Embangweni Hospital Update from Trey

Greetings from Embagweni Hospital, Malawi.  Kimmie and I have been working with the clinical staff at the Embagweni Hospital for several days and have already experienced numerous highs and lows, moments of exaltation and despair.

We have been amazed at the breadth of knowledge of the Clinical Officers at the hospital.  While these people only have three years of formal training, they can swiftly move from treating malaria, to setting a fracture to performing a c-section.  Much like everyone we have met in Malawi, we are always greeted with a smile here in the “Warm Heart of Africa.”  We have also been blessed with the kindness, experience and wisdom of Dr. Ross, a retired OB-GYN from Scotland who has, as he puts it, donated himself to Malawi. 

Both Kimmie and I have had our clinical boundaries stretched.  You quickly realize how dependant you have become on modern technology when you are faced with a sick patient and little more to make the diagnosis than a translated history and your physical exam skills.  It has been many years since I have been to the lab and looked at blood samples under the microscope to make clinical decisions, but it brings back all the wonder and excitement that you had as a first year medical student, looking at slides for the very first time.  It was good to feel that passion about the practice of medicine, something that you fear gets lost in the daily grind back home.  Kimmie has also had to make some adjustments to her normal style.  While it is challenging enough performing surgeries in a strange world, with unfamiliar equipment, imagine what it must be like when the power goes out in the middle of a c-section!  Thankfully, mother, baby and doctor all are fine.

We have experienced our share of heartbreaking moments as well.  It is frustrating to see a 19 year old boy lying in bed without a proper diagnosis, when we know simple blood tests or x-rays would help us help him so much, but they simply are not available.  We also have suffered power outages everyday for the past six days and this directly contributed to the death of an infant who was on oxygen therapy, but died after several hours without the electricity needed to run the machines keeping him alive.

So often, we give our tithe to the ether, hoping that our money is being used for something worthwhile.  From being here on the ground in Malawi, I am certain that our efforts are making a difference in so many lives.  I can promise that this will not be my last trip to the Warm Heart of Africa as our family has left a part of ours here.