Monthly Archives: February 2014

A link of us!

Posted on by
Reply

Recently, the president of Adventist Health International and Loma Linda University traveled all the way to visit our little bush outpost here in the heart of Africa. We had a huge event with all the important people from the state and city governments, our own employees, and a large group of volunteers who helped with construction of the nursing school.

It was interesting to see the clash of culture and importance. Grown men were huffy and puffy that they were not the last ones to arrive and everyone was very segregated. I felt sad because I have friends who sat in all 5 places.

-Important government officials were front and center.
-Western volunteers were on their right.
-Local chiefs were on their left.
-Hospital employees were far right.
-Women with little to no education were way off to the side, waiting to help.

I kind of just floated around in my colorful traditional outfit helping with that, saying hello to them. It was fun but also quite stressful.

Thankfully, it went nearly as planned and we received an awesome write up from Dr. Hart. I highly recommend you look it up at: http://myllu.llu.edu/newsoftheweek/story/?id=15069&utm_source=newsoftheweek_email&utm_medium=20140213&utm_campaign=story0

Well, that’s all for today other than I think I had too much coffee. Oh well, such is life in Chad! Take care my friends!

Zachary Gately
zchgtly
zgately.com
+235 91122492

L’Hopital Adventiste de Béré
ATTN: Zachary Gately
52 Boîte Postal
Kelo, Tchad
Africa

I’d be Lai-ing if I said it wasn’t fun!

Posted on by
Reply

So as many of you know, we work very closely with our Traditional Birth Attendants and Community Health Workers. They are not paid by us. Either their hearts are open to aid their communities or they just enjoy having a title. Regardless, we make sure they work and we have enjoyed their enthusiasm. We completed the CHW trainings in December and the TBA trainings will be finished within the week.

One thing we do compensate them with is supplies for working. We give non-sterile gauze, tape, bleach (for bleach water solutions), and a few other tools. Each Friday is restock day for 25% of them. They come in and we look at what they have done that month. We determine what supplies they need based off of what work they have done and restock them.

Some of the things they regularly see are cuts, pregnancies, and malaria cases. For malaria, the best predictor seems to be flu like symptoms plus a temperature of 101F or more (38.3C). So we have given them all thermometers to use. These are the traditional glass armpit ones. They have had a rough time reading those small blue lines because 1) many of them have no higher than an 8th grade education and 2) many of them need glasses badly.

Needless to say, I had to jet over to Lai (17 KM east) to the hospital supply store for more tape, gauze, and thermometers. Our moto doesn’t have the proper papers to leave the district so I had to take a taxi moto. That was an adventure but it was a much needed distraction. Tensions are high at the hospital as big decisions are being made about leadership and as many of the Nasara’s are looking forward to their annual leave (in April, it will be me and and the Netteburgs).

As the wind is blowing through my hair that needs a haircut we see one moto go down as he hit a sand pit. We see huge trucks fixing the road. We see the nomadic Fulani people traveling. Adventure only a few minutes from home!

We arrive and I can’t quite communicate that I need the hospital supply store. I have never been there but after a few questions to locals we find it. The guy inside is nice and quickly processes my order and I’m out in a flash. I run over to the Alimentation Oaisis to buy things like olive oil, cheese, and a new melange of green and mint tea. Then over to the “hardware” store for varnish, rope, and paper. These are all things I cannot buy in my little outpost of Bere. The hardware man like us in Bere so he throws in a brush for free! I’ll take it!

The ride back was about as eventful as coming with the exception of no accidents. It was just so nice to get away for an hour and enjoy the freedom of the road! It is necessary to have these little breaks (even work related!) to stay sane.

Like I said, I bought thermometers. We have a joke with our CHW/TBA’s about how to tell the difference between rectal and oral thermometers (its taste!). But some how I still bought rectal ones! I have no use for these but at these times, all you can do is laugh and make another trip to Lai. haha!

I am pumped for next week as a couple of us will be headed up to N’Djamena for a little pleasure and a little work. We can’t do much research due to internet speed here but up there we can! So look forward to some more pictures! I was actually able to get some posted last weekend (timing is everything, i.e. 4 am) on the blog at zgately.com. Go check them out and have a good week!

Zachary Gately
zchgtly
+235-9112-2492
zgately.com

L’Hopital Adventiste de Béré
ATTN: Zachary Gately
52 Boite Postal
Kelo, Tchad
AFRICA

Visual Update Encore!

Posted on by
1

Here is a nice spectrum of what has happened in the last month or so….

It was awesome to have my mom here for a month! We did the Tchadian thing of having matching family outfits. Diana and Raisa where so happy to hang out with my mom!

For Johnny’s 22 Birthday, we played a great round of four-square.

Here Johnny is lecturing the quartier of Tcha-Asse on Maternal Health and Breast Feeding.

I have begun a garden. Let me tell you, if I did not have that rototiller, I would not have a garden.

Diana is now beating Josh at arm wrestling. Don’t mess with those Tchadian women.

Charis’s cat Mac had kittens on Sunday but she was too young and they all died. At least she still has all those motherly hormones and is being uncharacteristically nice.

This is the biggest threat to peace and quiet in Bere. Meet Lyol.

I am teaching Naomi both what a selfie and a duck face are while we wait at the chief’s house.

Zachary Gately
zchgtly@gmail.com
zgately.com
+235 91122492

L’Hopital Adventiste de Béré
ATTN: Zachary Gately
52 Boîte Postal
Kelo, Tchad
Africa

Olympic Lectures

Posted on by
1

For the past five weeks, we have been going to every neighborhood or quartier to deliver health lectures to the community. While there, we meet with the delegate (chief) of the village and his assistants. We then deliver nine lessons over two days followed by questions and demonstrations for the members of the quartier. If we are lucky, the chief will feed us tea and gateaux after the lecture or even a full meal of rice and sauce.

At all these lectures, we are blown back at how many people come out to listen and are ready to participate. We have nursing mothers, children, and high school students mainly but there are also many men and older people too.

Our lectures were developed by some previous volunteers here at the hospital and we have tweaked them as we see fit for the community. For answering questions, we reward them by handing out toothbrushes and toothpaste. We have lectures from Maternal Health to Malaria to Family Planning. Our Student Missionaries have done a great job thus far of assisting in the delivery of these lessons.

We have had several community members say how impressed they were with the lectures, giving sincere gratitude for the little lessons. Most wish they knew these principles when growing up so they could have taught their children. This is not me tooting my own horn here. It is to show that even though we may see these princples as simple and common sense, many people have never been exposed to the radical idea of prevention.

Honestly though, this is not much different than in western countries. Instead of not knowing what to do, we know what to do but refuse to do it. We eat that extra side of fries at night and skip the early morning run the next morning. We stress out and freak out without any type of release.

Jamie is an awesome handyman and actually rigged the satalite for the Olympics! Sunday, I was able to watch a few events and was in awe at their dedication, skill, and even enjoyment! That is how I want to be: I want to love what I do, be healthy, and enjoy the balance of eustress, rest, fun, and food.

So here’s to the new year (well, whatever…)! Here’s to working hard but also playing hard. Here’s to giving back to the community you live in and participating in it. Here’s to just being you! Who knows, we may just end up in Brazil or South Korea for the Olympic Games!

*if anyone can tell me how to become a biathalete, I would be more than greatful. Researching here is a bit tricky.

**if someone wants to help with my taxes too, that would be awesome.

Johnny and Naomi talking about Maternal Health in Tcha-Asse.

Zachary Gately
zchgtly@gmail.com
zgately.com
+235 91122492

L’Hopital Adventiste de Béré
ATTN: Zachary Gately
52 Boîte Postal
Kelo, Tchad
Africa

Malaria Round #2

Posted on by
Reply

After three nights of unsuccessful sleep, a slight fever, body aches, and a headache, I gave in and hunted down an ever busy doctor for a lab test form. Dr. Danae, dressed to the nines in her new Fulani outfit while doing rounds, let me slide without too many questions. I get pricked but I then had to go into town with my mom who is visiting. I was fatigued but no worries, I made it there and back. Right before we head out, I got the verdict: positive at 0.05%. Not bad I guess, considering last time my count was 0.25% after a day of treatment.
Thursday night goes by quick and into a fitful
Friday night.

I felt alright in the morning but as soon as I stood up, I realized there was a limited amount of activity I could do. I could be up for about 15 minutes before I had sit or lay back down. We had a lot to do for a big meeting in the afternoon so I quickly made a list and gave it to Charis. She took charge while I sat with our temperamental printer and printed a couple hundred copies off, one sheet at a time. It can’t take more than one paper in the tray or else it eats them. It worked out though since I could just sit and zone out in my malarial state.

Thankfully, I had bought a bunch of peanuts when I went to the market so I would have some type of salty snack. There are very few salty foods here. Most snacks are sweet biscuits, cookies, wafers, or candy. Sweet foods simply do not agree with me when my stomach is not content. So rather than chance sweet foods and medication to result in vomiting and IV quinine (the worst), I happily munched on salty peanuts.

In the end, I was feeling 95% by Saturday morning. It makes a huge difference when you catch malaria early rather than wait and hope it goes away. Its similar to that awkward conversation you’re putting off or going with that idea you have. You’ve just gotta do it. And the sooner you do it the better off you’ll be tomorrow.

“A stitch in time saves nine.”

Zachary Gately
zchgtly
zgately.com
+235 91122492

L’Hopital Adventiste de Béré
ATTN: Zachary Gately
52 Boîte Postal
Kelo, Tchad
Africa