A Nurse's Notes

Glasses

I picked up my new eyeglasses, and so far they’re pretty good. The final test will be driving on the freeway tomorrow. Sure hope they pass the test when I need to read the signs with enough time to change lanes. But at the moment, it’s looking like the fourth try is right! Thank you, Lord, since I don’t have much time left before leaving for Rwanda. It’s nice to finally cross something off my to-do list that’s been there for three months!

My Trip to Walla Walla

Quick Trip

Thursday my mom and I flew to San Diego for a quick visit with my great-aunt. It was Mom’s Mother’s Day gift from Kristy and me. Thanks to frequent flyer miles, it was a reasonable gift! We had a great visit Thursday afternoon then had dinner with my cousin and walked around Old Town. Friday was gray and drizzly (in fact, better weather in Washington than in San Diego), but we walked along the beach because it’s normal for Washingtonians to walk on the beach on cold drizzly days. We visited with my great-aunt again then flew home to warmer, sunnier weather. :-)  I’m so glad we could squeeze it between my busy schedule, Mom’s teaching, and someone staying with Grandmother.

Progress?

I have one item on my to-do list that as soon as I cross it off, it gets put back on. I went in for an eye doctor’s appointment right after I got back from Rwanda. But the prescription was just not right. Since then, I get new glasses, try them for a few days, then return them due to headaches and blurred vision. I’m on my fourth set of lenses and running out of time! I’ve never had this problem. Usually when I get new glasses, it’s a great moment of seeing things more clearly.

Packing

I packed my suitcases tonight. I’d hoped to take three, but then thought maybe four, but now it’s looking like five. I still have space in the four suitcases, but I have a printer and most of my clothes yet to pack. I was disappointed with myself. Five suitcases! When I moved to Rwanda the first time, I had six, but almost all the stuff was for me. This time I have at least two suitcases, if not more, of things for the hospital and for friends. So I’m really only taking three, or less, suitcases for myself, right? Three sounds like a much better number than five! :-)

Nasal Cannula

When I was in Michigan in April, I met a woman who works in a neonatal intensive care unit. She told me about a new nasal cannula for premature infants needing oxygen and CPAP. I was excited to hear about the product, but wondered if I could get it for Kibogora Hospital.  Surely, it’d be expensive since it’s a new product on the market. But when I looked online, the company’s giving free samples to hospitals. So now I’m waiting for mine to arrive. What an answer to prayer!

Crossing thing off the List

Seems like as fast as I cross one thing off my list, another one or two get added.  I picked up my new eyeglasses but found they weren’t correct, so that adds an eye doctor recheck and another trip to the optician.  Crossed off getting my driver’s license renewed, but added a visit to the travel doctor.  Since I’m going “home” to Rwanda, I’d forgotten all about updating my yellow fever and typhoid immunizations.  Packages arriving in the mail prove I’m getting my shopping done. :-)  Problem with the nursing uniforms, however.  The tops and long sleeve jackets have arrived...but not the pants.  I sure hope they come before June 12th!!

Five Weeks!!

Last Friday I looked at the calendar. That was a mistake!! Only five weeks till I leave for Rwanda! But then I looked closer and realized I’ll be out of town one and a half weeks of those five. I’d better get busy!!

Today my project was to clean out my closet. (I’ve always been very good at storing a LOT in my closet...just ask my mom!!) I tossed things for Rwanda in four suitcases, packed away things for the attic, and made a pile of stuff to get rid of. Okay, closet is done. Check! Now, on to my desk drawers!

Reality is sinking in. Almost time to go, and I’m excited! It’ll be nice to stay in one place for a while after my year of traveling from church to church. But it’ll be hard to leave family, especially my grandmother whom I probably won’t see again.

Chicago

I spent a few days in Chicago, visiting a cousin and her family whom I haven’t seen for five years. I’d never been to Chicago before, so it was fun to drive downtown. We spent an afternoon at the Planetarium, an amazing science center well designed for kids and adults. The 3D movie on the sun was quite amazing! Another day we went to the beautiful Chicago Botanical Gardens. I kept thinking how we could adapt the gardens at Kibogora to incorporate some of the features of these gardens. But I guess we’d have to hire a lot more people to keep them up if we did that!  :-)

Diapers

When I was in Rwanda, I designed a diaper for the premature babies at the hospital. The Rwandan mothers use a scrap of cotton fabric which doesn’t absorb much, so the babies are usually wet all over. Using what I had available, I created a diaper out of scraps of fabric and flannel baby blanket covered with Ziploc bag plastic. But the diapers weren’t the right shape, so the nurses didn’t like them, thus didn’t use them. So I’m going to try again. I’ve bought waterproof fabric, flannel, elastic, and Velcro. When I get to Rwanda, I’m going to play around with the shape and size to get them just right for the preemies.