When I was a kid I enjoyed going for strolls around the block on my banana seated Strawberry Shortcake bike. It was a way for me to occupy my time and spend quality time with my friends and neighbours.
Now that I am almost 25 years old the face of biking has changed for me…or has it? I enjoy taking my bicycle for a stroll down by the river having the air whip at my hair and the beautiful scenery all around me as I take my bike down a new path on the search for a new adventure. When I look back and relate my experience of biking as a child on the banana seat to me on my much smaller seat now, I see the same excitement and joy, the same yearning to find a new adventure!
The beautiful thing about biking is how practical yet versatile it can be. It can fit almost any lifestyle. I enjoy biking to work – it is economic, cuts down on transmissions, and fits with my hippy side of life. I enjoy the exercise – it creates endorphins after a stressful day and helps with the guilty feelings you may feel after eating those Timbits. I enjoy the rush – downhill biking allows me to feel the rush as I manoeuvre my bike through trees and up and down ramps. I enjoy the challenge – pushing myself to bike from Lilongwe, Malawi to Victoria Falls is something I never doubted biking could do, but something I never saw myself caring out. Once again, biking is taking me on a new adventure.
I was recently training for this bike ride in Inuvik, NWT. The one gym in town was open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. After a shift I would head to the gym and ride for 1-3 hours. I would sit there and watch the gym community at large “climbing Kilimanjaro” on my bike. A month ago I arrived in Mongu, Zambia. Awaiting me was 9 Canadian nursing students, two instructors, and 13 yellow Zambikes. I must admit in the first few weeks the bikese didn’t see much of me. However in the last 3 weeks I have been biking almost daily and remember the pure joy of biking. It has also reminded me how HOT it is in Africa! Nonetheless, I am ecstatic to embark on this journey with my good friends Jessica and Bill. It won’t be easy, but we will do our best to have as much fun and as many adventures as possible!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
The Story So Far:
I was picked up from the airport by one of our good friends at Zambikes. As we were driving to their farm house we are passing many people on the road with bikes with loads of charcoal, chickens and dogs racing into the streets, and the craziest traffic. The entire time I was chatting away catching up and it dawned on me that this all seemed perfectly normal and not surreal at all. I knew I was home.
At the Zambike farm I had a chance to try welding. It has been something I have wanted to try for awhile, but Zesco that pesky power company has prevented me from carrying out this bucket list activity. However, this time I was fortunate enough to stick weld and make a zambike….Ok, you caught me, I welded two pieces of metal together and then sanded them which is not quite a bike. I did get a chance to see my bamboo frame and instantly fell in love!
The next day I loaded into a bus and set off for Mongu. It was so good to see Jessica, Fay, and my home! I can not believe it has only been 2 and a bit months since I was here last. To be completely honest I was a little nervous to meet all the students as I didn’t really know them and was coming into the program half way through. I was not surprised to learn that all the ladies are amazing nurses!
My first week started off getting to know everyone and the routines. It was great to see how well everything ran. I feel like I live in a commune with 11 other wives who all cook and clean! It was great to be back at the hospital and work with the midwives. I have to tell you one of my proudest moments in my life. I’ve delivered babies here in Zambia before, but this trip was focused on teaching the students. We would discuss how to deliver a baby, possible complications, and cultural sensitivity in nursing practices. It was the most rewarding moment when one of my students delivered her first baby. I remember how it felt for me, and to see the joy on her face made my heart melt. Teaching truly is one of the most exciting things I’ve done in my career!
In saying that….maternity has not been a happy place the entire time. There have been many deaths, complications, and difficult times for the students and myself. We have had many debriefing moments where we have to end the day with a fanta or mosi (soft drink or beer). Overall, the students have been extraordinarily resilient and try to take each moment as a teaching opportunity.
At the Zambike farm I had a chance to try welding. It has been something I have wanted to try for awhile, but Zesco that pesky power company has prevented me from carrying out this bucket list activity. However, this time I was fortunate enough to stick weld and make a zambike….Ok, you caught me, I welded two pieces of metal together and then sanded them which is not quite a bike. I did get a chance to see my bamboo frame and instantly fell in love!
The next day I loaded into a bus and set off for Mongu. It was so good to see Jessica, Fay, and my home! I can not believe it has only been 2 and a bit months since I was here last. To be completely honest I was a little nervous to meet all the students as I didn’t really know them and was coming into the program half way through. I was not surprised to learn that all the ladies are amazing nurses!
My first week started off getting to know everyone and the routines. It was great to see how well everything ran. I feel like I live in a commune with 11 other wives who all cook and clean! It was great to be back at the hospital and work with the midwives. I have to tell you one of my proudest moments in my life. I’ve delivered babies here in Zambia before, but this trip was focused on teaching the students. We would discuss how to deliver a baby, possible complications, and cultural sensitivity in nursing practices. It was the most rewarding moment when one of my students delivered her first baby. I remember how it felt for me, and to see the joy on her face made my heart melt. Teaching truly is one of the most exciting things I’ve done in my career!
In saying that….maternity has not been a happy place the entire time. There have been many deaths, complications, and difficult times for the students and myself. We have had many debriefing moments where we have to end the day with a fanta or mosi (soft drink or beer). Overall, the students have been extraordinarily resilient and try to take each moment as a teaching opportunity.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
The third trip to Zambia....
Most of our followers are aware that Jess and I are on our way to Zambia again...As usual it has been hectic getting everything together before anothe busy trip. I am writing from London, Heathrow Airport on route to Zambia as we speak!
Jessica has been in Zambia since the end of January. She is accompanied by 9 UBCO nursing students and Fay Karp a proffessor at UBCO. The girls are completing their 4th year practicum and have classmates who are in Ghana completing theirs. We are extremely excited to see the students in Zambia as it was something Jess and I envisioned from the beggining. Naturally it would make sense we would be there to see them on the ground. For the next 6 weeks we will be working alongside Fay and guiding the girls through their practicum. I am arriving a little late, but in time to help out with Obstetrics and maternity while Jess will focus on HIV/AIDS clinic and med/surg.
After our 6 weeks we plan to develop a Post opeative nursing manual for one of our future trips. The manual will be developed with the guidance and support of our Zambian nuse colleagues.
And to finish the 3 month trip off, why not a charity bike ride? Jess, myself, and Bill will be riding our bamboo bikes as part of tour d'afrique. Bill will ride 4500km from Lilongwe to Cape Town. Jess and I, being younger and smarter, will ride 1100 km from Lilongwe to Victoria Falls.
This is just a brief synopsis of our future plans....stay tuned. Check out the new links to OKAZHI, Tour d'afrique, and the UBCO nursing students blog!!
Lianne
Jessica has been in Zambia since the end of January. She is accompanied by 9 UBCO nursing students and Fay Karp a proffessor at UBCO. The girls are completing their 4th year practicum and have classmates who are in Ghana completing theirs. We are extremely excited to see the students in Zambia as it was something Jess and I envisioned from the beggining. Naturally it would make sense we would be there to see them on the ground. For the next 6 weeks we will be working alongside Fay and guiding the girls through their practicum. I am arriving a little late, but in time to help out with Obstetrics and maternity while Jess will focus on HIV/AIDS clinic and med/surg.
After our 6 weeks we plan to develop a Post opeative nursing manual for one of our future trips. The manual will be developed with the guidance and support of our Zambian nuse colleagues.
And to finish the 3 month trip off, why not a charity bike ride? Jess, myself, and Bill will be riding our bamboo bikes as part of tour d'afrique. Bill will ride 4500km from Lilongwe to Cape Town. Jess and I, being younger and smarter, will ride 1100 km from Lilongwe to Victoria Falls.
This is just a brief synopsis of our future plans....stay tuned. Check out the new links to OKAZHI, Tour d'afrique, and the UBCO nursing students blog!!
Lianne
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Essential Surgical Skills
One of the main objectives of our trip was to help facilitate a week long Essential Surgical Skills (ESS) course. This course focused on essential surgical skills such as knot-tying and suturing, chest tube insertion, colostomies, obstetric emergencies, cast application, and many other surgical procedures. These skills are basic, but given the right application of all these skills...they are LIFE-SAVING! The course was developed by Canadian Network for International Surgery (CNIS) and have been delivered in 7 African countries; Zambia now the eighth country on this list. (http://www.cnis.ca/). We are the first team to bring this course to Zambia, which was very exciting. But this is also the first time CNIS has brought the ESS course to a rural facility, which is our very own Lewanika General Hospital!
Bob and Bill pointing out Zambia on a CNIS poster
Two of our surgeons, Dr. Bill Nelems and Dr. Gary O’Connor, spent a week in Calgary last year taking the training that was required to teach the ESS course. They were joined by Dr. Bob Taylor from CNIS and Dr. Glynn Jones who is an general practicioner, with a speciality in anesthesia.
We had a total of 23 doctors, clinical officers, physician liciensciates, and a registered nurse complete the training. There were 10 doctors from Mongu (all the doctors who work at the hospital) and 13 others from surrounding rural towns in Western Province. The group gathered everyday around 9 o’clock (think 'African time')and finished the day around 5 pm. The group completed hands on teaching done in 4 stations each day.The strongest piece to the ESS course was how it required the students to learn by doing hands on practical skills. This is a concept that is very different to the traditional lecture-stlye teaching that most Zambians are used to, but very well received by all of our participants. There was a break for coffee and a catered lunch by the best caterer in Mongu, Rueben.
Bob teaching the art of 'knot-tying'
Gary teaching venous cut-downs
By the end of the week the health professionals were laughing and enjoying themselves while basking in a wealth of knowledge. Bill’s blog describes the recipients reactions beautifully.
What was our roll in all of this? Jessica and I helped facilitate the course. What does this mean…we really didn’t know what to expect at first. We knew we had a pretty good idea of where most things could be found in town and if we were unsure we knew who to ask. This skill was very useful. Part of our duties as facilitators included:
-getting pig legs, pig chest walls, intestines, and beef hearts from the local butcher (to use as teaching tools for the course)
-ensuring the caterer had all the food he needed for the next day (usually a trip to the market, harbour, and daily Shoprite runs)
- making budgets
- attending dance lessons from our nursing students
- to get 80+ liters of fuel in the 4 hour petrol line-up...when they are only handing out 10 Liters at a time
- ordering a tire from Lusaka for the vehicle
- making sure each team member had an I Heart Zambia Shirt
- serving lunch
- making sure all of the men ate (that even meant buying groceries for our doctor’s for dinner)
- looking after extra-curricular activities such as road trips to Senanga, and play dates with the children at the orphanage
- planning a thank-you dinner for 200 people
- reconnecting with all of our old friends and colleagues in Mongu, and making new friends
These and many more activities were part of the role as facilitator. We also joined in every morning and took part in the learning and teaching. In the afternoons we ran a 2 hour in-service for the matrons/sisters in charge of the wards at Lewanika Hospital. We discussed topics such as chest tubes (thank goodness for the fish spear accident), catheter care, NG tubes, post operative care, peri-operative care, cast care, and surgical wound management. After the discussion we brought the nurses to the ward where we would do a “case study” with one of the patient’s and discuss the appropriate nursing care for that patient. In total 10 nurses were educated with the hopes that the information would be disseminated to the rest of the ward nurses. We distributed handouts and posters to all the wards and included nursing students in our ward discussions.
The 'Fish Spear' patient allowed for great teaching on the ward
Jess and Lianne with all the charge nurses who attended our in-services
Overall, both the nursing and medical components were extremely effective. It was very rewarding to see the changes that had occurred in such a short timeframe. There was widespread acceptance of knowledge and practice. The course was very rewarding as we saw professional growth as well as intersectoral collaboration. One day we even brought the our nurses to the CNIS course, and had them observe a chest tube insertion. It was fantastic to see the nurses and doctors alongside each other, and also promoting OkaZHI's philosophy of intersectoral collaboration. This was the first time a CNIS course has ever had a nursing component complement its content. The general consensus was how very important it was to have nursing education delivered, that would compliment the surgical skills the doctors learned.
Good work team!
Bob and Bill pointing out Zambia on a CNIS poster
Two of our surgeons, Dr. Bill Nelems and Dr. Gary O’Connor, spent a week in Calgary last year taking the training that was required to teach the ESS course. They were joined by Dr. Bob Taylor from CNIS and Dr. Glynn Jones who is an general practicioner, with a speciality in anesthesia.
We had a total of 23 doctors, clinical officers, physician liciensciates, and a registered nurse complete the training. There were 10 doctors from Mongu (all the doctors who work at the hospital) and 13 others from surrounding rural towns in Western Province. The group gathered everyday around 9 o’clock (think 'African time')and finished the day around 5 pm. The group completed hands on teaching done in 4 stations each day.The strongest piece to the ESS course was how it required the students to learn by doing hands on practical skills. This is a concept that is very different to the traditional lecture-stlye teaching that most Zambians are used to, but very well received by all of our participants. There was a break for coffee and a catered lunch by the best caterer in Mongu, Rueben.
Bob teaching the art of 'knot-tying'
Gary teaching venous cut-downs
By the end of the week the health professionals were laughing and enjoying themselves while basking in a wealth of knowledge. Bill’s blog describes the recipients reactions beautifully.
What was our roll in all of this? Jessica and I helped facilitate the course. What does this mean…we really didn’t know what to expect at first. We knew we had a pretty good idea of where most things could be found in town and if we were unsure we knew who to ask. This skill was very useful. Part of our duties as facilitators included:
-getting pig legs, pig chest walls, intestines, and beef hearts from the local butcher (to use as teaching tools for the course)
-ensuring the caterer had all the food he needed for the next day (usually a trip to the market, harbour, and daily Shoprite runs)
- making budgets
- attending dance lessons from our nursing students
- to get 80+ liters of fuel in the 4 hour petrol line-up...when they are only handing out 10 Liters at a time
- ordering a tire from Lusaka for the vehicle
- making sure each team member had an I Heart Zambia Shirt
- serving lunch
- making sure all of the men ate (that even meant buying groceries for our doctor’s for dinner)
- looking after extra-curricular activities such as road trips to Senanga, and play dates with the children at the orphanage
- planning a thank-you dinner for 200 people
- reconnecting with all of our old friends and colleagues in Mongu, and making new friends
These and many more activities were part of the role as facilitator. We also joined in every morning and took part in the learning and teaching. In the afternoons we ran a 2 hour in-service for the matrons/sisters in charge of the wards at Lewanika Hospital. We discussed topics such as chest tubes (thank goodness for the fish spear accident), catheter care, NG tubes, post operative care, peri-operative care, cast care, and surgical wound management. After the discussion we brought the nurses to the ward where we would do a “case study” with one of the patient’s and discuss the appropriate nursing care for that patient. In total 10 nurses were educated with the hopes that the information would be disseminated to the rest of the ward nurses. We distributed handouts and posters to all the wards and included nursing students in our ward discussions.
The 'Fish Spear' patient allowed for great teaching on the ward
Jess and Lianne with all the charge nurses who attended our in-services
Overall, both the nursing and medical components were extremely effective. It was very rewarding to see the changes that had occurred in such a short timeframe. There was widespread acceptance of knowledge and practice. The course was very rewarding as we saw professional growth as well as intersectoral collaboration. One day we even brought the our nurses to the CNIS course, and had them observe a chest tube insertion. It was fantastic to see the nurses and doctors alongside each other, and also promoting OkaZHI's philosophy of intersectoral collaboration. This was the first time a CNIS course has ever had a nursing component complement its content. The general consensus was how very important it was to have nursing education delivered, that would compliment the surgical skills the doctors learned.
Good work team!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Something old and something new.....
Our time back in Mongu has confirmed a few things for us. Some things are new, but other things always just stay the same….and we are very thankful for that!
Things that have not changed:
•The children yelling “Makuwa” as we pass by
•People asking Jessica if her hair is real
•People asking Lianne if she is the older sister because she is taller
•The village children waiting by the gate every morning for us….and are still there when we get back!
Oasis, the only restaurant/club/meeting spot for all expats
•Lewanika School of Nursing continues to have no internet (who keeps forgetting to pay those bills!)
•Sister Christina still taking charge at the convent
•We get the royal treatment while staying at the convent…fresh fruit, home made jam, fresh bread etc.
•Falling asleep at night to the familiar sound of barking dogs, cats in heat, African drumming, and the occasional Shoprite alarm
•Glorious sunsets over the Zambezi floodplains at Lyambai Hotel
•Our students can still shake those African hips
•A minibus to Shoprite is still two-five
•Power outages….Zesco!!! Need we say more?
•Mosi is still very refreshing….and truly Zambian
•We are still so comfortable driving on the left side of the road, we not afraid to use our hazards, and say a friendly hello when we honk our horn!
Things that are new:
The Mongu Shopping Center has a couple of new additions!! Barbershop...AND Bar!
•I-spot Internet Café….fast and only 9 000K per hour!!
•Road to Senanga…..used to take 3 hours with many potholes and now only 1 hour of smooth sailing
•A presence of police in and around Mongu…including photo radar and ticketing for talking on cell phones….What?!!? I thought this was Africa?
•Shoprite having vegetarian ground round, wieners, sausages, and burgers!
•Jessica and Lianne now best friends with the Shoprite Assistant Manager (he even asked us to deliver his baby) and are now masters of the fruit and veggie scale
•Lianne and Jessica’s “muscle memory” and ability to shake their hips (our students even said we were better than some of the 1st years!!)
•We have discovered a different Zambian beer…Eagle (it is made of Sorgum and gluten free – shout outs to Ma Barker)
•New additions to certain shops around town (including a Humble Sheep 2 Barber Shop)
Things that have not changed:
•The children yelling “Makuwa” as we pass by
•People asking Jessica if her hair is real
•People asking Lianne if she is the older sister because she is taller
•The village children waiting by the gate every morning for us….and are still there when we get back!
Oasis, the only restaurant/club/meeting spot for all expats
•Lewanika School of Nursing continues to have no internet (who keeps forgetting to pay those bills!)
•Sister Christina still taking charge at the convent
•We get the royal treatment while staying at the convent…fresh fruit, home made jam, fresh bread etc.
•Falling asleep at night to the familiar sound of barking dogs, cats in heat, African drumming, and the occasional Shoprite alarm
•Glorious sunsets over the Zambezi floodplains at Lyambai Hotel
•Our students can still shake those African hips
•A minibus to Shoprite is still two-five
•Power outages….Zesco!!! Need we say more?
•Mosi is still very refreshing….and truly Zambian
•We are still so comfortable driving on the left side of the road, we not afraid to use our hazards, and say a friendly hello when we honk our horn!
Things that are new:
The Mongu Shopping Center has a couple of new additions!! Barbershop...AND Bar!
•I-spot Internet Café….fast and only 9 000K per hour!!
•Road to Senanga…..used to take 3 hours with many potholes and now only 1 hour of smooth sailing
•A presence of police in and around Mongu…including photo radar and ticketing for talking on cell phones….What?!!? I thought this was Africa?
•Shoprite having vegetarian ground round, wieners, sausages, and burgers!
•Jessica and Lianne now best friends with the Shoprite Assistant Manager (he even asked us to deliver his baby) and are now masters of the fruit and veggie scale
•Lianne and Jessica’s “muscle memory” and ability to shake their hips (our students even said we were better than some of the 1st years!!)
•We have discovered a different Zambian beer…Eagle (it is made of Sorgum and gluten free – shout outs to Ma Barker)
•New additions to certain shops around town (including a Humble Sheep 2 Barber Shop)
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Gone Fishing
Monday Morning….The Course is about to start. There is anxiety and uncertainty wafting in the air. We, the foreigners who came to share our knowledge and learn from our colleagues are ready to teach Essential Surgical Skills. “Where is Bill?” Bill comes running into the room sputtering words that sound similar to a word salad…. “There is a man with a fishing spear in his back and I think he has a pneumo and I am going to operate……Glynn you are coming to intubate, Lianne you are scrubbing.”
That was it. It was decided. The man would have surgery to remove the spear and insert a chest tube to relieve the pressure caused by the pneumothorax (air trapped in his chest that compresses his lung).
We left the course, not quite sure what to expect. Bill, chest tube in hand was determined to do this…This would be Mongu’s first official chest tube insertion.
Bill, Glynn, and myself got ready. We discussed with the team what we would do and what everyone’s roll was. We prepared a water seal container with a suction canister, ringer’s lactate, and tape…pretty much a pleurovac right? (sorry for those non-medical people, just imagine a really home made system).
Bill and I scrubbed in for surgery. Bill ready to insert the tube took a long time to explain every action to the doctors and nurses. He is a fantastic teacher! The tube goes in and a large amount of air is released….The patient goes under and we remove the spear….
Let’s talk about this spear for a minute. This man comes from a town an hour away from Mongu. He had a few drinks with his friends and decided to play fight…The fight got out of control and he over powered his mate. The “friend” was so mad he went home and got a fishing spear. Needless to say we have a patient with a 5 prong, barbed fishing spear in his back.
Having a good look at the spear
The patient turned out to be an incredible opportunity to teach both doctors and nurses. Normally the patient would not have had a tube inserted and may have died from respiratory distress. With the new skills the doctors and nurses have learned we are certain we will be seeing more chest tubes in Mongu!
That was it. It was decided. The man would have surgery to remove the spear and insert a chest tube to relieve the pressure caused by the pneumothorax (air trapped in his chest that compresses his lung).
We left the course, not quite sure what to expect. Bill, chest tube in hand was determined to do this…This would be Mongu’s first official chest tube insertion.
Bill, Glynn, and myself got ready. We discussed with the team what we would do and what everyone’s roll was. We prepared a water seal container with a suction canister, ringer’s lactate, and tape…pretty much a pleurovac right? (sorry for those non-medical people, just imagine a really home made system).
Bill and I scrubbed in for surgery. Bill ready to insert the tube took a long time to explain every action to the doctors and nurses. He is a fantastic teacher! The tube goes in and a large amount of air is released….The patient goes under and we remove the spear….
Let’s talk about this spear for a minute. This man comes from a town an hour away from Mongu. He had a few drinks with his friends and decided to play fight…The fight got out of control and he over powered his mate. The “friend” was so mad he went home and got a fishing spear. Needless to say we have a patient with a 5 prong, barbed fishing spear in his back.
Having a good look at the spear
The patient turned out to be an incredible opportunity to teach both doctors and nurses. Normally the patient would not have had a tube inserted and may have died from respiratory distress. With the new skills the doctors and nurses have learned we are certain we will be seeing more chest tubes in Mongu!
First Day Back in Mongu
Lianne, Jess, and Mr. Mumbuwa
First morning back in Mongu just started like any other day, waking to the sounds of Sister Christina already out in the garden. Man did I ever miss that woman! Our house feels like we never left it, Lianne and I even get to sleep in our old rooms.
The weather is hot, even at night! Thank goodness for our fans.....
I will never EVER forget our first day back in Mongu. Never in my life have I had a reunion like this before! Everywhere we went; from the hospital, to the school, to the only restaurant in town (Oasis) it was just one big reunion!! All of our old friends and acquaintances came to greet us....word is out that the 'Two Canadian Nurses" are back in town. Now a Zambian greeting isn't like a typical Canadian one. Zambians are full of big hugs and squeals of delight, excitement and always lots of laughter!
Just to walk around the hospital and School of Nursing felt like I was in a parade. I think the greatest feeling was to see our nursing students that we taught last year who have since gone on to graduate, and are now finally working in the hospital as real nurses!
With our nursing students
In one day I think we managed to reconnect with pretty much everyone we had met in the time we spent living in Mongu. From Max (our old taxi driver), to Prince Angola (the gardener), to Mr. Mumbuwa (our teaching colleague and closest friend)…it was just so exciting to see every single one of them. I don’t think we fully had realized the impact we made on the people here, until we returned. Everyone just kept saying how much they had missed us and were so excited that we came back.
Lianne, Dr. Liywalii, Jessica
I have realized the importance of returning to a place where you begin a project. It says to the people here that we are serious and committed to them. In Africa, many groups or NGO’s will start work in an area only to end up pulling out shortly after. It is so wonderful that OkaZHI has chosen to remain working in Western Province, and area that is often forgotten by even their own government. I feel so lucky that our team is back again this year, and will continue to come again and again!!!!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)