Project Hope Play House

We've had this old refrigerator box in the house since we arrived. A volunteer who supports Project Hope gave us the idea to make a house out of it.

Project Hope is the hospital department that works with all the HIV positive adults and children. The have support groups for adults and HIV clubs for the children.  

Our kids had a wonderful time painting it and playing in it. Then we took it to the playroom at Project Hope where it was a big hit. A lot of times with children the best present is the box, not what's inside.

 

This child came in with severe blistering cellulitis of her leg.

She was a really stoic child and never really cried, but also never really smiled... that is until she was ready to go home.

Who could resist a face like that!

Water

Like in California and other parts of the US, shortage of water has been a huge problem for the hospital compound this year. Even though the rainy season started in March, the hospital (for unclear reasons) did not have a steady supply of water until the beginning of July. This meant only a few hours of running water every day in the hospital as well as in our house. Water would come on at about 4-5am and was sometimes out by 6am. We had a system of filling garbage cans, buckets, water bottles, etc... which took up to 45 minutes every day. No water went down the drain without being used at least 2 or 3 times. For example, we could wash vegetables, then use that water to wash dishes, and finally to flush the toilet. Water's last stop was almost always the toilet. Our whole family could make it on about 50 liters a day, maybe a bit more if it was bucket bath day!

Not having water in the hospital was even more problematic. Can you imagine being a nurse taking care of patients or a doctor on ward rounds and not being able to wash your hands? Hand sanitizer only goes so far.

Snake

We recently had a patient present with a snake bite. This patient also presented with the head of the Snake.

Rhinoceros viper (Bitis nasicornis), is quite venomous with both neuro and hemo toxins. 
Our patient luckily did well. 

The photos also show what was applied before I saw her.  Snake-stones, also known as a viper's stones, or black stones.  These are applied to the bite with the belief that the stone will neutralize or absorb the venom.  Interestingly we saw the use of this stone in Guatemala as well. 

Sledding in Cameroon

The rains have brought another sport to Cameroon that our children thoroughly enjoy

Austin

Recently, Austin Igelman spent a couple of months with us learning about healthcare in Cameroon.

You may remember a similar blog a year ago when his brother Sean was here. Austin and Sean are both from Brent's hometown. They are the sons of one of the Dermatologists in town. Austin will be a senior in college this fall. Both are interested in medicine as a career.

We really appreciated all the help Austin provided in the hospital, outreach clinics, Project Hope and collection of data for our ongoing HIV study.

Austin also helped with our homeschooling science program and continued our children's Ivy League extension program. (Sean went to Brown and Austin is at Yale).

Neonatal Resuscitation

We have begun classes in neonatal resuscitation.  We are doing this in the hospital and at some of our outreach clinics.  The materials, to start these classes, have come from a number of special supporters.  The staff is really enjoying the classes.  The addition of the mannequin has really helped in our scenario resuscitations.