Curious Children and Cesarian Sections

 Jambo! Karibu!

Welcome to Kenya! 

Finally, after 18 hours in total of flight, and about 30 minutes to an hour of sleep, we landed in Nairobi! Passing through security was slightly eventful, as I was shushed and told to leave the area when I laughed too loudly at an officers’ joke. Later we discovered that Logan’s carry on- which he was forced to check under plane on the very first flight- had both of the wheels ripped off! We stayed at the LMS Guesthousing at the Adventist Conference Headquarters, in which I discovered how to turn on the hot water… after I had already taken a cold shower! The following morning, we were served a delicious breakfast, met our host, Dr. Hong and his family, then bought SIM cards and other items we needed. The guys and I, accompanied by our trusty guide, then began our trek to Kendu Adventist Hospital. Cattle, sheep, donkeys, and goats are very common alongside the road, sometimes accompanied by a herder in brightly colored clothing. Driving down the roads is a nail-biting experience, as the natives are risk takers, pulling out in front of each other or passing on a two lane road with inches to spare. The people themselves are very friendly and curious, repeating to us “Karibu, you are welcome here, hakuna matata. No worries!” I was most definitely ripped off when I stopped to buy a couple souvenir trinkets, but oh well- hopefully it helped the family of the vendor. Bouncing across the countryside, we were even able to glimpse two zebras and several packs of baboons alongside the road. 

The following day was our first day working in the hospital. After eating a delicious breakfast, we reported to our respective locations, donned in our scrubs! My first department to work in is the Labor & Delivery ward. The morning was full of incredible experiences, including witnessing my first c-section delivery. I was filled with awe as I watched the doctor quickly cut her open, reached inside, and take the baby out. The patients and staff struggled with my first name, so I told them my middle name, Grace, and was nicknamed “Gracie” by one of the doctors. I have never seen so many incredible surgeries and scenes as I did today, but the highlights of it all had to be the many operations the boys and I were allowed to attend. We saw a removal of an ovarian cyst and part of the colon, a prostatectomy, in which the surgeon reached in the body cavity, fished around, and scooped the prostate out with his hand! We were also able to witness a complete hysterectomy, the removal of an ingrown toenail, and finally, the most jaw-dropping experience, an amputation of a leg from the knee down, necrotizing from diabetes. Though I thought that I would be disturbed by the amputation, as they cut through skin, fat, muscle, and bone, the boys and I were not queasy. However, I must say that it was strange to see the amputated leg laying on the floor… but the incredible design of the human leg was amazing to see. 

The way that Kendu Adventist Hospital functions is very different from a hospital in the United States. The atmosphere is much more relaxed and the people are very open, with a marked lack of privacy for the patients- yet the patients do not seem to care. I could walk into the delivery room and see two female patients in there, an episiotomy (repairing tears from birth), and another being examined for an infection. Both patients could see each other in full view, but they did not seem to mind. The doors are almost always open, so the staff can come in and out- along with the occasional gecko or cat- and the patients seem to rarely complain or seem too worried about the procedure about to occur, partly because they generally accept and obey anything a medical professional tells them to do. The man who had his leg amputated, amazingly, was fully awake the entire time, though of course he was given anesthesia at the surgical site! The medical staff are also eager to involve us- I was told that I would be assisting with surgeries the next day and caring for patients and delivering babies at the end of the two week rotation!

Friday was my second day in maternity. Another student nurse took me under his wing and taught me many things about the flow of the ward. The need of the patients is written all over their faces, and my heart went out to them, especially when I discovered that the unborn baby is no longer living. The student nurses and doctors were very eager to involve me, casually asking if I was going to put in a catheter and do an examination to see how dilated the mother was! (I am not qualified..!!) Later, I was asked to assist with the c-section scheduled for that afternoon. I jumped at the chance and scrubbed in, handing the doctor and nurse a few tools, but otherwise not helping very much! The birth was again incredible, producing a healthy boy, and they took a picture of me with my gown on afterwards to document the experience. 

Vespers followed a short time later, with at least 80 to 100 elementary school kids filing into the church sanctuary and staring as us SM’s. I held out my hand and they all grabbed it and began rubbing it, and touching my hair, all the while giggling and whispering to each other. One girl announced that she wouldn’t wash her hands for years after she touched my skin! They all were so curious, watching us until we looking their way, bashfully dropping their gaze and smiling self-consciously! They were so adorable. 

Church was full of joyful singing and lots of audience feedback and participation. Every time I thought we were finally to the sermon, another person would stand up and make an announcement or begin singing another song! The church was full to overflowing, with all the 80+ kids from the Ruby Kraft Primary School sat on chairs outside the church, listening attentively. The SM’s and I are getting used to being on display- we were called to the front of the church to introduce ourselves, and instructed to go to each Sabbath school, in which we were greeted with voices of interest and excitement and joyful cheers. 

So far, I give the experience here at Kendu Adventist Hospital a rating of 10/10 so far! The food and climate are even good. Please continue praying for our health and safety as we spread His message.