A Few Goodbyes ... But Not Mine Yet.

Class Visit to the National Psychiatric Hospital

Sometimes (I was going to say "almost always", but I am a teacher and would feel too threatened)
the best teachers are not the ones called teachers.   This is true on the visit to the people who are patients at the hospital.

  Psychiatrist Sujay Patel and Family Doc/professional entertainer Upe Mehan met us at the hospital and provided a rich commentary and insight about who these people are and their behaviours.  Again your best teacher about the experience may not be the professional teacher - rather, a learner:

The Class and Nurse Trin.  she has worked at the NPH for 20 years
and still continues to learn something from her patients

Visit to the Psych Hospital (Berbice - 2014) by Natalie Persaud- Singh

 The tour was indeed interesting. I was shocked, for this is my first experience with mental patients. I see this facility as somewhere that gives patients a chance to better themselves with the help of the health team available there. However I think the hospital need renovation, proper facility to house these patients and more nurses onboard. As it’s said, for a patient to get better they must feel comfortable in their environment. This is just a suggestion from what I've seen. The surrounding needs cleaning. The odor of the hospital was obnoxious. 

Something needs to be done about this.

This is not the present  hospital; it is the old Berbice Asylum.
I just like my photograph .....
and it reminds me of Thoreau's 'vivacious lilacs'.

I've had the chance to speak with some of the patients and I must say I was heartbroken by some of their stories. Some of their family took them there and didn't even look back to them. They are human beings, no matter what sickness they have physically, mentally, emotionally, etc.  Everyone needs love. Someone to talk to, someone to be there just to listen, all of which can brighten their day.

I feel the need for there to be more educational programs readily available to them. One patient told me she wants a book to read (story book) or a book to write. Writing helps one to express their emotions. So if they don’t feel comfortable discussing their problems with a nurse they can at least write about how they feel.  If more emphasis can be place in bettering the facility I see this hospital as successful, not that they are not but they would be able to offer much more to these patients.

Rev, I hope this is good enough!!   Thanks for having us share this experience with you!!

Yup, more than good enough... She and other students had some brilliant reflections...  I was impressed and mad at the same time, because I have had to read some of their other research and exams! L Oh well, as Martin Luther said, "Simultaneous Smart and Stoopid"..... or something close.   The Canadian Mental Health Team had a major focus: "To reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness.." and after the visit to the Berbice Mad House my students know ..... People are People, including doctors. [See karaoke pictures.]

Another Focus: ECT

If you read last week's blog [and who hasn't, eh?], you heard the horror story of the ECT Team... Well, I am happy to report that despite several more minor heebie-jeebies, like finding the machine packed up and ready to ship back to Canada with the Team .....  they were able to train more than enough Guyanese professionals, and under the leadership of Dr. Maida, Psychiatrist at the National Psychiatric, Guyana will have re-activated a forgotten service.   I am sure when Peter Kuhnert writes his guest blog [hint]  he will tell you all about it.  I want to just show you a picture of one man who had a ECT treatment earlier that same day.  When I asked him how he was feeling, he said he was "Never better...  I might even be happy."

All Work and no Play Makes...

If you can believe it, the Team said they were too tired to go out to dinner, just wanted to have a quiet beer and something to eat at the Sleep-Inn.  So Sylvia and I went over to join them.  Dennis had to prepare his class for the following day (talk about "no play"!).   However, once they got down to the bar and the karaoke started - a second wind, I guess.

The Highlight of the Night!  The guys were singing American Pie and I wasn't lip-synching.
It was supposed to be Macho Man, but got censored by the politically correct Guyanese.

We are the Champions...Yes, you are!

The "Women" trying their best
to imitate the guys.

And a Bollywood  melody
from the surprising Zahir.      



The "Originals" celebrate a successful Mission.

And then there was the Final Final dinner hosted by the Minister of Health.  It too was at the Sleep-Inn and earlier than  planned as the Team was out that night at 2AM... Lots of congratulatory words for all involved.

Minister Bheri Ramsaran expresses his gratitude
to the whole Canadian Mental Health Team 

Peter and Sujay express their thanks to
Chief Psychiatrist Bhiro Harry.

The Parting Shot

Dennis is Off and Home Safely

And speaking of 2 am, Dennis, my university friend, left on Friday night for his home in Greenfield, Massachusetts via Trinidad, Toronto and Boston!   Just a mere 21 hours door to door...  He too is going to write a guest blog (Subtle Reminder) so I won't steal his words, but he did say that he has never met a more knowledgeable, competent, humble, etc., person than me.  Thanks Dennis.   

It is strange and wonderful for me to have someone other than family who has known me for 50 years ..... and to find, as the saying goes, "You get together with a friend after years of absence and you continue chatting as if you saw each other yesterday.

Elsie presented Dennis with one of her famous
African shirts to wear when he gets chased
out of Greenfield for wearing it.

Dennis is here explaining Sex and Relationships
to the students. If you can't see the immediate
connection, read his blog, coming "Just now."

 Enough - More or Less

 I had my last Boys, Bodies, Beliefs and Boundaries Class at St. Ann's.  They were sad it was over and even sadder when I gave them an evaluation sheet -- which they told me they wanted to fill in during the week and not in class as I had planned ..... So much for the evaluation. However, the judging of the 2nd Annual Father John's Photography Contest is this Thursday AND if I don't get their evaluations before the contest, they cannot win a prize!  Oh, the benefits of a bribe!  I have learned some things in Guyana.  Not fair!! they screamed ..... and they were right ..... and it is my contest, eh?

I have arranged for the four Mercy Volunteers to come and judge the pictures in the five categories: Girls Playing, Girls Working or Studying, Action Shots, Happy Face and Unusual or Abstract.   I had way over 2,000 pictures that the girls had taken since September... I want to get it down to 10 finalists in each category, but had to settle for 15!   There will be five Ipod Shuffle MP3 Players, one for each of the category winners.   They were donated by the Sunday School kids at Church at Stony Hill, Medina, Ohio...

John being presented with the Shuffles

Pastor Shannon making an important homiletic intervention

There will be a surprise of two Grand Prizes ..... One of them will be a special one donated by Jerry Bacchus of Jerries' All Nite Restaurant.

Well, I have finished a whole pot of coffee and a big roll of cookies for breakfast as the cafeteria is closed on Sundays.  I can't wait to get home and have my healthier breakfasts of a whole frozen Pizza or a Hungry Man Dinner.... or my Sunday Morning Special Onion and Cheese Omelette at Bucky's of Ayr with the old guys.

So make sure if you are in Georgetown, Guyana, or Ayr, Ontario --- visit our sponsors ..... and maybe I'll get a free meal!

Thanks for reading... John

I Was Trying Not to Talk About This

Well... I lasted to the 4th Week

You may not believe this, but I try for some variety in my blog.   I try and think of something new to write about every week.  However, this last week has been really, really, frickin' HOT!   I think for all of the previous decade, I have started my blog with the word HOT somewhere in the first sentence ..... but this is a new level!   It seems so hot that the air warms your breath and makes you chest boil. [Okay, this is a small exaggeration.]    And if there is a breeze, it just seems to increase your perspiration..  I need a deodorant I can paint on - in several coats like painting a wall.

This year we are living in Doc Daniel's old flat which is spacious but the living quarters are a floor lower -- and in the back of the Bank House, where half the breezes come from the opposite side of the ocean -- and behind the home on the East side from where the other half of the breezes come.   We got moved so that the boxes from Materials Management can enjoy the old flat with the Ocean and East facing windows...   I know there was probably a strategic decision for this; however, it does give you a sense of your worth ..... I guess it is like that for volunteers no matter where, eh?
 

And because the Bank House now contains something valuable, the hospital has added huge outdoor security lights to keep away any thieves at night.  I know this because when I sit in my chair in the living room I stare directly at it...   I have now started a Novena that the neighbour right next door will be so annoyed with how bright it is he will tear down his house and move... and we will get some breeze!

Celebrations of Commitment  

Sister Julie Matthews, RSM

Sister Julie is really the poster "girl" for the Sisters of Mercy in Guyana.  She is Guyanese and has over her career been involved with, and mainly led, almost every activity that the Sisters of Mercy are involved with:  John Bosco Boys Home, Mercy Wings, Board of  Mercy Hospital, and she is now the head of the Sisters of Mercy in Guyana.   In addition, she is an accomplished fund raiser and has taught in University Guyana.

Last Saturday her Sister colleagues, the larger Catholic Community, boys from Bosco (present and former), and people who have been touched by her ministry and energy, all gathered for a Special Mass (it was very special because the congregation actually sang) to honour her 25 years of Consecration as as a Sister of Mercy.    Believe me, with so much sadness and tiredness in Guyana, it was an event of joy and hope for the future.

Sister Julie offering the Blessing

Scarboro Volunteers [r-l Sylvia, Ashley, Bev,
Paulina, Donna]  blocking the Mercy Volunteers
Jess and Matthew

I was fourth in line

Long(Suffering) Service Awards on Mercy Day

Also, this week the hospital took time out - and cancelled my class too - to honour the employees who have given service for the past 5 to 30 years.  I do think that this group should have received Purple Hearts for surviving the struggles in the hospital - 2010 fire, layoffs, deficits, etc.   It was a small, low key celebration but the congratulations to the awardees and supporters were enthusiastic.  It is a small community, so everyone knows everyone else .....  The CEO Bridgemohan and COO Browman presented the pins and awards to each of the employees.    And Nutrition Services served piwari and cassava.   Dr Bridgemohan gave an optimistic talk about many positive developments for the future and the atmosphere was noticeably hopeful.  And my colleague and co-leader of the Problem Based Learning Course, Elsie Asabere, received a five year pin for her time at Mercy.
 

Elsie and I: the photographer thought I looked better
with my bald head cropped and in my Elsie shirt.

    

The Mercy Star of the Week ..... Drumroll please!

Patricia Benjamin “Benji”

Benji was born in Georgetown -- lived on Regent Street and now lives in East Penitence, still in Georgetown.   In between she had 6 "amazing” children – Denise, Sherman, Colleen, Onika, Rushell and Wendy – who have blessed her with 20 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. 

Benji has been working at Mercy for over 20 years.  She started as a maid and then went to the laundry for many years.   She liked the laundry (I did have to question her sanity, as the heat from the dryers actually makes it hotter than it is already) because you had to stay on your toes with everything throughout the day requiring precise timing to keep the loads moving along.

Then she was promoted to “Office Assistant”.  Benji is on her bicycle twice a day - morning and afternoon, delivering and picking up mail and packages for the hospital.   One can see her all over Georgetown; Benji said she has limits but it really is almost all of GT.   I have trouble walking on the busy streets of the city where everyone drives like it is a Friday and they're going home for the weekend, but she has had only one accident that left her with scraped and bruised knees.

Benji said she loves this job because she gets exposed so many interesting people and places that she would never otherwise go to or see, such as the Embassies and the Ministry Buildings.

Her wisdom for my hordes of readers: “Try to be obedient and honest and truthful all the time…..  or you will end up drifting; no one can recommend you and no one can count on you.”    Well, with that advice, I had to truthfully confess that my “hordes” may not mean the same thing to her.

And in 10 years?   "I don’t really know, you know?  I hope the Good Lord leaves me around to enjoy life for many more good years."
 

STOP THE PRESSES!
 

A few days after this interview, Benji received an outstanding service award from the hospital on Mercy Day.   

St Ann's, Jerries All-Nite Bar and Traditional Blindfold Walk.

I continue "leading" the senior girls' course "Bodies, Boys, Boundaries, Beliefs" at St. Ann's; I love their enthusiasm to learn ..... Motivation is pretty easy in a sex course for teenagers!
 

I have two cameras this year which I hoped would cut down on the constant pestering for whose turn is it for the camera.  It has just made it worse, I think. Again the pictures are in the Slide Show above. Just Double Click.
 

Jerry and his wife Paula have been great supporters of the girls at St. Ann's and he has had them for meals often at his restaurant. (They actually own four or five restaurants in Georgetown area.) Well, it was their 22nd year anniversary of starting.  Jerry actually started with a push cart on the streets - a Guyanese self-made man.  Sylvia and I went to the celebration to support their commitment to the girls and while we were there we had a few beers.
 

Sylvia and Father Chris
w/o Beer Bottles

Bev and Sylvia with their Beer Bottles

As usual, the students had an experience with Disability.  They paired up and one of the students was blindfolded.  I gave them a slip of paper that had a staff member's name written on it and it said they were blind and had an appointment with that person to collect a package. The "sighted" person was there just to keep them safe from steps and cars... They had to ask strangers what the note said as well as see if any one knew where the staff member was. Some of my choices were a little sadistic, like the security guard at the front gate whose first day it was.  Well, the staff person had a package with cookies for them, but first could ask them a nursing question that they had to get right ..... and say the magic words - Please and Thank You.   This exercise always causes lots of chatter among the whole hospital.

That's it.. I will try and do less this week so I won't have to type so much... Thanks for reading.  And please keep me and my family in your prayers this week.  John

The Second Week...

Settled in... Almost

I think there is some combination of just getting tired of asking for the same thing and adapting to the situation.  We now have screens on most windows ..... kind of like partially pregnant, so we have begun a programme to train the mosquitos to buzz only around the windows with screens.  

And the mattresses still leave one somewhat crippled in the morning.

Actually, things just happen slower here... the screens are coming, the mattresses might be coming and the third bedroom construction has begun, with help from Sylvia and me in moving stuff.

I told Dennis to imagine the walls and maybe a door.

I can kid about it; it is just different culture with a different relationship to time.  However, on the plus side, we have a shower and a new rain forest shower head and it is the best shower I have ever had in the 11 plus years I've been coming here.  And for the other things, "Here is where I can practice my patience... or lack of it."    (My sainted mother was fond of saying, "Patience is a virtue desired by many, but possessed by few.")

It does seem like we have been here longer than two weeks.   I guess that is because I have been busy... way busier than I am in my laid-back, sleepy life in Ayr.    I am already starting to look forward to that again .....  I used to think getting down to Bucky's for breakfast at 7 was early.

PBL in Full swing

Our adaptation of Problem Based Learning is working very well, maybe too well.   The students have never been exposed to this way of learning and were skeptical at first, but now are going great guns.    I have been awarding a mark if they get their research for their small group distributed electronically to everyone before 8 am on the class morning.  I usually make a comment or two for clarification, or where they might go for further research.  Unfortunately for me, the students are in almost100% compliance ..... That's a lot of comments I have to make!   Plus we have an exam every PBL day to grade..  Grading would be easy if I [or another tutor] didn't have to read their work!     Also, in the research topic development group, we have changed to a group mark.  [Thanks to Bev Clark who help designed the grading sheet.]  It is a wonderfully sadistic all-or-nothing method.  Either ALL the students do something - participate, ask relevant questions, choose research topics, etc... or there is no point.   Well, the groups are self-enforcing ..... Amazingly, everyone seems to participate now!

They have mastered their tablets and are choosing websites that are more than credible.  And most amazing to me is that they are sharing their research with the others in the small group without reading from a printed page or their tablets - at least initially.

We are still hunting for a regular tutor as we have been improvising each day.  Some days I tell them that we will be experimenting with tutor-less groups!  I explain that there is some evidence these groups do well.  [It is amazing how believable you can be as the tutor.]  Actually, we have had to use tutor-less groups in other years and no one died; I guess that is success.

"There will be no pizza this year": [l-r] Elsie, Cheyenne, Damali, Leslyn, Joylyn, Crystal.

And We Did Robin Hood again... always good.

It is an old values-clarification exercise; I have used it for years and it always generates discussion and a little sparring.  Try it: You have to rank the four characters from most moral to least moral and write your reasons down... Then we go "live" and the class takes sides on how they ranked everyone .....

“The Sheriff of Nottingham captured Little John and Robin Hood and imprisoned them in his maximum security dungeon.  Maid Marion begged the sheriff for their release, pleading her love for Robin.

The Sheriff agreed to release them only if Maid Marion spent the night with him, indulging his carnal pleasures.  She agreed.

The next morning the Sheriff released his prisoners.  Robin at once demanded that Marion tell him how she persuaded the Sheriff to let them go free.
Marion confessed the truth, and was bewildered when Robin abused her, calling her a slut, and saying that he never wanted to see her again.

At this, Little John defended her, inviting her to leave Sherwood Forest with him and promising life-long devotion.  She accepted and they rode away together.”

I preface the class with one a Guyanese saying, "Even the rose bush has pimplah."   There are no perfect people, not you or me or anyone.  Everyone "Burps and Farts".     I had thought of changing the ending to Robin and Little John riding off together, but ..... this is Guyana.

New Blog Feature

I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier.  There are so many persons who work at Mercy and are dedicated to improving the lives of patients and staff that I will highlight a random staff person each week .....  giving you a chance to meet them.  When I had this great thought, I was in line in the cafeteria!  I hope to continue with the staff profiles in later blogs.

Hersham Alexander

[R] Hersham serving a customer at the Cafeteria Counter.
[L] Optimistic and helpful.

Hersham Alexander has been a Mercy Hospital employee for 14 years. During that time he has worked as a Kitchen Attendant, Baker, Store Room Staff, Counter Server.  My favourites of his jobs is "drinking water jug carrier" ..... Whenever I need water, I can just give him my keys and a huge new bottle of water appears.  When I first came I used to tell him, "No, I can do that.  I am not that old."  Now I just let him - - though I COULD carry it if I HAD TO ..... I think.

Hersham was born in Kitty, now a part of Georgetown and now lives on the East Coast in Enmore, Demerara, with his wife of 6 years, Simone, and their two children, Joshua and Resheda.

I asked him where he saw himself in 10 years and he said he wants to be an independent farmer, a fruit producer.   He will start with chickens because the government gives extra land if you are also a chicken farmer.   He is working on raising capital in order to begin.

I asked him what advice he would give my (three?) readers, and he said, "Buy Local."  I told him most of the readers were in North America, so buying local would leave him poor.  He said, "Buy International."  Maybe he could give another piece of wisdom:  "Enjoy life as it comes and along the way always meet new people because you never know how you will affect them and they you."

And Finally, The Girls of St. Ann's

Actually, they are really the young ladies.  It seems that more than 50% of the "girls" are over 14 years old.  And can you imagine what that means?   22 teenage girls living in the same place!!   Well, they do have some raging hormones and so do the boys who go to their schools.   Sisters-in-charge are very good at many things; however, boyfriend advice is not usually one of them .....   Well, I offered to do a course for some of the older girls on "Bodies, Boyfriends, Boundaries, Beliefs."  [I left out Balling as I thought it might be pushing my reputation for good taste.]  I told Sister Leone that I would like to see about 12 of the oldest girls in the class, and we would meet for an hour on Thursdays at 4:30.  This Thursday was our first class with 21 girls.    We developed some ground rules for the group and one was:  what happens in the group stays in the group .....  So that's the end of that story!

This week's pictures are in the Slideshow at the top left of the blog...  Double click for the slide show. And thanks for reading.  John