There is this boy at the Sally Test Pediatric Center named Robert. When I first met him a couple of weeks ago, I thought he was 11 or maybe 12. I've learned it's really difficult to tell kids' ages around here. Often times they're so malnourished and undeveloped that I'll think they are maybe 18 months or so, then later learn that they're actually 3 or 4 years old. Robert definitely took a liking to me. During free time I've noticed he often snags me first before the other kids do so that I'll play chess with him. When we play he is so thoughtful; he always takes his time and thinks through each move. Sometimes I let him win, but other times, I'm a bit ashamed to admit, he truthfully beats me. I love that beaming smile when he says, "checkmate" and then wins in the next move...I think that smile is one of the most rewarding things thus far in my time here. Turns out Robert is actually 16, and he has a stomach tumor. When I learned that, my heart flip flopped. I can't believe this kid is 16, he looks so young. He is so innocent and vulnerable. He works independently a lot of the time at Sally Test, probably because some of the toddler aged songs and activities don't really get him pumped up. So he will find some kind of workbook, usually a math book, and work on questions by himself. Then he'll ask me or someone to check over his work. I just can't get over how self-motivated he is. Man, he really wants to learn so badly. I wonder if he was in school before he was hospitalized, or if he'll ever have the opportunity to go to school. Sadly enough, there are a lot of abandoned kids at the hospital. There is a policy that if a patient is discharged but can't pay the hospital bill, they literally cannot leave the hospital. Parents sometimes abandon their kids because they are forced to go out and look for a way to make money and pay the bill, but unfortunately too many times they don't come back. So these children are literally abandoned and trapped in the hospital. Nurses and staff are forced to use their beds for other sick patients....so since the kids have been discharged and aren't technically "patients" anymore, they sleep in the grass outside the hospital. I can't even wrap my brain around the concept of a child being parentless, homeless, and trapped in the hospital because no one can pay their bill. I have a feeling Robert is one of those kids. I really just want to adopt him and take him to Indianapolis. Gosh I wish I could give this kid a chance.
Things are a bit unstable around the hospital these days. Since Monday, a large number of physicians and employees have been on strike. Apparently it's the worst strike since some time in the mid nineties. They are refusing to perform surgeries, provide patient care, and some aren't coming in to the hospital at all. I can't fully explain the situation, because there are a lot of different explanations going around, some political and some tribal. From what I understand, there has been a shift in administration recently, and the hospital has a ton, ton, ton of debt. There is no money for even the most basic of medical supplies. One of the neurosurgeons that I workout with said that he hasn't done nearly the amount of surgeries that he would usually do because they don't have gloves or even oxygen for patients while they're under, so he simply can't perform some of the necessary surgeries. As of yesterday they've stopped admitting patients, and unfortunately a lot of patients are choosing to go home. If they're not receiving care while admitted in the hospital, they'd rather go home to die than die here and leave family members with the burden of the hospital bill after their death. Hopefully things will turn around here in the next couple of weeks, and again, I definitely don't understand the nitty gritty of what's happening.
I had my first Kenyan church experience last Sunday, and I'm actually looking forward to going again this Sunday. There was a lot of music...that was definitely my favorite part. The sermon was about men in Kenya stepping up and taking responsibility for their actions, and taking steps to lead more productive lives. The only problem was, the minister kept referring to a man as, "the male man." He would say things like, "The male man needs to take care of his children and make time for his family." And, "The male man needs to find work at all cost so that he can provide for his wife and children." All of these were valid points, sure, but I just kept giggling at the "male man," all I could think about was the mail man. WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE POSTAL SERVICE?!? Lost in translation...I suppose.
Okie-dokie, folks, that's all for now. More adventures to come!
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