Mzungu!

One of our instructors clarified the meaning of this for us: white person! This is what the children and people that line the streets yell at us as we go past! It has gotten really funny to hear (all the time) and see this happen. I guess I understand that a group of white people are really funny looking to them; it is not often that they see people like us in their country!

We traveled into town today for a visit to a local witch doctor. I think when one of the instructors was here last year, she went to a more spiritual healer. Our big bus arrived fashionably late, "on African time" at around 1030 this morning (we were to be picked up at 0900) and we met the BU nursing students at the place of the traditional healer. He was just inside one of the shops that lines the town...and we packed in on these tiny wooden benches to hear what he had to say. He ended up presenting in a lecture-style format from a book called Healthy Plants by Dr. Pamplona-Rogers. The traditional healer is called Dr. Hakim, and he calls himself an herbal doctor. He described the training program that he went thru; before he was a herbal doctor, he had his certificate of nursing assistant (I think this is similar to our CNA's in the US) so that he had the medical knowledge necessary to understand the disease processes he would be treating. He explained that the shortened life span in Uganda was due to the western medicine approach. Dr. Hakim explained that they make the drugs from parts of plants, like the flower, stem, roots and leaves. Each drug can cure many things. Among the diseases that he listed, I will write here, followed by some of the plants that cure them. Epilepsy, fatigue, stress, migraine, low and high blood pressure (orange fruit/tree parts). Bowel problems, hemmorhoids, eye diseases, malaria (garlic). Varicose ulcerations, athersclerosis, abdominal burning sensations (cypress). Respiratory problems, asthma (Eucalyptus). Asthma (Sugar cane). Cough, throat sores, digestive issues (ginger-but don't use it in less than 3 month olds). Digestive issues (vanilla). Urinary difficulties,, gonorrhea, impotence, fertility issues, edema (Agave). There is a machine that analyzes which diseases are in the blood of the patient (like a lab draw) and then he prescribes the treatments accordingly. He showed us several concoctions of the treatments, which were in water bottles lined up on the shelves. He showed us the cure for syphillis; a rust colored liquid. 3 bottles of that, and you would be cured. I took a picture of the bottle, too. Each bottle of treatment was between 5,000 and 10,000 schillings (about USD 2.50-5.00). I have no doubt that ginger can help with easing nausea...but I was surprised at the many uses for the plants here.

We shared the same lunch with the BU nursing students that we have all week, although today there was fish included instead of goats. As I was not feeling very well, I had only a few bites of posho and potato. I am very much looking foward to dinner tonight; I am sure Joseph will make something delicious again. I think we (as an entire group) look forward to his dinners, beginning when we awake in the morning. I don't know what we would do if we had to eat the same meals every day, twice a day for the whole two weeks we are in Iganga...tomorrow I am not sure what the plan is. Originally we were invited to the home of Alfred's parents (he is another instructor that came along) and then later to the Vice-Chancellor of BU's in the evening for a pig roast. I think our plans are still up in the air.

We handed out many gifts to the children that gathered around us today, while we were at the herbal doctor's shop. Beanie babies, clothes, even crackers. There was a young infant (maybe a few months old) that was already showing the signs of malnourishment, in her changing hair color, and thinning of her hair. Another boy and his sister had very large abdomens, so we went to the pharmacy down the road and purchased the medication for worms. Our instructor passed out the medication to the mother, and gave instructions as well. Each treatment cost around 1,000 schillings or USD 0.50. I had a father of a baby approach me when we returned to the hospital to ask about a skin infection on his newborn's forhead, nose and lip area. I told him that I did not know, but he needed to ask a doctor. I went to get another instructor (who is a Nurse Practitioner) to look at it, and by the time we came back, the baby and his father had disappeared. The baby's forehead was covered in an extensive area of open, flaked skin, with a few pustules around her nose and mouth. It did not look good. It has been common for people to ask us to prescribe them medications, or ask us what disease they have. There is such a shortage of all health care workers here, so if we tell them to ask the doctor, I don't know if they really will ever see a doctor.

Still no real relief from the awful bowel situation, except that the frequency of the issues has been reduced. Today was day 2 of treatment. I am hoping for improvement. I am trying very hard to push the fluids, but it is difficult to keep up in this heat.

I love seeing all of the children here, but I am looking forward to my return home. We have about two weeks left; we leave Sunday, June 13th in the evening. I think my first meal when I get home will be a large salad, with lots of fresh veggies, and cheese, and maybe some diced ham and hard boiled egg? I would love tomatoes, mushrooms, peas, olives, lots and lots of lettuce, peppers...I can assure all that I won't touch rice or chicken or bananas for a very very long time. I will be in touch again soon! I miss you all.