Trois
Hello!
I'm incredibly sorry for neglecting you all these past few weeks. I've had my hands full trying to stay on top of work, getting to know patients (I'm following 8 patients currently, which means capturing all of the important steps of their journey toward surgery and recovery), getting to know co-workers (there are over 400 people living and working aboard the Africa Mercy, not to mention the hundreds of Day Crew, our local hourly employees), and squeaking in some quiet, recharging time here and there.
I just got back from visiting the Esperanza, a Greenpeace ship docked directly next to our ship. It was pretty wild visiting with another NGO here in Douala. Sometimes it feels so preposterous that there would be people from different parts of the world here in the city, let alone the port, who aren't serving with Mercy Ships. Tonight was such a marvelous reminder that A.) We're not the only NGO at work in this country/city. B.) We're certainly not the first NGO to break ground in Cameroon. And C.) We won't be the last. It was really fun to meet some of those guys from Greenpeace, though. They were much more mellow than the people that accost you outside the grocery store back home.
I'll keep this short as I'm waking up in six hours to go visit Frank at home and travel with him to the ship for his surgery. Frank is a seventeen year old with dual-cataracts and nearly completely blind. He's been this way for about six years. Tomorrow he'll have both cataracts removed and if all goes according to plan, his sight will be restored.
Pierre, the 4 year old with windswept legs who's surgery was postponed not once but twice, finally got his surgery and it seems to have been a success! He's back to his smiley self and with both legs in casts he's twice as heart-melting.
Pretty much all of our programs are in full swing now, except for orthopedic surgery, which is finished for this field service. So the Africa Mercy a busy place. Scores of Cameroonians are experiencing treatment and are on the road to healing and it's a very humbling thing to be a part of.
I swear to you I'll try and post more frequently. I'm starting to get on top of the work load (he's says to himself in his office at 10:30pm) and yeah, I'll be better. I love you all and of course, I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you. So, thank you!
I'm incredibly sorry for neglecting you all these past few weeks. I've had my hands full trying to stay on top of work, getting to know patients (I'm following 8 patients currently, which means capturing all of the important steps of their journey toward surgery and recovery), getting to know co-workers (there are over 400 people living and working aboard the Africa Mercy, not to mention the hundreds of Day Crew, our local hourly employees), and squeaking in some quiet, recharging time here and there.
I just got back from visiting the Esperanza, a Greenpeace ship docked directly next to our ship. It was pretty wild visiting with another NGO here in Douala. Sometimes it feels so preposterous that there would be people from different parts of the world here in the city, let alone the port, who aren't serving with Mercy Ships. Tonight was such a marvelous reminder that A.) We're not the only NGO at work in this country/city. B.) We're certainly not the first NGO to break ground in Cameroon. And C.) We won't be the last. It was really fun to meet some of those guys from Greenpeace, though. They were much more mellow than the people that accost you outside the grocery store back home.
I'll keep this short as I'm waking up in six hours to go visit Frank at home and travel with him to the ship for his surgery. Frank is a seventeen year old with dual-cataracts and nearly completely blind. He's been this way for about six years. Tomorrow he'll have both cataracts removed and if all goes according to plan, his sight will be restored.
Pierre, the 4 year old with windswept legs who's surgery was postponed not once but twice, finally got his surgery and it seems to have been a success! He's back to his smiley self and with both legs in casts he's twice as heart-melting.
Pretty much all of our programs are in full swing now, except for orthopedic surgery, which is finished for this field service. So the Africa Mercy a busy place. Scores of Cameroonians are experiencing treatment and are on the road to healing and it's a very humbling thing to be a part of.
I swear to you I'll try and post more frequently. I'm starting to get on top of the work load (he's says to himself in his office at 10:30pm) and yeah, I'll be better. I love you all and of course, I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you. So, thank you!
Shawn and Rose orchestrate a before photo with one of our ortho patients.
Communications x Transportation Collaborative weekend off-road trip
Oh my goodness, I want to do this as a nurse. How beautiful. Love reading your updates. Xo.
ReplyDeleteYou should absolutely look into joining us as a nurse! And thanks for the kind words :)
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