Saturday 27 September 2008

September news

This evening I was coming home from work in a taxi with Harrison (a taxi driver) and Matilda and Towela (care givers at the hospice). Harrison was going on about how he wanted to move to Ireland and I was telling him its too cold and there was no meal meal (what is used here to make the staple food nshima). Then he was saying to the ladies that you know what I want Siobhan to be. I was waiting for him to give me one of many daily marriage proposals but no he wants me to be Pastor. He said as I have such a good heart that I should be a Pastor. All the Zambians trying to convert me to religion is funny. There is a Pastor on my street that knows that I’m not religious and he said over the year he would counsel me to become religious…… I love the taxi men in Zambia. It is in Taxis that I learn most about politics and about the upcoming election at the end of October. Talking of culture thinkings, today in work we were talking about relationships and I was saying how in Ireland couples live together before marriage and they were so shocked. On the other hand here they think it normal for men to cheat on their wives, which in Ireland we are shocked by and think is wrong (well I think it is more the men then the women that think it is acceptable). It is interesting how sometimes we can judge and think something is unacceptable in another culture but then that same culture finds things that we view as acceptable as totally unacceptable. Today I was on Outreach. Twice a week we go on Outreach, which means we go into the bush and have clinics in the villages. We offer medical care, family planning, VCT (Voluntary Counseling and Testing for HIV), Nutrition assistance, Chlorine (to help with clean water) and Health Talks on everything from TB to cooking demonstrations. It is always a social outing for the communities and large numbers come so they are very busy. On Wednesday I saw 188 people in my clinic and today I saw 107 sitting under a tree. They are very tiring but I enjoy them. A lot of people come with the same symptom just wanting to get medicine. In Zambia they are very into giving out antibiotics to everyone from babies to old people. We are trying to change this attitude but it can be frustrating at times to try and convince a mother that her child does not need an antibiotic or that for a headache you only need 2 panadol and to drink water and not a week supply of panadol. We give out a lot of multivitamin’s so at least they are mot leaving empty handed. My favorites are the babies and the older people in their 70s/80s. Who have all lived to at least double the life expectancy in Zambia, which is 37. The babies too are so cute, today I had the joy of having one pee on me, which happens a lot to me. I was told that in Zambia tradition that if a baby pees on you, you are either a mother or going to one. (Don’t worry not now in the future!!) Well I haven’t written since before going to Livingstone so I should update you all on our week in Livingstone. After another week of night duty Michelle and I headed to Lusaka where we picked Donna up who had just been in Kenya for a month and we took the bumpy long bus journey to Livingstone. We had a great week there very chilled out and relaxing. We meet four lovely Irish guys (I know we are everywhere) they were kayaking on the Nile in Uganda and the Zambezi in Zambia. SO we had lots of fun with them and roped them into many a game of scrabble how cool are we. Victoria falls water was very low as it is dry season. Which meant that you could walk along the top of the falls and look over! Scary but also very exciting. There is also a pool on the edge that you can swim in. I have put up a photo of the guys doing the YMCA on top of the falls. We then all came back to Kabwe and Michelle went home beginning of September and Donna in the middle. It is now just me in my little house. It is not at all as bad as I thought it might be. There are lots of great people in Kabwe so there is always someone to hang out with if I don’t want to be alone. Well I can’t believe that it is the end of September and that I have now been here three months! Time has flown; it is also about 35 degrees so hard to think of it as September. It is getting hotter by the day and I am slowly melting. Chozmo a friend of mine the other gave out to me for complaining about the heat. She said “Siobhan look at me I am black and what color attracts heat black our white so if you think I you are hot I am even hotter.” The pace of everything here has slowed down even more in the heat (if that is possible). Well till next, I will try to write more regularly… Love Siobhan
This blog will give you an insight into my life in Kabwe, Zambia as a work as a nurse in the Ranchhod Hospice, caring for patients living with HIV. Mary Chiddgey an Irish nurse 4 years ago founded the Ranchhod Hospice. The facility has 20 beds and cares for Adults and Children living with HIV/AIDS. Four Zambian nurses, care givers, cook, cleaners and laundry man all work in the Hospice. The Hospice provides a warm, friendly and peaceful environment for the patients and staff. With all the hardship of life and illness both patients and staff endure there is never a shortage of smiles and laughter. Affiliated with the hospice are also two children day centers that provide health care, nutrition and support to 120 orphaned children. The hospice also has an out reach programme that provides health care, food supplements and social support to the surrounding communities.