August 18/2011

Last day in Nicaragua! Went to the hospital to watch surgeries this morning, saw a thyroid gland be removed. The rest of the morning was saying good byes along with a little bit of work in maternity and the ER. This afternoon I ran errands, picking up last minute stuff, and hanging out with Steph and Eve. I had my going away supper of empanadas with a plantain shell, and had a blast hanging out. Gotta run though because I haven't started packing!!!!

August 17/2011

This morning John and I headed to the clinic in Diriamba. There, at around nine in the morning, we went to a school and taught about Dengue to both elementary and secondary level kids. It was fun, and we even saw a few people there that we already knew. After that the two nurses (Chema and Laura) took John and I to Catarina by Apoyo lagoon. There they payed for everything from our transport to our lunch. Chema is probably the nicest most giving person I have yet to meet, he even offered me some land on his grandma's farm to build a house if I want. PS mom and dad, I told him he could stay in our house for a bit if he visits Canada... So nice. This evening we went to the hospital again and handed out more glow sticks, for which the kids were very excited.

August 16/2011

This morning Steph and I went to surgeries, and we each picked two different rooms to go observe in. I chose a room where the doctor who showed me stuff in surgeries yesterday was. This was a great choice, the doctor asked a nurse to bring me a wooden step so that I could watch right over his shoulder. He calls me Fria, but I don't care because he was trying so hard to involve me today. My head was right by his the whole time so I was about as close as I could get. The surgery itself involved an incision again below his ribs on the right side. They removed something about three inches long that had a hard mass in it. They also drained another organ that appeared to be filled with water. Very interesting to watch. After this I went to the hospital for the morning in the ER. It was so busy, they definitely had more patients than the hospital could handle. I was giving injections through the IV port, changing IV bags, and transporting patients from the little triage area to observation (where they had to resort to using plastic lawn chairs for the patients to sit in). I felt very useful. This afternoon I went back to the hospital, and I STARTED AN IV!!!! It was sweet! I went to maternnity after this where I helped taking blood pressures and chatted with the doctors, but there were no births while I was there. We made chocolate cake using only pop and cooking it in the microwave (the gas in the stove ran out) which turned out surprisingly well, for John's birthday. We even drizzled caramel sauce on top. Afterwards Steph and I went back to maternity where we did get to watch another birth. There seemed to be a few complications however, they had to bring in a couple more doctors, so we were not able to help out very much. We were really only able to bring them tools, and pour water when the doctor needed it. Always amazing though to watch for sure!

August 15/2011

This morning began with surgeries again. I went into one of the three surgery rooms, and watched a surgery where they removed something small and white on the man's right side under his ribs. I got to help the anesthaesiologist with hanging up the IV bags, tie down the guy's arms, flip a few switches etc. (I got to help her mostly because she was too short to reach where they hang them!). During the surgery, the doctor actually acknowledged my presence, usually they are so focused, halted the surgery and called me over to explain exactly what was going on. I didn't understand because it was in spanish, but he showed me some neat things! Oh, and did I mention the man was awake for most of it? Ya, while the doctor was fishing around under his ribs, I glanced at the guys face and he was looking around, and grimacing slightly. I actually felt pretty involved! I went straight to maternity where a woman literally popped out a baby as I walked in the door. I helped with clean up and hung around talking with the doctors and helping where needed until lunch. I went to the clinic in Diriamba this afternoon, where I gave a couple vaccines, took blood pressures of a couple people, and was given my own stamped prescription pad! Thats right, Doctora Brianne can now officially prescribe drugs to people in Nicaragua when ever she pleases:) I swung by the hospital on my way back, and the ER was hopping. Apparantly there had been a minibus accident and a few people actually died. There was another man brought in wearing handcuffs with the police covered in blood. He needed quite a few stitches and some head bandages. This evening I made delicious watermelon, pineapple, lime juice, and have been doing some research on some of the things I have seen. Overall, a great day!

August 13 and 14/2011

This weekend was so much fun. Saturday morning, Steph and I left for Chocoyero natural reserve where we were planning on camping. Despite danger warnings we were given about the path leading up to the reserve we decided to brave it in a mototaxi(little mini motarized cart). We made it there safe and sound, and set off on our first hike with a guide. We saw some kind of jungle squirrel, a tucan, many many butterflies and birds, and chocoyos(little green parakeets). We found the waterfall, and beside it was a cliff full of holes where the chocoyos nest. We ended up hiking back on our own at 4:30 which is the time where all the chocoyos return to their nests. There were four hundred birds approximately that were flying around at this time. It was absolutely unbelievable. When we got back to the tourist check in area, the people had set up our tent for us and matresses underneath the covered tourist area. We didn't get to camp in the camping area as the tent did not have a fly, and they said it had been raining a lot. And oh wow did it rain that night. It was pouring so hard the noise kept me awake for the majority of the night (that and the monkey howling sounds!). It was a little bit scary because we were in the middle of nowhere with no communication if anything were to happen, but it all worked out in the end. The area we were staying is also the largest supplier in Nicaragua for pineapples, which we would later buy. In the morning, we went for a morning hike bright and early, and had our breakfast by the waterfall and the chocoyos. We were then told that the mototaxis were unable to access the reserve because of all the rainfall, and that we were going to have to walk the road where muggings and rapings supposedly occur. We made one of the people at the reserve walk with us until we found an area that the mototaxis could reach. We made it home safe and sound. The rainforest was so amazing it felt like I had been on an adventure the entire weekend.

August 12/2011

This morning I went to go watch surgeries again. I saw a c-section(which I was really excited about), and some other surgery where they removed something that looked like a small balloon in size and shape from a woman's stomach. It was very neat. After that I went to the clinic, where "doctora Brianne" was in charge of an entire consult. I did the initial examination, had to do the whole write up on her file, and I even prescribed her meds! Ya, me, signing of on meds in Nicaragua...I also gave her birth control shot. This afternoon I went to the hospital for a short period of time, and was in the schock area of emergency. I helped out a bit there, but nothing really exciting happened. After this, Steph and I tried to travel to Masaya to look for art. Masaya is an hour away, and we left at 3:30...we would get there at 4:30, and the last bus leaves Masaya at 5:30 so we would have a little bit of time. We got back to the bus station at 5:15, only to be told that friday is an exception and the last bus had left at four. Well we had a bit of a panic attack, but ended up taking a taxi home, which cost us ten times as much:( This evening we met the three new volunteers here; Danielle, Brett, and Amos. There are 16-17 years old and here for the conservation project. We haven't had the chance to talk much but they seem like very nice people. We are just preparing for our camping trip that Steph and I are undertaking for the weekend in the rainforest...should be fun!

August 11/2011

This morning my stomach wasn't cooperating so I opted out of the seven am.  surgeries, slept an extra hour, and headed to the clinic in Diriamba. There we saw a few neat things (including the early stages of a flesh eating disease, needless to say I hand sanitized...a few times), and had a good talk with the nurse there. He offered to write us a letter of recommendation, it would be in spanish of course but not difficult to get translated, so that was a bonus. This afternoon I went to the hospital, and instead of going to maternity again (while I really wanted to), I thought trying the ER would be a neat idea. We did little tasks like setting up the IV bags, handing tape, taking patients to the bathroom etc. By the end of the afternoon however, we were learning how to start IVs ourselves, practicing on the tubing for the IV bags. Might try my hand at that before I leave! This evening was Jason's last night, and we had a going away dinner of empanadas, and salad. Afterwards, we went out for a couple drinks and called it a night!

August 10/2011

This morning began with watching surgeries again. Steph and I watch a histerectomy (not sure on the spelling!), and it was very neat. They let us get very close, and help out prepping the room for surgery. The uterus was very small, and muscular...looked very much like a chicken thigh. I then went to go to the clinic in diriamba, however there was absolutely no work to be done, and I came back home. After that dissapointment, I went to the hospital this afternoon. There Steph and I tried to find something to do in emergency, pediatrics emergency, observation, peds observation, the peds ward, maternity, and the shock room...was there anything to do? No. Although we were able to make a few kids smile, and in particular put on a puppet show with a kids shoes, and a crib matress. We did it in spanish, and I think the parents found it just as comical as the kids. I looked around trying to find someone to fix my camera after going for an icetea with our surfer friend Tomas who was in town from San Juan. We then went to "quick burger" for dinner, and Steph and I went back to the hospital to visit the maternity ward. Within ten minutes of being there, a woman had a baby. I feel more and more useful the more I am around for, I know where things are that is. I put antibiotics on the baby's eyes, cut the umbilical cord, poured water, and helped clean up. It was lots of fun!

August 9/2011

This morning, John and I went to watch some surgeries. We saw a girl getting a lump removed from her head (she was awake the whole time I might add), and a girl getting a hernia removed on her lower right side of her stomach. It was pretty neat, and I got to help set up for the surgery a little bit! After this I went into maternity where I was able to find the heart beat of a baby for a woman in labour (harder to find than when she is not in labour), and there were two deliveries while I was there! I got to help out a little more today as I knew the drill a bit better. I helped by passing tools again, pouring water on the womans lower end when needed, wiping off the baby and clean up. It was lots of fun and very busy. This afternoon I went in to the clinic, gave a couple of injections to a couple of women, checked up on a regular patient's ulcer, and went to San Marcos clinic. In the San Marcos clinic we had a tour and met all the doctors there, it was really fun. We went for a run again today, and afterwards, Jason and I went around Jinotepe and to the hospital's pediatrics area giving out glow sticks to kids (thanks for the wonderful idea Kat!). What a fun filled day!

August 8/2011

Today was AWESOME! This morning was our last morning of  teaching classes at San Jose, kind of sad but it feels like a job well done. I went to the maternity ward this morning after classes, and spent my time reading a book about mammary glands and the pros of breast milk while holding the hand of a young girl who was all alone in labour and comforting her. After lunch I went back to the maternity ward and there was another woman there, with less severe contractions. While everyone was attending to the first girl I was sitting with, I sat with the new woman. The new woman had her baby first (the first girl I was sitting with needed a c section), and I got to watch it. I was handing the doctor tools when I could figure out what she needed, found gauze afterwards, wiped out the baby's eyes and cleaned her off a bit, and cleaned off the bloody tools after. It was amazing, the coolest thing I have ever seen, but definitely not the cleanest procedure I have ever seen... Went home after that adventure, went for a run, and called it an early night as I plan to go in early and watch surgeries tomorrow morning!

August 7/2011

This morning, Jose our placement coordinator and his family, took us to their church. We drove through marshes to get to this church in the middle of the countryside, where a couple hundred people had gathered in worship. It was the neatest experience! Their whole ceremony was a dance, the  priest gave us a shout out during the homoly, and the energy and excitement for God was unbelievable. At the end of the mass, the women did some dancing in the center of the church, followed by the men, followed by a circle formation and the priests dancing in the center! Crazy! There was this one song in particular that was neat. Each new verse had an action that went along with it, and it progressed from "Touch somebody" to "hug somebody" to "poke somebody" to "stomp on the feet of somebody". It was an absolute blast. This afternoon, Steph, John and I went to Masaya to do some shopping, and this evening went for icecream at Eskimo. Fun times.

August 6/2011

This morning, Steph Jason and I prepared for the firefighter cookout that took place at noon. It was a celebration for the firefighter graduation, and we celebrated by making shishkabobs, corn on the cob, a salad, and tajatas(fried plantaines donated by the restaurant "friends"). It was a huge success, and lots of fun. This afternoon Steph and I enjoyed a chocolate covered frozen banana while walking around the town. We also went to the local handmarket, that had very little to offer. A nice chill afternoon for the first time since we arrived in Nicaragua! This evening we are going out for drinks with the firefighters, and it definitely promises to be fun.

August 5/2011

So today...Seven am classes...again. I have had a pretty nasty cough for the past few days, and it has felt like it was getting deeper and deeper. Jason, who was also getting sick, went in with me to a doctor friend of ours at the hospital. He said I have bronchitis...yay... after this I worked a bit in the maternity ward again. I was able to find the heart rate of a baby belly (first shot), and watched a "no stress test" being performed on a woman who was nine days overdue. Went to the clinic this afternoon where we took a truck to a restaurant we there was a huge fiesta. Today and monday is doctor/nurse appreciation day so there was a fiesta today, and monday the clinic is closed. I wasn't sure if I should go to the fiesta (I was feeling pretty sick) but it ended up being the highlight of my trip so far. They called us family, bought our rum, our ice cream, and all the old fat ladies who really knew how to shake it tried to teach us how to dance. It was so much fun!

August 4/2011

Today began with three classes again in the morning, two primary and one secondary level. I went to the hospital  in Jinotepe after this, and while there wasn't much going on, I got to know some more of the doctors in the maternity ward. I also was in pediatric emergency for a bit, but didn't really get to do a whole lot today in the hospital. This afternoon however, at the clinic we went around Diriamba giving vaccinations to kids whose parents hadn't brought them into the clinic. It was really fun, and John and I gave all the shots! Went for a run after placement today, fried up some plantaine chips, and called it a day. Another family is staying here tonight, and the daughter(age 18 and a gymnast) hung out with us for the evening.

August 3/2011

Today began with teaching a couple lessons in the morning, both to the primary level kids. One girl loved our presentation on hygeine so much, she drew both me and Steph pictures of ourselves. So cute! We usually conclude our lessons by playing "amoeba tag", or "estas enferma!" which tends to be quite chaotic but super fun! After our lessons I went to the hospital and worked in the pediatric emergency room for a bit (taking weights of babies, heights, temperatures, giving them oxygen with saline masks for respiratory stress etc.). I then continued on to the maturnity ward, and found the same two doctors I was working with yesterday. I got to help one of them perform some follow-up exams in the observation room on women who had just gotten c-sections. I got to help rebandage where they had gotten their c-section which was pretty neat. After lunch I went to Diriamba to work in the clinic. I  helped with paperwork, went out into the community to educate on how to take care of children under the age of five (providing a magazine on the topic as well), and observed a few appointments in the clinic as well. When we went out into the community, we went to the "slummiest" of houses I have seen yet, and even saw a rat crawling around where children play. We went for a run when I got back, and continued on to the firestation where the firefighters that Jason had trained were graduating. We were designated photo takers. It has been a very long day, and am really looking forward to sleep!

August 2/2011

A very very busy day. This morning Steph and I began our lessons at San Jose school at seven in the morning. We taught three half hour classes; the first regarding hygeine, nutrition, and exercise with grade one kids, the second regarding HIV, AIDS, hygeine, and nutrition with kids probably 14 years old, and the same first talk with the grade four kids. It was definitely a challenge, but it was surprising how little they had previously knew. The spanish was a challenge but succesful, and it really did feel like we were making a difference there. After our lessons, I went to Diriamba to work in the clinic. There, I performed a breast exam, gave a birth control shot, and we went into the community giving vaccines to kids whose parents had neglected bringing them to the clinic. In the afternoon, I went to Santiago hospital in Jinotepe. There, I spent majority of the time going around getting to know different doctors and establishing relationships(as it was my first day there). I made doctor friends especially in pediatric emergency, obstetrics, and pediatrics. I am super excited to get to work there!

August 1/2011

So today I never made it into the clinic but it was a busy day none the less. Recently Steph and I have taken on a new project. We noticed the lack of education kids recieve surrounding major health issues and personal hygeine, and have taken it upon ourselves to create lessons and visit all the schools in Jinotepe to educate. Topics for younger kids include hygeine, nutrition, and exercise. For the highschool aged kids sexually transmitted diseases, especially HIV, is what we are trying to target. After talking to Jose (a local who grew up in Jinotepe) and finding out from him that all their education on those topics they learn on the streets, we thought it very important to address, especially given the general promiscuity embedded in Nicaraguan culture here. So today we went to meet with the directer at one of the schools, and he told us we begin tomorrow with three different age groups. Which meant we had to get three different presentations together, half hour in length, in spanish, with props, together for tomorrow. Needless to say the clinic will have to wait for tomorrow! Super excited about making a difference here!