Agaandi from wet, rainy and cold Kisiizi!!!!

I hear that the weather in the UK is really nice. That’s great as England really could do with some nice weather. But here in Kisiizi it is pouring with rain (cats and dogs with a big thunder & lightening storms) and it is also quite cold. I seem to have come in the rainy season, which is usually in October (its early!). It is good because they need the rain but it does mean that the roads get very flooded and muddy and you can't go out as much. I am lucky because I have a house and can take shelter but for the Ugandans who live in huts it must be very difficult to cope with. I haven’t come prepared (apart from an umbrella) for this kind of weather (as it was not meant to rain till October!) so I am getting very wet!

My first weekend here was lovely. It consisted of being well feed by the muzungu’s (white people) who live here, going to chapel and relaxing!! I know that I have already said this but the Ugandan singing is so lovely, it sounds like a thousand piece choir, they really know how to harmonise and make a beautiful noise. I also took a walk with Hazel to see a lovely old Ugandan lady (called Marcella) and stayed for sodas (coke) and were sent off with a gift of some beautiful tie dyed material. Marcella really doesn’t have a lot and so it is very humbling when she insisted on giving us a gift. When you leave someones house they 'give you a push', which means they walk with you some of the way home.

Since I last wrote I have done my first weeks work in over 7 months and it has been a bit of a shock to the system!! I have worked on the surgical, medical and isolation wards. It has been really interesting being on the wards and so, so different to nursing in England. For a start they just don't have the medical supplies that we have and they make do with so little resources (I will try not to complain about the NHS again!!). Some of the wards are quite dirty and the level of ward cleanliness leaves a lot to be desired.

Most of the patients have an attendant. This is usually a family member who will help the patient with bathing, provide & prepare their food and generally do a lot of the jobs that nurses in the UK normally do. This leaves the nurses with jobs like giving drugs, doing dressing and other such tasks. The standard of nursing care is lower than in the UK. That is hard to see when you know it could be so much better. I have found that I do a lot of standing around, trying to find things to do. The language barrier makes it more difficult as I can't just go up to a patient to see how they are, I need to take a nurse with me. It can be very frustrating!

On a more positive note I have felt that I have used my knowledge a little with some informal ward teaching on palliative care with the nurses and doctors. It has been good to spend some time on the wards and it is a lovely opportunity to get to know the nurses. I would love to be able to influence patient care and palliative care here but I think I would have to be here for years to do that!!!

In the evenings I tend to visit the other Brits here and it is nice to spend time with them and here about their life here in Kiziisi. I hope over the next 3 weeks I will be able to visit the Ugandans too. I also went shopping (to buy some much needed food) in Kabale. It is south of Kiziisi and very close to the Rwandan border. The scenery on the journey was amazing, very hilly, and all the hills were terraces for farming. Everywhere there are banana plantations and farming-the land is so fertile here. On the way back we stopped off at a fruit and veg market which was quite an experience. You have to stay in the car and the sellers come up to the car with wicker trays full of veg. They swamp the car and are shouting at you to buy stuff!! If you are not careful they chuck veg into the car so that you have to buy them!!! It was quite a bewildering experience, but we came away with what we needed and no extra cabbages etc!!

Driving here is also interesting!! I think that Ugandans are the worst drivers in the world. They love to drive very fast which is odd because in everything else they are quite relaxed and laid back!! I have not braved the local bus or matato (minibus type taxi) yet. I may just stick to safer, slower taxis!!

Next week I will spend some time on maternity, out patients and in community outreach. I am also doing some teaching on palliative care to the student nurses. Next weekend I am hoping to go to Queen Elizabeth National Park with one of the medical students and go on safari.

That's all for now and weballi (thanks in Ruchiga) for reading

Love Penny