What I have learned in Kenya-Part 2

Feb 9, 2010

Kenyan parents are generally quite calm as their children are being treated. Last night I was admitting a 5 year old boy who had been vomiting blood and whose hemoglobin (protein in the red blood cells) was 5.3 (about 40 percent of normal). His mother was very calm as I evaluated him and explained what I was going to do. Another mother’s boy had accidentally ingested several of his grandfather’s psychiatric medicines. She too was quite calm and patient as the nurses hurried to take action to treat her young son. The calmness of the parents spills over to their children. Therefore, the kids generally do not put up a fight when their blood is drawn or tubes are put in various parts of their bodies for treatment. All of this makes it much easier to treat them since a calm patient and calm parents make for a calm caregiver (doctor or nurse).

Kenyan doctors are very good at taking care of what they see very often. I am learning a tremendous amount from the two Kenyan physicians on staff at the hospital. Taking care of sick patients with AIDS related illnesses (Tuberculosis, Typhoid, Meningitis, liver abscesses, etc) is common for them. Just as taking care of diabetics and heart patients is germane me. I am thankful for having them here as consultants and I hope that I have been able to teach them a little as well.

Kenyan kids are very curious about wazungus. I run most mornings at 6am. Every morning I am followed at least part of the way by 2-3 Kenyan school children as they are heading for school. They think it is unusual for a person to be running simply for exercise. They run alongside me, usually on the uphill portion and just laugh and talk with me in Swahili. I have no idea what they are saying, but they certainly seem to be having fun. Generally they are bundled up in a sweater or coat with a warm hat on as they walk to school at that hour. I’m wearing running shorts and a t-shirt. That is probably unusual for them as well.

Kenyans value their education; seeing it as their only chance for a better life for themselves. They want to know about how children in America are educated. They are very respectful in their questioning and a joy to talk to. They have to get a certain score on a national exam at the end of 8th grade to move on to a good secondary school. All of them seem very intent on scoring well. Having said that, since secondary school is not free for Kenyans, they can only move on if their parents can pay for their childrens education. I spoke with a 14 year old boy last weekend who proudly told me that he had the 3rd highest score on the national exam in his school. When I asked him about moving on to secondary school he said, “if it is the Lord’s will”. He smiled as he said that, fully acknowledging that scoring well enough wasn’t the only hurdle that he faced with his education.

Kenyans take care of their family and their community. Culturally, the youngest son will be responsible to take care of the parents when they are old. If he is unable then his wife has that responsibility. The people that I have talked with take those responsibilities very seriously. When a patient is discharged they have to pay their hospital bill before they can leave. If the family does not have enough money then the community comes together to help. The community schedules a “Harambee”. That means “come together”. Basically, people are invited to what essentially is a fund raising event. If invited, you are expected to show up and pay up. It is not coercion. It is accepted as part of life in Kenya and fosters cooperation and unity.

Lastly, for today, Kenyans are very thrifty. They reuse anything that they can and throw away very little. It is hard to find scrap paper at the hospital to write notes on because nothing is wasted or thrown away. Parts of elastic gloves are used as tourniquets. They reuse empty vials that formerly contained medicines. These vials later will be used to help transfer urine samples, pathology specimens, etc. This generally is a good thing. However, last weekend we were transporting some pathology specimens from Kapsowar to Eldoret. They subsequently would go to another mission hospital that has a pathologist to examine the tissues. There were several specimens in the box in recycled vials that were intended for other purposes. Therefore, the seals on the vials weren’t ideal for the purpose of holding biopsy specimens floating in a preservative. Halfway to Eldoret, I noted the unmistakable smell of formaldehyde. My eyes started watering and my sinuses cleared. We quickly put the box on the top of the vehicle.

I trust the samples got to their final destination safely. I pity the person who had to open the box. Life in Kenya can be interesting indeed. Wish you were here!!