may have a point! By the time we had started to walk back, the sun was high in the sky. - it was baking.
I spent the rest of the afternoon hiding in the shade of the Internet cafe, working on our report of the visit.
Looks like another thunderstorm may be on the cards for tonight...
Yours
Julie