The Half Way Mark

With 6 months of com serve already behind me, I am finding myself becoming more and more attached to Manguzi and all the adventures on which it has taken me thus far. The rural com serve experience is not something to be explained, but something to be experienced. You will never truly understand it until you live it. I found a great blog post about 10 reasons to go rural for com serve (written by a doctor). Click here to check it out!

As the months fly by I have found myself being overwhelmed with nostalgia as I walk down the long hospital ramp and think back on all the special memories I have already accumulated in this place. A few of our foreign doctors have finished their placements at Manguzi in the last few weeks and it has been really sad to see them go. Check out this awesome video of our hospital and surrounds that one of our Dutch doctors made (Click here). Thanks Joris! With 6 months left and more people leaving back to their homes abroad, it's difficult not to begin to think of next year and the idea of leaving my new beloved home. 

My boyfriend likes to remind me that the life I lead now is far from normal. I live in this almost surreal lifestyle where going away every weekend is considered standard; where sundowners by lakes are common practice and where living a 30 seconds walk from work is viewed as normal. But while I may live in the bush, it doesn't mean life is relaxed. Adventure and chances for new memories appear around every corner and who am I to reject these enticing opportunities? This month I spent time visiting and being visited by both old and new friends. I completed a cycle race in Swaziland (only barely), acquainted old Durban friends with my new home, visited friends in the closest piece of civilisation (yes, Richard’s Bay seems like another world compared to this life) and watched the awesome Casting Crowns live in concert. In the midst of the travelling, talking, memory making and nature-loving, I claimed a Walsh student as my friend before she even knew my name and drove a good couple thousand kilometres...and that’s just on the weekends! ;)

But busy doesn't always mean good.  I have been “burning the candle at both ends” as my mum would say. I have often failed to listen to God and his promptings recently and was reminded of this in one of the devotions I read. As I read it through sleepy eyes after another late night, the devotion simply read, “Your busyness wearies Me. Small wonder you are fatigued!” I was reminded that prioritising God and listening to what He is telling me should be a matter of first importance. I believe He has a lot to tell us if we just take time to sit and listen. Spending daily time with Him is essential to keep my head and my heart on the right track. It is easy to become self absorbed, proud and conceited without constant alignment of my heart to God's will. Actively listening to where he is leading me, to who He is calling me to be and to how I should be living are all crucial for how I practice OT. Whether it's a kind word to a patient, an affectionate hug to a friend or a listening ear to a colleague, God is talking, I just need to learn to listen. 

God has once again reminded me of the importance of taking time to connect with other people. We serve a God of relationships who wants us to really take time out of our day to interact with other humans. In the hospital setting, I really need to work hard in doing this and learning to spend an extra few extra minutes with each patient. I need to try to understand a Gogo’s story before getting her out of bed; to take time to play with a sick child who has been lying down for 2 weeks; to listen to the story of a struggling outpatient before making a hand splint. The more I do my job, the more in love with the people I have become. It seems that OT is merely an avenue through which I can connect with people and share a small portion of God's love with them. I am privileged enough to do what I love but the more I do it, the more I love what I do.

I am also starting to really grow in my confidence and OT skills. With a course covering the assessment and treatment of cerebral palsy (CP) now under my belt, I feel much more at ease when seeing patients with this complex disorder. I also felt a sense of hope and joy in working with them as I had finally acquired some skills on how to tackle the numerous problems they face. My perspective of CP has changed completely since attending the course and I am amazed at how much there is to do for these children and their caregivers. Instead of racking my brain for what to do within a session, I now have to prioritise the many techniques, positions, and advice I want to share with the caregiver – there is just not enough time for me to do all the therapy I think is necessary each session! What a welcome change from feeling incompetent and clueless!

I have had many rewarding moments this month where the community has shown me their appreciation for my time and effort in a variety of ways. I held a ‘graduation’ party for a group of boys who were no longer going to attend the “Concept Group” that I run once a month for children struggling with basic concepts in Grade R and Grade 1. Much to my surprise, the caregivers of the children organised to meet together prior to the time and spent the entire morning cooking food for the party. I was blown away by this gesture as I knew their home circumstances and lack of financial resources. I was humbled by their kind words of thanks and sharing of food at the party.

I was also recently encouraged by a random nurse who came up to me while I was working with a patient in one of the wards. She asked me if I am the OT at Mahlangulu (one of the clinics I work at once a month). After replying “yes” to her question, she smiled and asked me whether I knew her son, Blessing, a child with a hand deformity I had been treating since the beginning of the year. I could recall seeing Blessing and his Gogo visit me on various occasions at the clinic and had given them numerous ideas of how to assist with his hand condition. The nurse simply wanted to thank me for all the therapy I had provided Blessing as she said he is finally making progress after years of not seeing any change. It was such an affirming moment for me as I was able to see how my skills and advice had made a difference in the life of a child and his family.

As it was my birthday month, I felt incredibly spoilt and loved by both new and old friends. I was showered with words of wisdom and encouragement and reminded of how supported and loved I am. I was reminded that as I grow older it is important not to build a super woman complex and think that I can be everything to everyone. One colleague gave me some special advice on my birthday: (1) Prioritise the important people (2) Prioritise the important goals (3) Learn to say no.

With those words, I will end my June edition of my community service blog. Below are a few highlights of the last month:

 Making Memories at the Hospital:

Cheers to 6 months as rehab com-serves!

Kelly and Cheri, two fellow rehab com-serves chilling in our lounge with their designer coffee table (all you need is some bricks, a pallet and a Mozambique copolana [excuse the spelling])

One of the hospital cats came looking for a cuddle at our house

Zenia, the permentant Speech Therapist, with one of our beautiful Down Syndrome children

Concept Group 'Graduation' Party 

Creative splinting for a club foot

Elizma, the com-serve physio running a session in the community. She is working on Ayanda's balance using a ncansi mat - rural rehab is best!

A doctor in the making?

Connecting with new and old friends this month:

My birthday picnic with my parents and close friends, Megz and Jase, in Richards Bay

Taking Denny & Reah on the path taken by locals to Kosi Bay Mouth

Kosi Bay Mouth at high tide...watch out for Lion and Stone Fish!

Going for a dive at Sodwana with Megan, a UK medical student, who spent 3 weeks at Manguzi.

So lovely to catch up with Lauren and Kelly, my fellow OTs, in Pretoria!

I was blown away by Casting Crowns, an American Christian band who came to Pretoria this month. How wonderful to be a part of over 7000 people all praising God!