This is the life......

Wow, I can't believe it's been a whole week since I've written anything. You know what they say about time flying...... I decided to give all my faithful readers (hi mom) a glimpse into what I do with my day. (I know, I know, you've been dying to know......)

6am BEEP BEEP BEEP. Time to rise and shine! I wake up and spend the first part of my day hanging out with Jesus. I love this part of my day! Also, I HAVE to have it. There's so much going on during the day and I get pulled in so many directions that I have to consciously remember the real reason I'm here.....every morning. I forget easily. :)

Now I'm ready to greet my day. And the little friends that didn't make it through the night.

Thanks to our excellent bug killer, we have 5 or 6 of these things belly up most mornings. Granted, I don't come from Cockroach County but still....I had NEVER seen ones this big before. Sorry guys...it's you or me.

After the "sweeping of the cockroaches" (like the running of the bulls...but different) it's breakfast time. My former roommates will testify to the fact that I love cereal. At home I think the count was at 14 boxes in my cupboard at one time. But what can I say? It's quick, almost no clean up and when Safeway has their sales I can get them for 2 bucks a box! I love cereal deals! Well, at $8-$10 a box here, cereal isn't really an option most mornings (plus the powdered milk leaves a little to be desired) so I've gotten creative with oatmeal, eggs and toast. Look mom, I'm cooking!!

Next it's down to the hospital at 8am to start rounding on the patients. This isn't actually part of my job description but when I round with the doctor I learn SO much that I think it's really important for me to do right now.

This is Dr. Pierson, some CHO students (Community Health Officer....kind of like Sierra Leone's version of Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant) and my roommate doing rounds in the Peds ward. (No, I am not going to start wearing white and a cap.) Dr. Pierson and his wife lived here for about 20 years and I loved hearing their stories and learning whatever I could from them. Sierra Leone is not an easy country and I've met quite a few burned out missionaries since I've arrived so it was so awesome to see a couple who still love it here after so long!

Anyway, I digress. Doing rounds usually takes several hours and we finish by 12 or 12:30. After rounds I head back up to my house for a couple of hours. During this time I usually attack some of mounds of dishes that seem to appear out of nowhere or do some other housework. Sometimes I'll blog. :)

At about 2:30 I head back down to the hospital to start my shift. My friend and I oversee the hospital while the doctors are at home. We see the new patients that come and help with any problems that the current patients might be having. It's fun because you never know what is going to walk through the door (machete fight, snake bite.....you get the picture). Fun!

(These are a couple of my friends putting an IV in a kiddo with a hemoglobin of 3. I hate malaria. Just barely alive....but doing good today after 2 blood transfusions!!)

We have a group of nursing students here right now and I've really loved having them here! They are so eager to learn and I've found that I really like teaching.

This is us goofing around one evening. I swear.....Sierra Leoneans do not like to smile for pictures!! I think this was take 3 or 4 with me yelling "SMILE!!!!" right before each take. They're getting ready to leave this week although I've tried to convince them to stay! But these are big city girls and this area is just too rural for them. Bummer.

My shift is supposed to be over at 10 but depending on what's going on at the time, I'll usually get home between 10:30 and 11:00pm. By that time I'm so wiped that it's quick shower time and then off to bed.
My days are long and there are a lot of them (no 2 day weekend here! These Saloneans work 6 days a week!) but I really love it! I can't imagine a better job. :)

So there's a little glimpse into what I'm doing with my time over here. I'll work on taking some pictures of the hospital and my house so then you'll practically be here yourself!! (And you'll feel right at home when you come visit me! :)