“I bless the rains down in Africa”

I can’t recall exactly who it was, but it must have been either one of our three female pharmacy students (Deann, Sarah or Kaylin) or perhaps Michela (“the one who works with ultrasound”) since they seem to be the most musical in our group.  Anyway, one of them played a cover of the 1982 Toto song, “Africa” (remember, part of the chorus goes, “…I bless the rains down in Africa….”) while we were sitting around at Wista’s in Dar Es Salaam last week waiting for others to return with lost luggage.  The song now seems somehow prophet since it has been raining on and off every day since we arrived at Ilula.  Sometimes the rain is torrential resulting in small rivers coursing thru the drainage trenches around the hospital. Sometimes it is gentle and almost mist-like.  It can challenge the morning walkers/runners in our group, the afternoon strollers and anyone trying to hang laundry out to dry.

Monday 21Jan2019 was another good day at Ilula: we met two Swedish nurses/missionaries, Nora and Steena, at morning report. They are stationed long term in Iringa, working with the Iringa Diocese and come to Ilula twice per week to volunteer.  I, Dr. Seli and Kaylin spent some time in OPD assisting the clinical officer seeing patients. They have a new electronic medical record that seems relatively useful however the clinical officers are more than happy to have our students function as scribes since they are not familiar with using keyboards or typing. We saw a bunch of patients including a kid with amoebic dysentery, another with atopic dermatitis, a 15 yr old who had a recent miscarriage and a pregnant woman with two weeks of high fever.  It is inspiring to see how we all contribute ideas to evaluating these patients.

We have had some arrivals and departures as well as a small celebration: Dr. John Kvasnicka arrived Monday and will spend this week on the wards prior to next week’s medical conference. Dr. Yvonne Datta departs Tuesday for Arusha where she will be visiting the cancer center project there (www.tanzaniacancercare.org).  And…it was Katherine Zerbeic’s birthday today: she celebrated by making some water color paintings of the vista from the guest house; we serenaded her with a happy birthday song.  Kelsey arranged for a cake, complete with candles (the roman-candle kind!)

It is raining here in Africa, but everything is green! 

…and,…I think it is we who have been blessed.

Randy