This place is busy!

Had another drop off from Médecins Sans Frontières today. They sure know how to keep us busy. It's OK, they didn't have to do that, there is enough work here already (just kidding – anyone who needs help in Niger should definitely come here!).

Today I had to say goodbye to Andy who showed me the ropes for the last week. Can you believe I have already been in Galmi for 1 week? Neither can I.

Fortunately Saudi and the other midwives will keep me in line for the rest of the time I am here. I was talking to 2 of the medical students that are here, and they commented how difficult it is to treat patients, when you can't order the tests you are used to back at home. No Kidding! I am trying to figure out if the uterine masses I am seeing on ultrasound are benign or malignant, before I take them to the OR, and I am not sure I am getting it right! I talked to the surgeon though, and he said it's basically surgery or palliative care, so I will give it a go, and see if we can help them.

Who new one of the reasons I was going to Galmi was to increase my ultrasound skills. The clinic is packed, and almost everyone needs one – some need a dating ultrasound (even if they are in the third trimester), others for miscarriages, others for cancers.

Hopefully it translates a bit back home. Speaking of translations, Thank you Mom and Dad for encouraging us to do French in High School, and thanks to my Family Medicine Preceptors in Montreal for sending me to the French side to work (can't believe I am saying that!). The french here is a bit different, kind of like an Aussie trying to understand a Cockney accent, but I am starting to get the hang of it, and it makes a HUGE difference in what I can do to help these patients. Of course I still need the Midwives to translate from Hausa in to French, but at least I can get a reasonable history (most of the time).

The power (and the internet) have been out a fair bit today, so I am not sure if I will be able to post this, but at least the computer has a battery, and I can continue to type. I also went around the compound and took some pictures to show you more of what it is like.

I guess because they just came out of their rainy season, there is still some green here, although the dust is getting worse.

James 4:13-16

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.