Powerless

Over the past 10 days or so, we have only had power about 50% of the time (maybe less…). I was expecting outages here and there for a few hours, but this past week has been a lot, especially in our neighborhood. A couple days ago it was out for 12 hours straight!  Malawi relies on hydroelectric dams for all its power and this + huge drought = no power (or water, which here has luckily been ok so far but is a problem in many other parts of the country).  So despite it being pretty annoying, I have also learned that I can get super excited about something I typically take for granted. I literally cheer out loud now when it comes back on at night in time for me to heat something up for dinner rather than eat yet another PB&J.  This weekend I bought a little camp stove. I decided I could splurge and spend $20 for my sanity, plus if I go camping here, I'm set.  Despite how much I do love PB&J, the J here is not the greatest.

This week was not as traumatizing in comparison to last. I was on some of the quieter units.  The malnutrition (Moyo) unit is really nice with lots of big beds (and verrrrry small, skinny children).

Happy Moyo murals

 It is actually a little odd that the unit with the smallest people has a ton of big beds, whereas the HDU (where I was last week) is crammed full of sick kids on small box beds, sometimes with 2-3 sharing one.  I assume it has something to do with where funding for the malnutrition unit comes from (which seems to be the answer to every question)... Currently it is not very full right now given it is not famine season and patients are overall doing well.  One little guy with tuberculosis who is skin and bones, still has tons of energy and runs around with his too big pair of shorts barely hitched up over his bony little hips. He also hates me and will start crying whenever I look at him, even though he is otherwise the picture of TB-infected happiness. One of the med students helpfully pointed out, “It’s because you are different-looking.” hahaha, thanks.

The picture of TB-infected happiness

There was also a lot more time this week to interact with med students and do some teaching.  Last week I had my first lecture. I only had a brief time to prepare and used a previous PowerPoint, so it was more boring that I had hoped for a Friday afternoon at 3 pm, but only a few students fell asleep so I counted it as a success.  I saw one of the student’s notebooks open a few days later on a patient’s bed with notes from my lecture!  That was a little unreal.  I am shaping future Malawian doctors. Scary.

The med students can be pretty timid and afraid to speak up and give answers on rounds, but once we gave them some topics to research and present and they took the ball and ran with it.  One group presented in morning report using some articles I had sent them and they wowed everyone including one of the Malawian pediatricians who said, “I feel like a proud mother!” 

I am getting a little more used to the system and the huge amounts of things I can’t control.  We do what we can. I was happy to see that in some circumstances, like malnutrition, TB, and HIV, this can be quite a lot.  Gangs of cockroaches on the walls, not so much (I swear they stick up their tiny, germ covered, middle fingers at us). I am learning a little bit about coping with alternatives, even if they aren’t ideal.  This week I prescribed a bunch of anti-seizure medications to kids with epilepsy(?) who will probably never have an EEG to figure out exactly what is going on.  So I tried to make sure they were on an accurate dose and trusted that given their report, it was working.  And hope that it isn’t making things worse, because there really aren’t a lot of options.  

Last weekend was jam packed with activities (see below) coordinated by Polly and Karl, currently in the race for most fun and energetic people in Malawi (I think they are entered as a couple so good thing cause competing against each other would get ugly I'm sure). This weekend, I wasn't feeling great so I stuck around the house mostly and made bread, yogurt, granola, and cups of honey lemon ginger tea.


First bread attempt in Malawi! I was determined to keep making bread here and it worked! 

I figured the best way to make friends in a new place is to stay at home making stuff all weekend. :/ In all seriousness, it was pretty great and my cold is feeling better.  I also am really happy to hear from people back home, especially good news, so that was a bright spot in my weekend.  After this week I get added to the Rota (Roter? Rotor? Rotah? Some kind of British term for the call schedule) so we'll see if my homemaking skills continue.  

The hills are alive...

...with the sound of... tea?

Tea tasting at Satemwa. 

This week's relatively awesome list:
Hey, I bought a basket that started at 15,000 for 3,500 (kwacha, so $5)
Hey, someone else from home just gave me another unsolicited poop update (you know who you are)
Hey, some kind of sporting event just ended and there are tons of people in the street giving me high fives as I bike past them and say "chabwino! (good!)" cause I have no idea what else to say to the things they are yelling happily in Chichewa 
Hey, we had the first successful GHSP Taco Tuesday!!!!  
Hey, the internet is sorta working on my computer (for now)
Hey, I found a good (and cheap) spice shop
Hey, I accidentally ironed a hole in my sheets trying to kill any possible bot fly larvae
Hey, my first pair of colorful chitenje fabric pants is in the works (due for pick up Tuesday I AM SO EXCITED)

More to come! Thanks for reading!