I’ve always been a hard worker. Ever since I can remember, I strove to excel, to bring tasks
to completion, to follow through with what I said I would do, to put 101% into
everything I did. It’s something I
valued inherently, but that desire was groomed and encouraged as I grew and
learned and understood. Looking
back at my life, I was always on the go.
No time to dilly-dally. No
time to sit and smell the roses. I
led a very focused life, and one that sometimes compromised sleep. I would work hard, and I would play
hard.
But here in Zambia, I’ve come across a people with a
different mindset, values system, cultural upbringing. It’s not that one culture is right or
wrong. It’s not that my work ethic
is superior to that of another culture.
It’s just very, very different.
The pace of life is eerily slow.
Initially, I had a hard time adjusting. My mind could not quite grasp the concept of time as it
moves in Africa. I felt angry when
appointments were not kept, or meetings began 3 hours late. I felt bewildered when my clinicians
would go on a Tea Break at 8:00 am, just after reporting to work, then another
one at 10:00 am, as if the 2 hours at work merited a time for much-needed rest,
when hordes of patients sat waiting and waiting in the appropriately named
waiting room.
But slowly, I’m beginning to understand that life here is
about relationships, family, events.
Although, out of habit, I still tend to work hard, I’m learning to slow
down, take a few deep breaths, and live life to the fullest.
Now for our December and January updates, filled with work
and play:
1. WORK: When I arrived back at work in December
after a 4-month absence, I found my institution in a very different place than
when I had left it. Many of my
medical personnel were on the verge of rioting, as they felt they were
underpaid. What had happened was
that in June 2012, the government employees in Zambia all got a huge increment
in their salaries. That left
private institutions like ours in the dust in terms of salary scales. All my medical staff were comparing
their wages to the compadres in the government, and hence the unrest. In fact, my only other ophthalmologist
at the hospital, along with the cataract surgeon, had both found jobs with the
government and were waiting for my return so they could turn in their
resignation letters! Hence, I
spent the whole month of December talking with individual employees,
negotiating new packages with key personnel, and trying to convince everyone
not to jump ship. Fortunately,
after some intense negotiations, everyone decided to stay. I just praise God that things are now
back to “normal,” and my employees are appeased…at least for now.
2. PLAY: For the New Year holiday, Paul, my
mother-in-law, Jaycee, and I took a week-long vacation to South Luangwa
National Park. We visited the Ang
& Peduche families in Mwami on the way there and enjoyed a delightful
dinner. At the game park, we
enjoyed some amazing wildlife.
Jaycee was known by the other guests as the “Safari Baby,” and she made
some incredible memories.
3. WORK: At the end of January 2013, the NPBC
(National Prevention of Blindness Committee) met once again for a week-long
deliberation on the subject of trachoma elimination in the country. Trachoma is a bacterial infection,
caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, and
leads to scarring of the eyelid, in-turning of the eyelashes, and eventual corneal
scarring and blindness. As some of
you may know, the WHO VISION 2020 objectives include eliminating trachoma by
the year 2020 in developing countries.
In 2012, Zambia successfully completed its first country-wide trachoma
mapping exercise to determine the prevalence of trachoma in each of its 72
districts.
The results were sobering, as it was found that the
prevalence of trachoma was as high as 52.9% in some areas, especially in the
Southern Province of Zambia. A
SAFE Strategy Framework was composed and edited, and it is our hope that with
this document the Ministry of Health will be able to convince other line
ministries in the government to get on board to work together to rid Zambia of
this blinding disease.
4. PLAY (&
WORK): Raising an infant is a lot
of fun, but a lot of work as well!!!
Jaycee has been a trooper through all of our adventures. She has grown like a weed and remains
in the 95th percentile for weight & 75th percentile
for height. She successfully underwent her 4 month shots at a local clinic here in Zambia.
Her voracious appetite
is made manifest in the abundance of fat rolls along her arms and the full, scrumptious
cheeks. Happy 5 months, Jaycee!
5. WORK: In January 2013, I started doing
ophthalmic surgeries once again!
It felt wonderful to be in the operating theatre, to scrub before a
case, to put on my gown and gloves, to sit at the operating microscope, and to
feel the microinstruments in my hands once again. It was relieving to see that I had not completely forgotten
how to operate, after such a long hiatus.
It was at that moment that I realized why some surgeons never seem to
wish to retire, why someone would even want to continue operating at the age of
70 or 80 or beyond.
By the way, can someone help me make a diagnosis? 37 y/o male with h/o HTN, noting double
vision when looking up or down, for the last 15 years.
6. WORSHIP: This year, we've also started to attend a church just down the street from where we live. Although we had felt quite comfortable last year attending a more diverse, "upper-class" church in a better part of town, we felt that it was the right time for us to move to a local church. We wanted to let the community know that we're interested being involved and supportive. We stick out like sore thumbs, being the only foreigners there. And it is quite uncomfortable physically, as the wooden planks sitting on brick blocks are not something one would call luxury.
The church structure itself is in a constant building stage, but slowly progress is being made - the brick walls are finished, now plastering is almost done. In the next few weeks the floor should be laid down with cement. We have pledged to help with funding to buy nice benches for this church. If anyone is interested in donating to the church bench fund, just let us know!!!
It's been a good start to the new year, and we look forward to 2013 - working hard and playing hard!
