Viimein minulla on uutisia, joista kirjoittaa toiselta Tansanian
matkaltani. Saavuin maahan jo jonkin aikaa sitten, mutta ensimmäiset viikot
jouduin itse olemaan sairasvuoteella. Sairastuin pöpöön, jonka nimestä ei ole
täyttä varmuutta. Pääsin kokemaan, miltä tuntuu olla potilaana Tansaniassa ja
täytyy todeta, että ei se loppujenlopuksi ole sen kummallisempaa kuin
Suomessakaan. Välineet ja keinot eivät ole samaa luokkaa kuin, mihin olemme
Suomessa tottuneet, mutta silti toimivia. Nyt tätä kokemusta rikkaampana
uskallan sanoa, että Tansaniassakin saa hyvää hoitoa.
Viimein viime viikolla pääsin tapaamaan potilaamme, jota hoidimme
Kiboshon sairaalassa vuosi sitten reissumme viimeisen viikon ajan. Istuin tutun
fysioterapiahuoneen ulkopuolella, kun poika käveli minua kohti. Pojan hymy
leveni, kun hän käveli minua kohti ja samalla leveni myös oma hymyni. Sisälläni
myllersi tunne onnesta nähdä hänet. Arvelin etukäteen, että jälleennäkeminen
tulee olemaan tunteellinen ja sitä se totisesti oli, myönnän että nieleskelin
kyyneliä. Minulla oli mukana Tansania Volunteersin Louis ja hän kysyi pojalta,
mitä kuuluu ja muistaako hän minut. Poika kertoi voivansa hyvin ja muistavansa
minut. Näin edessäni tutun ujon hymyn. Poika on päässyt palaamaan kouluun jo
jonkin aikaa sitten ja tykkää kovasti opiskelusta.
Hetken aikaa istuskelimme fysioterapiahuoneen ulkopuolella ja tunsin
kuinka poika halusi koskea minua. Annoin hänen tehdä sen, koska luulen, että
sillä hän ilmaisi tietynlaisen kiitoksen paluustani. Päästyämme
fysioterapiahuoneeseen tutkin pojan arpia. Iho on parantunut hyvin, mutta on
silti edelleen hyvin tiukka ja kova. Oikea kainalo oli hieman auennut uudelleen
ja kaulan alue alkanut muodostaa arven liikakasvua. Pojalla oli päällään
painepaita, mutta se oli liian väljä. Etsin laatikoista uuden tiukemman paidan
ja hihaputken. Yritin etsiä vaatteista myös shortseja ja kypärää, mutta
oikeankokoisia ei löytynyt. Muistin, että Tanzania Volunteers talolla on vielä
joitakin vaatteita, joten otin pojasta mitat ja aion etsiä hänelle sopivat.
Otin varmuuden vuoksi mukaan hieman isot housut, jotka on tarkoitus kaventaa
sopiviksi, jos valmiiksi oikeankokoisia ei löydy. Ohjeistin poikaa myös
kertomaan äidilleen, että arpialueita olisi hyvä rasvata ja kerroin, että mikä
tahansa rasva on hyvä. Poika lupasi kertoa tämän äidilleen ja lupasi toimia
ohjeiden mukaan. Kysyin vielä, että kuinka hän on voinut. Poika kertoi, että
hänellä ei ole ollut enää pitkään aikaan kipuja. Lopuksi annoin pojalle tuliaisia Suomesta,
sandaalit, frisbeen ja hyppynarun, hän otti ne vastaan iloinen ujo hymy
kasvoillaan. Sovimme, että tapaamme pian uudelleen uusien vaatteiden sovituksen
merkeissä.
Kiboshossa oli uusi fysioterapeutti, ei edes hän joka siellä on ollut
Tanzania Volunteersin Hannan vieraillessa sairaalalla. Fysioterapeutti
vaikutti kiireiseltä, hänellä oli monta potilasta jonossa oven ulkopuolella,
joten meillä ei ollut aikaa vaihtaa ajatuksia. Olen alkumatkan aikana
käännättänyt uusia ohjeita swahiliksi ja ne on tarkoitus toimittaa sairaalalle
seuraavalla kerralla. Uskon, että ohjeet ja uusi pieni koulutus tulee
tarpeeseen, jotta sairaalalla jo olevat painevaatteet tulevat varmasti käyttöön
uudenkin fysioterapeutin toimesta.
Olen äärettömän onnellinen, että sain tavata pojan uudelleen ja nähdä,
että he noudattavat saamiaan ohjeita. Odotan jo nyt uutta käyntiä!
At last I have news to write about! I arrived in Tanzania a while ago but the first few weeks I was bedridden myself. I caught a bug which name I do not even know for sure. I got to experience first-hand what it feels like to be a patient in Tanzania and I must say it is not that different from Finland. The methods and tools are not what we have been used to but they do work just fine. With one notch under my belt I can say that Tanzania provides good care for its patients, too.
I got to meet our patient from Kibosho hospital that we provided the garments for the last time we were here, finally! I sat outside the familiar physiotherapist's room and he walked towards me. His smile grew larger when he approached me and I must admit, so did mine. I was unexpectedly happy to see him! I thought beforehand that it would be an emotional reunion and so it was. I tried so hard not to cry. Louis, from Tanzania Volunteers, was with me and he asked the boy how he was and if he remembered me. The boy said he's fine and he does remember me. I saw a shy yet familiar smile in front of me. The boy has returned to school a while ago and apparently really likes it.
We sat there, outside the room for a minute and I felt the boys need to touch me. I let him do it because I felt like it would be his expression of gratitude on my return. Inside the examination room I checked his scars. The skin has healed well but still is very stiff and hard. The right underarm area had opened up again and the neck had hypertrophic scarring. He had his pressure vest on but it was too loose. I found a more fitting vest and an arm sleeve from the boxes. I tried to search for shorts and a helmet but there were none that were the right size. Then I remembered that I had some more pressure clothing at the Tanzania Volunteers' house so I took his measurements and decided to find him something that fits. Just to make sure I took trousers that were a bit too large so we could modify those to fit him. I told the boy to tell his mom that it would be good to moisturize the scars with any kind of lotion. After asking about his well-being he responded that he has not felt pain in a long time. Finally I gave him souvenirs from Finland: sandals, a Frisbee and a jump rope. He took them all with a shy smile on his face. We agreed to meet again soon for another fitting.
There was a new physiotherapist in Kibosho. The therapist seemed very busy, had patients lined up behind the door so we did not have time to exchange thoughts. So far I have had patient care instructions translated to Swahili and I intend to give them to the hospital the next time I'm there. I believe that the instructions and some extra training will be necessary to ensure that the new physiotherapist can work well with the pressure garments.
I am over the moon about the fact that I got to meet the boy again and to see that they are actually following the instructions given. I'm already looking forward to seeing him again!I got to meet our patient from Kibosho hospital that we provided the garments for the last time we were here, finally! I sat outside the familiar physiotherapist's room and he walked towards me. His smile grew larger when he approached me and I must admit, so did mine. I was unexpectedly happy to see him! I thought beforehand that it would be an emotional reunion and so it was. I tried so hard not to cry. Louis, from Tanzania Volunteers, was with me and he asked the boy how he was and if he remembered me. The boy said he's fine and he does remember me. I saw a shy yet familiar smile in front of me. The boy has returned to school a while ago and apparently really likes it.
We sat there, outside the room for a minute and I felt the boys need to touch me. I let him do it because I felt like it would be his expression of gratitude on my return. Inside the examination room I checked his scars. The skin has healed well but still is very stiff and hard. The right underarm area had opened up again and the neck had hypertrophic scarring. He had his pressure vest on but it was too loose. I found a more fitting vest and an arm sleeve from the boxes. I tried to search for shorts and a helmet but there were none that were the right size. Then I remembered that I had some more pressure clothing at the Tanzania Volunteers' house so I took his measurements and decided to find him something that fits. Just to make sure I took trousers that were a bit too large so we could modify those to fit him. I told the boy to tell his mom that it would be good to moisturize the scars with any kind of lotion. After asking about his well-being he responded that he has not felt pain in a long time. Finally I gave him souvenirs from Finland: sandals, a Frisbee and a jump rope. He took them all with a shy smile on his face. We agreed to meet again soon for another fitting.
There was a new physiotherapist in Kibosho. The therapist seemed very busy, had patients lined up behind the door so we did not have time to exchange thoughts. So far I have had patient care instructions translated to Swahili and I intend to give them to the hospital the next time I'm there. I believe that the instructions and some extra training will be necessary to ensure that the new physiotherapist can work well with the pressure garments.
GREETINGS FROM BOTH OF US! |