Sorry for the long delay in posting. I finally got online at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka where I start and end each day. The cervical cancer clinicians are centered here and they do procedures for more advanced cervical cancer downstairs. I even got my own desk! :)
So I'm settling in well. My room is cozy in the basement and I even have my own shower...well, tub, I have to splash around to get clean b/c the showerhead is so low. :) I live in a neighborhood where all the houses are gated and guards are there at night, which is a new experience for me. I'd heard that was the case but it's still weird to be living it. I've already walked around the nieghborhood a bit though and it feels very safe with a supermarket a 20 min walk away.
The last 2 days I spent at a large clinic in one of lusaka's poorer neighborhoods, called George. I observed the pelvic exams and screening process that the nurse does there. She was a great teacher and gave me some great tips on screening. To my surprise, she handed me the gloves this mornign and I did a few pelvic exams! Um, yeah, definitely never used a speculum before! I felt very honored that she trusted me and gave me a chance to learn! We use a vinegar (ie: the fish and chips vinegar :)) to wash the cervix and look for cervical lesions. And a digital camera provides the images we can blow up on a TV and look in closer detail at the cervix. It's actually not that different than the system I saw at the clinic I worked at in baltimore last year! I'm really impressed with the way they've adapted the technology they can access and come up with their own methods to diagnosis the early signs of cancer. Cervical cancer is the 2nd most prevalent cancer in Zambia and huge killer of women, both HIV positive and negative.
I've just realized they're locking up the office so I have to run! But more soon!
And hopefully some pictures too!
Mwachoma Bwanji! (Good evening!)
Kristen
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Oh my gosh! I can't get over how cool it all sounds. What an amazing experience. Do the patients/native Zambians think you and your fair skin and blonde hair are a novelty? And what's the food like? Is it really hot?
ReplyDeleteHi Michelle! So nice to see your post!
ReplyDeleteYes, I do get plenty of stares. There is a big expatriate community here, but I don't see them as often in the community setting. So I'm usually the only "mizungu" (white person) in sight.
As for the food, I haven't eaten out much yet, but I have had the national dish, "nshima", which is corn pounded into flour and mixed with water and salt. It is the base of most meals and then you can have side dishes to eat with it like chicken or sauteed veggies (they have a lot of kale-type greens here that they mix with onion and groundnuts (not sure what nut family they're from :). But I've been cooking at home most of the time and bringing lunch with me. I did have some tasty fried casava today as a snack (reminds me of fried taro root). Spices are definitely not big here so nothing is too hot, i would say it's rather bland in general. The good news is that avocado season is starting so I'm eating a lot of those! yum! Love,K