The other day Sophie commented on my first blog that it looks like I’m on holidays and I had to chuckle. I must admit that, being my first time in sub-Saharan Africa, I was quite relieved to realize this is such a nice area to volunteer for a few months. Jeremy and Camilla Sherr, who run Homeopathy for Health in Africa, put a lot of effort to make it very comfortable for us here.
Last Mon 21 Jan we started a 2-week training before we can help patients on our own (or in pairs). From Mon to Thur we accompanied Jeremy, Camilla and Michelle to a different clinic every day. Our clinics are a room in a hospital, private practice or in someone’s home. We also make home visits for those who are so sick that can’t come see us at the clinics.
So off we go in our old Land Cruiser in the morning (those back at home will smile at this) driving on paved and unpaved roads taking 7-8 people every time: 5 volunteers, 2 translators and Jeremy or Camilla. Those in the back seat (3rd row) have to watch not to bump their heads all the time on the ceiling.
When we arrive there are plenty of people waiting and many more come during the course of the day so we have to give them numbers at the beginning of the clinic if we want to limit the number of patients we see that day. The first day we saw about 18 patients with Jeremy and Michelle helped by taking 6 more cases outside the clinic under a tree, although she was feeling a bit ill. No need to tell you that by the time we are done around 5pm our brain is totally fried and there is no concentration left for anything… but we still need to cook, charge our laptops, check emails, write blogs ;) and shower before going to be around 9.30-10 and waking up the next day at 6am with the sun. if there is no electricity we sit cosily by candlelight and use our torches. I really admire how Jeremy & Camilla manage the project and a house with 3 kids, travel abroad for teaching, guide volunteers, etc!
We saw great cases in clinic (for the homeopaths: I especially liked cases of Bismuth, Carbo-veg, Opium, Plumbum, Coccus cacti - I have to study lots). If you look at the pictures below starting from upper left going clockwise: 1) Jeremy in clinic with Naomi, Lorraine and me. 2) A patient thanking us after HHA granted her a micro-loan (she is taking care of 11 orphans!), 3) a young lady with long-standing pneumonia (she got carbo-veg), 4) Camilla in clinic, 5) Naomi and me, 6)Michelle taking the case during a home visit (the lady got Opium, look how she's staring at the floor) and 7) one of our patients.
Last Mon 21 Jan we started a 2-week training before we can help patients on our own (or in pairs). From Mon to Thur we accompanied Jeremy, Camilla and Michelle to a different clinic every day. Our clinics are a room in a hospital, private practice or in someone’s home. We also make home visits for those who are so sick that can’t come see us at the clinics.
So off we go in our old Land Cruiser in the morning (those back at home will smile at this) driving on paved and unpaved roads taking 7-8 people every time: 5 volunteers, 2 translators and Jeremy or Camilla. Those in the back seat (3rd row) have to watch not to bump their heads all the time on the ceiling.
When we arrive there are plenty of people waiting and many more come during the course of the day so we have to give them numbers at the beginning of the clinic if we want to limit the number of patients we see that day. The first day we saw about 18 patients with Jeremy and Michelle helped by taking 6 more cases outside the clinic under a tree, although she was feeling a bit ill. No need to tell you that by the time we are done around 5pm our brain is totally fried and there is no concentration left for anything… but we still need to cook, charge our laptops, check emails, write blogs ;) and shower before going to be around 9.30-10 and waking up the next day at 6am with the sun. if there is no electricity we sit cosily by candlelight and use our torches. I really admire how Jeremy & Camilla manage the project and a house with 3 kids, travel abroad for teaching, guide volunteers, etc!
We saw great cases in clinic (for the homeopaths: I especially liked cases of Bismuth, Carbo-veg, Opium, Plumbum, Coccus cacti - I have to study lots). If you look at the pictures below starting from upper left going clockwise: 1) Jeremy in clinic with Naomi, Lorraine and me. 2) A patient thanking us after HHA granted her a micro-loan (she is taking care of 11 orphans!), 3) a young lady with long-standing pneumonia (she got carbo-veg), 4) Camilla in clinic, 5) Naomi and me, 6)Michelle taking the case during a home visit (the lady got Opium, look how she's staring at the floor) and 7) one of our patients.
On Friday we had the luxury to follow a whole-day seminar with Jeremy at Melinda's, who has a beautiful place outside of Moshi and cooks fantastic organic food from her own garden. He tought us about how to recognize the most commonly prescribed remedies in AIDS cases. It was a relaxing day and we swam by the pool and had lunch under the trees. A few wild monkeys came close by when they smelled the food. Oh we really needed the break after the intense first week! See pic below...
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