Once more unto the Breech...

I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,

Straining upon the start. The game's afoot:

Follow your spirit..
[Willie Nelson, I think ..... or was it another Willie?]

First Week at Mercy

I do look forward to returning to Mercy... and I do not like the overnight flight; and now everything stops in Trinidad, so adds another couple of hours.  Initially, I was excited as I had the row to myself and it seemed that everyone had boarded - wrong.   A rather large woman (How large you ask? Well not to make any politically incorrect statements, let me just say that she had her own personal seat belt extender) sat on the aisle seat and the middle seat as well.   The flight was fine except for being held captive for over an hour in Trinidad while they cleaned the plane and changed crews.  Funny, the crew needs to get off and stretch, but the passengers can stay.  

Waja was at the Guyana airport to greet me and I arrived at Mercy with little fanfare, but did receive a warm welcome from everyone I met.  I headed to the flat to meet my new roommate Dr. Edi, a Cuban dermatologist, who is working here at Mercy.  I had even brushed up on my Spanish - which is still atrocious.  However, there was no sign of Edi. He is staying in the Team House. I wasn't disappointed as I do like to be alone much of the time.  I took the bedroom that I had last year.   Then, the first thing I noticed was that there was NO shower downstairs -- until I saw that they had not closed off the second floor as they said they would, so the upstairs bath was still there... and working.

Maintenance fixing the doors, new locks, including the front door,
repairing screens, replacing lights, etc.. Great work

Actually, the whole flat had been painted [including the light switches which were somewhat stuck initially] and two extra bedrooms were now on the first floor.    Not bad: they are a good size and nice new doors and spiffy locks though no one actually checked to see if the doors closed.   Small problems, and the guys from Maintenance fixed almost all of them on Monday:  I was impressed. The flat is very adequate for a slob like me, but I will need to up my game as my niece, Doctor Emilee Flynn, is arriving on early Tuesday Morning.   (More later about Emilee.)  The fridge is the same manic-depressive one there for years - sometimes it freezes everything and sometime it cools nothing.  It seems like home to me, like I belong here.

 Church on Sunday

I decided to get to Calvary Lutheran Church on Sunday as I did not get there last year and they even put me up in their manse several years ago.   They are without a minister and wanted to know if I needed a job, so I wasn't expecting many at church.  However, it was pretty crowded and with lots of young people and lots of people who remembered me.  I remembered them, too, but their names have long since disappeared.  Surprise: it was National Youth Sunday Service... The youth were energetic and involved; it was great to see for the first hour, less so the second hour, and by the third hour I might have faked an injury, but I was warned that they wanted to welcome me in the announcements at the end of the service ......

Do you know how some sermons are memorable - some for the right reasons and some ..... Well, there was a seminarian from Jamaica Seminary here for the youth and he delivered the sermon. When you are beginning your talk in the third hour -- wellm even Billy Graham would have trouble.  

He chose a sermon text from Ephesians 5,3  "But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints."  However, he kept referring to it as sexual immorTality, and I do have to admit it made the sermon more interesting.  And when he was describing the woman who had bled for years in Luke 8, he said that the reason she was unknown was that, "she was probably wearing a hoodie."   A smile-filled sermon.  

I started with my first class as if I had just finished the last one the day before.  (I do admit that I sometimes get a little worried that I may have "lost it" over the intervening months and no one told me.  Luckily for me, with friends like mine, they would be lining up to tell me.) 

Here are my bright and eager students.

Changes at the Hospital

There have been lots of changes.  I guess the most important overall is that the "new" CEO Dr. Bridgemohan resigned in order to start a venture with some family members.  He had brought a new enthusiasm to the hospital about patient volumes, new services, etc.  We wish him well in his new venture.  Helen Browman is back as Acting CEO while the Board begins a search for a new CEO.

However, the bigger news from a selfish perspective is that the walkway from my flat to the hospital was raised a good six inches... so maybe I won't need to put my wellies on when it rains.

The Main Entrance walkway is much higher.

The school walkway, Sister Sheila Way,is now elevated a whole 12".
but it does mean that you have to step down and then up...

 There is a nice outdoor patio eating area for the cafeteria and numerous baskets of plants make it an attractive area for eating and chatting.   I will surely come back if the next improvement is a Pub.

Doing it in Reverse

When I go home after three months here, I almost always get a respiratory infection.  This year I decided not to wait and got one right away.  I even went to Emergency here at 3 am on Friday morning.  I got great care, an xray and some medication, and I was back in the flat by 4 am.   I have not been feeling up to par and the doc said "Don't go spreading your germs around!" so I didn't get to a big meeting on Thursday nor to my girls at St Ann's ..... I have been in my flat all the time, except walking over for meals.   But I am well looked after as everyone from the Board Chair to some of my old Bosco boys who volunteer here knew I was in Emergency.  And my neighbour, Dr. Devi keeps checking up on me, including bringing me her honey and  lime syrup to sooth my throat as well as a few mangoes.   I think I am getting better and have Sunday to recover before the big event on Monday night.  You will have to come back next week to discover what or who the big event is.

Have a good week and thanks for reading.

Guyana 2015: "Continuity and Change"

Different #1: Me - Off to Mercy Again

It took me some time to decide about my return to St Joseph Mercy Hospital, School of Nursing.  While my time there  has been part of my life for over a decade, nothing ever stays the same.   I have decided to go again, but instead of three months I am going for two.   I will be there for the start of the classes with First Year Nursing Students and leave by the end of October.   I will be doing just about the same stuff; just I will be there for less time.   Those new students are going to have to learn faster too!

Different #2: the School of Nursing

The School has a new Director, Elsie Asabere.  Elsie has been at the school off and on for many years.  She is originally from Ghana.  I know that because she doesn't come to school when Ghana is playing a match in the World Cup.

Director Elsie has been a constant support for my classes
as well as other volunteers who had joined me over the years.
Here she is with Dennis LeBlanc from last year.

Elsie has been excited about learning Problem Based Learning and tried working through a few problems by herself earlier this year. In November and December she will continue the course that Tony Carr and I wrote some years ago    I am excited to see how she will shape the Nursing School.   She has her B.Sc. Nursing from The Netherlands and has practiced in several countries before coming to Guyana with her husband, Victor, a missionary with Lighthouse International, and their three children.

There are also two new Faculty Members - Roberta Binda and Azalia Luke.   While they may be new faculty, they are old students.  I didn't have any "current" pictures of them as B.Sc. Nursing graduates, so their old "prison" shots will have to do.   Both Azalia and Roberta have been small group tutors in PBL -- and both have gotten way better marks in university than I ever did!

2005

2007

Different #3: My Flat

This is an old picture as there are now two bedrooms on the left
and a new shower on the right as well as a fixed up kitchen,
 and the stairs in the front are gone...

 Actually, it is the same flat I had last year, but "flattened".   The upstairs will now be used to store supplies for the hospital, so I will have just the first floor.  This will be more than enough as they have added a second bedroom and a shower to that floor.  I have only asked for a few things in my flat: window screens, internet access, a shower that works and a fridge to keep my vegetables [and other stuff] cold.

There is really only one problem with one floor: I have not been able to attract any volunteers to join me because some one has spread a dirty rumour that I snore - loudly.   So if you don't believe that I could be that loud, or you are deaf, please think about joining me.

Different #4: The Hospital

Mercy seems to be on the upturn.  CEO Dr. Bridgemohan, COO Helen Browman [and all the staff] have been working hard to improve the facilities, recruit physicians and retain the best nurses.   Old condemned buildings have been torn down and new construction is underway.  One of the interesting additions is an Outdoor Café.

Sandra was an Executive Assistant, but now is the Maître D’.

I hope she has been working on her  flambéing skills.

If you wish to learn more about the positive changes, the hospital has a FaceBook page and a Website.   

  

Different #5: The Country

In May of this year, there were national elections, and a new party, A "Partnership for National Unity" and "Alliance for Change" (APNU+AFC) is now in a majority Government.  Previously, the Peoples' Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) had been in power for the last 23 years.  It will be interesting to see if their leadership will bring improvements for the people of Guyana.   As a visitor and guest in their country, I don't have a public opinion, though there are promising signs.  I do know that the previous government was a good support for the Canadian Mental Health Team led by Sujay Patel, Peter Kuhnert and Ram Kalap who are colleagues from Canadian hospitals or organizations.   I hope that the new government will also be supportive of their volunteer efforts.

The 2014 Canadian Mental Health Team with Guyana Colleagues

*Moses Nagamootoo who in now the Prime Minister & First Vice-President wrote an autobiographical novel, Hendree's Cure (2000, Peepal Tree Publishers).  I have seen it available for years but never ordered it because it was pricey, but now that he is the Prime Minister I am reading it -- it will give us a lot to talk about if I ever meet him.

More Continuity than Difference

These are my friends, colleagues and "old" students whom I look forward to seeing each year.  I won't start naming them as I am sure I would leave many out that deserve recognition and thanks.  I would not have been able to accomplish so much in Guyana without their support.

I will make an exception for Guyana Christian Charities Canada (please write "O'Connor-Mercy Projects on cheques, etc.") as these are friends to whom you can send a filthily excessive donation for my projects at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital and St Ann's Girls Home. This year the donations will go towards the tablets for all the first year nursing students, some special projects at the school and outdoor recreational supplies for the girls. I do not use any donation money for my own needs -- travel, insurances, food (including beer), and such.

Thanks for any donation you are able to make; and, if you aren't able to make a donation,send me your good wishes in an Email or on FaceBook. 

Have a blessed summer and I'll write again later in the season.  John

Sylvia Wilvert Takes Over Command of the Net... At Least My Blog

This Week's Star at Mercy

Juanita Khan

Juanita hard at work...
It is tough to get an action shot of an Executive Secretary.

Juanita was born in Santa Rosa, Moruka, Barima-Waini Region not too long ago.  How did you get to Mercy?  It was a long story, but part of it was her mother died when she was only two weeks.  She was looked after by the priests and sisters there until they brought her to Georgetown and St Ann's Girls Home.   She worked hard at schooling and mostly through private courses for secretarial and computers.  She began work for Guyana Stores and eventually to Mercy Hospital in 1998.   When I arrived my first day here it was Juanita who greeted me as she was Sister Sheila's Secretary;before that Margorie Park, then after she was the same for Helen Browman, David Jimenez and now CEO Dr. Bridgemohan.   [Wow over 17 years and survive 5 bosses; she must be good.]

She is the proud mother of four children: Molly, Johanna, Shekeila and Vince.  For all of them Juanita has put their education in the foreground and made many sacrifices for them to become the best they could be.

"Come to Guyana it is a beautiful country" though she has not been to many places herself.  If you come, you could take her to see Bartica, Rosignol, New Amsterdam and Santa Rosa.   She did get to Kaieteur Falls because of a close friend and volunteer Jane Greiling.

And the best part of working at Mercy Hospital?  It is meeting new, various and different people - the good and the bad - everyday.   It is interesting and challenging.  Actually, I just get used to something and then...It changes.

What wisdom might you share with my readers?   Always pray to God for guidance.  Trust him; all things are possible.  And if you love yourself, you will love others even better.   When life gets dark, trust God and Listen.   [I think her next job will be as a preacher.]

But in 10 years, she says she would like to be at home.  Her daughters want her at home and not working. Such a loving set of daughters... Almost.  They would like her at home to be there when they get home with food cooked and laundry done...  So she may be still working as it would be easier.   I will see what God has in store for me.

Miss Sylvie, Guest Blogger

Sylvia pondering her words...

One of the first things I overlooked this past week, being Canadian Thanksgiving, is the fact John and I share a portion of a large house that is ALMOST free of cockroaches and ants. Thank goodness for the bug spray John has on hand, but I seldom find any of these critters a nuisance. On the other hand, I continue to sleep under netting for fear that mosquitos will get the best of me and I would succumb to Chikungunya the current rage at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital these past few weeks. That, and Dengue fever seem to be filling the Emergency Dept.  Both of these are spread by mosquitos, so in spite of us having screened windows, they find their way into our apt. John feels the gaps in our floorboards with standing water in the trench below us has something to do with the critters attacking us.

Some people get an ocean view..
This is the view from our flat:
Chikungunya Creek.

 Even the local people are complaining about the heat that we have endured for the month of October. It means that we are wet most of the time. Thank goodness for a “rainforest” type shower, but even that is not cooling as the water heats up in the pipes that are exposed to the sun. Our classroom is the breeziest, and in fact can be comfortable for us in spite of the class time being the middle of the day. However, the house is another story. The major breezes off the ocean are blocked by the large house adjacent to our home. We use a large fan that is constantly in use, but it sounds like a 747 and we need to shout to be heard....but we could not do without it. Which brings me up to the times we go without power.....and those “blackouts” happen on a regular basis. Usually early evening, without warning everything goes black and very still, except for the neighbours generator. It seems that in a couple of hours, everything is back on, and life goes back to normal. Speaking of normal, the students often remind us that they are unable to get their homework sent in to be marked because they had “blackout” in their neighbourhood the night before. Such is life here.

Blackout picture

In an effort to ensure that our safety is of the utmost importance, six large flood lights were installed a couple of weeks ago around the house. Never mind that it feels like the moon is right outside the windows, and we seldom need night lights, it was revealed that the lights were there to protect all the materials that were moved into the apartment next door. So much for the utmost concern for our safety. But really, I truly feel safe while on the hospital compound. There are guards everywhere, including downstairs at our a door. There is a gate onto a busy street at the back of the house, and the guards job is to ensure no one jumps the gate and tries to break in to get those precious materials, mainly paper....reams and reams of paper and if you are old enough to remember, carbon paper. That is were all our old stock went, not in the trash, but was shipped to Guyana to be used by all government officials.

The problem at the back gate is that there is a two foot gap between the gate and the fence next door. So that is the way I travel to the swimming pool, I take the back gap shortcut. In fact that is the way John and I avoid the front entrance when we have had a couple of beers at the Everest Cricket Club. All these little perks get us through the day.

Helping the Everest Cricket Club Break even...

The staff here are wonderful to us. This past week I ran out of minutes on my cell phone. No problem. Just go to the ER, ask for Ryan and pay one of the nurses the $2,000 ($10 CAD) to be “topped up” and by doing it remotely, he doesn't need to leave his duties in surgery. Now that is service. I also appreciate the women in the kitchen who work with those restaurant sized ovens that usually bring the temperatures up over 100 degrees. I don't know how they don't have sweat poring down their faces like John and myself. My other favorites, are the women in the laundry. Every Monday I bring my bag of laundry to them, and with smiles they greet me. I don't get that reaction from any of you at home, especially bringing in my dirty clothes. They return them clean to me the same day. Recently, their dryers broke down. So they hang all the bed sheets on lines throughout the hospital. I have no idea how they can work in the heat and humidity in such a cheerful mood.

This past week was mental health awareness week. John attended the “fair” where he was to be available for counseling at a booth called “counselor available for teens”. Well surprise, no one came, he crossed out teens and said “for anybody”. That didn't fly as well. But I guess there were a few that showed up, especially the runners who came in from the Breast Cancer walk, as they shared the few posters advertising the day that were placed around town. Guyana has a long way to go.

Our days are filled with unexpected events, and I look forward to those daily surprises. The students teach me so much about their culture, beliefs, fears for their future, and the awe of the prospect of becoming a nurse in the not to distant future. Hopefully they are able to take a fraction of the messages we have imparted on them these past few weeks. If not, they certainly have enriched my life.

John invited his friend Dennis to come down from Mass. for 3 weeks. They have been friends for the past fifty years, and let me tell you, they have stories! Dennis is helping with Problem Based Learning classes, and I so appreciate a new perspective. I just hope the students appreciate him as well.

Look closely:  
Dennis is 2nd Row, 3rd from Left
John is Last Row, 4th from Left.

Wednesday night both Dennis and myself wandered down to the sea wall where we were able to find a place to sit among the throngs of people. All of Georgetown comes to watch the Diwali parade, or Festival of Lights, a Hindu holiday. All the floats were well lit up with bright colours and loud Indian music. It was magical for all to see. Now typical Guyanese style, there were vendors everywhere selling food, toys, and my favorite, fire crackers. Now as we walked we needed to dodge the “roman candles” that the 4 and 5 year olds were holding in their hands while the firecrackers were lit. You know, the kind that says you need to be 20 ft. away before lighting. I didn't pay attention to the papers the next day to see how many were injured.

The next day, Thursday was the actual stat holiday, no classes. So once again Dennis and I left John behind, (he was working), and went off to St. John's parish fair. This is their major fun raiser for the year, and did they do it up big. I was helping Donna with the “clown booth”. For just fifty cents, you could try to get the 3 tennis balls in the clowns mouth. And for the rare person that actually made this happen, they won a prize. All the booths had been hording all year for these coveted dollar store prizes. People walked away with a plastic cup,and were happy. The boys from St. John Bosco Orphanage helped us in our booth. These “eager beavers' dove for the balls, ensured no one was cheating and collected the money. They were so excited to just be at the fair, let alone help with the events of that day. I said to Dennis, that both the children and adults could not be more entertained or excited if they were at Disney World. We left at the end of the afternoon with our ears ringing from the loud music......what else, we are in Guyana.

John met us at the Brazilian Churrascaria 
where he treated us to “Brazilian Barbeque” what a treat.    

Even though it was a holiday his girls at St Ann's were waiting for their Educational Class.  So he dragged himself out before dinner.





We look forward to the Canadian Mental Health team of 20 coming down on Monday. 
Stay tuned......  Or better yet Tune In Now and hear Ram talk about the upcoming trip for the radio.   It will become a rare collector's item as it may be the only time in recent history that Sujay has said the fewer words!  In a published review Upe Mehan said, "Great job Sujay and excellent interview Ram--you spoke very well and it must have been hard for you to share your family's experience but you did that so eloquently."

CBC interview with Ram and Sujay

Thanks for reading.
Now I'll head back to the Seawall and
"Catch a Breeze."

Miss Sylvie