Day 1 at the Hospital

Hello again!

After a long night of rain we woke up to a wonderful breakfast made for us by Douglas, who prepares the food at the guest house! Then we met with Katherine, the Director of Nursing at the PCEA Chogoria Hospital and Ragwa, the Director of the Hospital. We got a tour of the beautiful hospital and then we split up into two groups to spend a day on two different units.

The six of us getting ready to head to the hospital!

Brooke and Leah spent a day on the Pediatric unit and got to see a variety of cases, provide care to the patients, and spend time with the children drawing with sidewalk chalk. They were all so excited to play outside and Brooke and Leah learned so very much from the nurses and the families on the unit.

Brooke and Leah with Maureen, Sandra and Max. 

Brittany, Ashlie and Carissa got to spend a day on the Maternity ward and had quite the experience! The day started off with walking into a surgery theater (room) with a gastrectomy in progress.  A tumor was being removed from a younger girl's stomach; it was no ordinary tumor, but the size of a small bowling ball!  The next surgery witnessed was a c-section of a young, first time mother.  This was an interesting site in regards of how different the surgical procedure and equipment were from the United States.  After the c-section, a vaginal birth was observed by all three girls; again, the birth was from a young mother.  Another mother was in labor but had to have an emergency c-section.

Ashlie and Brittany scrubbing up for the surgery theater!

Carissa and Brittany in their surgery scrubs and rain boots - ready to go!

We are all very excited to see what tomorrow has in store as we experience new units and meet lots of new people! Thanks for reading!!  Love from all of us in Kenya!!