On-call weekend

As you can tell from the last few posts, my titles are getting less creative…sorry. We have had a relatively uneventful weekend. I have been on call although the calls have been infrequent (as of late Sunday night). It was actually my birthday yesterday, and several people found out through facebook, so a missionary couple cooked us an amazing dinner of fried fish, potatoes and green beans. Also, another group made some cupcakes for us and we had movie night. It was a nice way to spend a birthday. Medically speaking, the weekend has so far been quiet. We admitted a patient that had meningitis (a very common problem here) but also had a dog bite from a rabid dog about two months ago (though had received the vaccine after the bite). His mental status deteriorated to the point where he required support on a ventillator, and has for the last few days. His presentation is more typical for meningitis, though it is about the right incubation period for rabies. The problem at this point is that he is not waking up…keep him in your prayers. He is 28 and his father asks me several times per day how he is doing. All I can say is that we are supporting him, there is no change, and we continue to pray for him.
One other common admission to the hospital is poisoning. Ingestion of insecticide (usually organophosphate) is the most common way to attempt suicide in this area. Thankfully, of the ones that make it to the hospital, we are usually able to save them. It is amazing there is not more depression and suicides given the extreme poverty, high rates of HIV and other illnesses, and other desparate situations. I think that depression and mental illness are severely under recognized and under treated here though. It truly is amazing the difference that is obvious in the people who know Jesus. The hope and joy that He provides really does make a palpable change in peoples’ lives. We in the U.S. often cover up how much we need Him with our facade of having everything together. If we really look deeper though, we all need peace, contentment, and purpose. I think we all realize that money, success, and even family don’t provide this ultimately. I have certainly found this only in my relationship with Christ.

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