Luck, Resilience, Workhorses, Flexible Schedules and Jumbies

My New Friend - Unlucky

As I went to print [?] last week on Saturday, everything was a "go" for Tracy to join me here in Guyana as a new volunteer.   Just a few hours before she was to take off I received this email, "Do you have a phone number I can call you at asap?"    Later, Tracy wrote this for for me to put on the blog:

“It was with deep regret that I made a decision to cancel my trip to Guyana on Saturday, a mere hours before I was due to get on the plane. One of my sons is experiencing some medical issues that reminded me clearly that my first duty, is here with my family. John mentioned my enthusiasm in a previous post and that has not waned in the slightest; I absolutely intend to visit Guyana, hopefully during John’s next trip. Before then, I will work on my 'saying no' skills as I’ve always found the idea of writing a blog quite intimidating!! I want to thank John for being so welcoming and working with so many other welcoming folks to find opportunities for me to get some exposure to Guyana and Mercy. Next time!"

Tracy had said she needed Peanut Butter, in fact couldn't live without it.
So -- in case Tony would think she was an addict, I had hidden an extra jar under her pillow.

I can't say I was thrilled with this development -- AND of courseTracy made the right decision.   As I have said many times before, "You need to be lucky to be a volunteer!"  You can have money and desire and talent and ..... but so many other events in our lives need to fall into place, including the health of our family (and ourselves)!

For those of you who are not lucky enough to be Canadian, it is Thanksgiving this weekend.   Some of my family will gather at my home to celebrate all we have to be thankful for ..... without me.   I am thankful to all of them for supporting me with their words and actions and by staying healthy!    I will look forward to Tracy coming next year ..... if I am lucky enough to be here too.

You have to be Tough to be a Nurse in Guyana

Almost every year I (or one of my guests like Dennis or Andrew) -- I love it when someone else does the work) have the students explore their family history -- at least, what they know of it.   And really these young people are no different than any others ..... pretty selfish.  Their world is themselves, which probably is necessary developmentally.  So when I introduce family history, in unison they say they know nothing.   Okay, "Do you know who your parents are?" And we are off ..... I distribute blank family tree diagrams that are so culturally biased they need to be considerably amended to meet the structure of a Caribbean family.   I give them a few pointers, and this year -- it might be because of climate change or because I am getting better as a teacher --  they worked hard at it and some could go back 5 or 6 generations and find some information.  (Still, some could not go back even one generation on one side of their families.)

This year I asked them to write a one page reflection on "Who Am I?" with the emphasis on what they had learned by exploring their ancestry.   I'll include just a couple of examples.  The first one has unique events, but the theme of resiliency is one that is common to all my students.   When the field of family therapy was just beginning, researchers were amazed at the resiliency of families who faced enormous obstacles with severely limited resources.   At first, the concept of resiliency was applied only to individuals in the family, like the strong single mom; however, it has shifted now to a more systemic awareness.   (I resort to my favourite expression, "Both are True.")   I am humbled by the resilience of my students -- though it does not stop me from criticizing them when they are "out to lunch."

I am 19 years old and I was born at GPH, but I was raised in Lethem, Rupununi.  I am my mother’s only child and the second for my father.   My mom and I lived alone because my mom and dad separated when I was one year old.  In 2003, my mom married my step-father and I went to live with my grandmother because my mom was suffering from thrombosis.  Her left leg was amputated and she was only twenty-two years old.  After she recovered and learned to walk with crutches, we moved to Georgetown.  There I completed my primary school education.  My mom fell ill again and I was home-schooled for one year in the interior of Guyana on the Essequibo River before moving back to Lethem.  I completed my secondary schooling there in July 2014.  I returned to Georgetown to re-write my maths and while there I lost my mom to a heart attack.  I returned home for one year to: grieve her death, deal with  my breakdown, and get my life together.

I returned to Georgetown in late 2016 and applied to nursing school where I was accepted.   I am being supported by my grandparents and aunt, both on my father’s side.  My father really never played a part in my life until the death of my mom.

Knowing about my family from both parents, makes me realize how lucky I am to belong to a loving family who support me through nursing, especially on my father’s side --  a family who are there for me when I break down and encourage me when I feel like giving up.  I am grateful to god for giving me such a blessing.

The next one has an illustration of the sad history of indenture in Guyana.  Her great grandmother's death was not unusual on the journey from India to Guyana.    As well, there's a surprise conclusion:  I had hoped for it, but still was surprised when I saw it in print:

My third great grandfather from my mother’s side came from Southern India in 1880.   He was brought on the ship Bruce to work as an agricultural laborer at an East Coast plantation.  His wife was also with him on the ship and died on the way, near South Africa.  She died mainly from diarrhea and vomiting from drinking impure water; her body was thrown overboard.  My grandfather completed his five-year indenture; he remarried and settled on the coast of Guyana.

Family history is truly a righteous pursuit.  I have a desire to be more kind.  Family history becomes more important when you lose someone you love.  Something happens to my soul when someone whom I have loved moves on.  I have learned that I am an important person and I have things to pass on to my children, my society and to unknown future generations.

Maybe not all students are as selfish as I thought!

And Something to Make Anne Laugh

As part of the deal to get an extra class-slot, I had to promise the English teacher, Candy Mohan, that I would also correct the students' spelling and grammar.   I don't know how many of you know this, but my blogs have been censored for years.  Yes, Anne reviews all my drafts and corrects for spelling, grammar, and inappropriate content... And sometimes it takes her a very long time!   She said something about not being able to send it on to her friends in an unedited state .....   

You Really Can't Abuse Tony

Tony has been working hard since he arrived here.  He is at the Psychiatry Department of the Public Hospital every day, and many days has been teaching at Mercy as well.  This Tuesday he took over my two classes in order to teach a review of the Central Nervous System, Motor and Sensory Pathways, etc.  This is because our Problem Based Learning pages are built on the basis of neurological problems, with ethics, psychology and sociology woven in.    

He was so popular the senior students wanted to join in as well as the faculty.  It was a full house and he didn't disappoint.    He is an excellent presenter and has lots of weird examples, not to mention his unusual sense of humour.  However, the large class left the students hesitant to answer any of his questions.  At one point, Tony got a little frustrated and exclaimed,  "What idiot has been teaching Neurology?"







It has been good to have him back here.   I hope to have him write the blog for me next week or the week after.     Yes, I know, one less for me, but I'll suffer through... and you may suffer less. 




Plan Ahead ..... No, Don't Bother

This week was already quite different as Tracy was to be here and I had worked around her plans ..... I really shouldn't have bothered -- not so much because Tracy was unable to make it, but because it is Guyana. 

Monday, it was decided that the Massive Prayer Service for the students taking their national exams would be at lunchtime instead of the end of the day ..... ugh.  This basically meant that we could not teach PBL because we need the morning session in order to have the afternoon one.      Okay, I had many errands to run and would be back by noon as I told the secretary at 9 when I left for downtown.  About 9:30, I received a phone call from the Director, Elsie.  "Rev, where are you?" "I'm heading to St Ann's."  "Can you be back by 10? We changed the service so the students could leave and get their hair done."  "Okay, I'll be back."   And then -- the service started at 11.

     

Tuesday, normal for me, though Tony taught.

Wednesday, a normal PBL day ..... not.   When I got over to the school, I was shown a letter sent the day before in the late afternoon from the Ministry of Education requiring all faculty to attend a crucial meeting from 8:00 to 2:00.    Okay, there will be no tutors for PBL ..... We will just have them do the small group without tutors.   One tutor reacted as if  I had just killed her mother ..... "They can't do it without me."    Really?   I overruled her, and as I was thinking about how to do it Nurse Elsie informed me that PAHO was coming over to have their book sale.  Good event as they have really excellent books at discount prices... And they would be here all morning and the students were required to come.   No problem: I would just continue my shopping/errands from Monday.

Thursday, normal - Two days out of the week; not bad.

Friday, the Mad House!  No not just another day at Mercy ..... we were doing our field trip to the National Psychiatric Hospital in New Amsterdam.  More next week on the trip, but I do want to mention a really good thing.  The cost of the trip was paid for this year by Mental Health Without Borders.  This was a group which developed from the health professionals who came several years ago to look at how to improve mental health in Guyana.

An Old Tale of Jumbies

Between  Georgetown and New Amsterdam resides the famous Cotton Wood Tree in the middle of the highway, the only place in Guyana that a road separates .  And the reason is that "everyone" believes that Jumbies (Guyana equivalent of Zombies) reside in the tree and that the tree is possessed with magical powers to inflict harm on anyone who tries to cut it down.   So when the road was built, no workman would cut down the tree for the road.

This Cotton Wood tree was imported from Holland and is also known as the white man's tree.  When the tree was planted many years ago a slave was buried in the hole to provide fertilizer.  Usually, the slave was dead.  But for this tree he was buried alive.   And if you are brave enough to touch the roots of the tree you can still feel the heartbeat of the slave.   Only a few students got close to the tree and no one actually touched it .....

Friends and Staff - Old and New, a Farm ----------------------------- and Graduating YES! Nursing Students

Old In More Ways Than One
Dr. Tony Carr has returned to Guyana after a six year absence.   It is great to have him here.   Tony and I created the PBL pages that we are still using today and with great success.  Before that we often had those days as a teacher when you felt you were the worst teacher in the world or more likely, your students were.   Our traditional ways of teaching were not effective in Guyana.   So we decided to steal McMaster Medical School's model, Problem Based Learning, and we have never regretted it.
 

Tony's first night in GT and he needed to go to Taju's, 
where he had a huge cup of ice cream before supper.

Yesterday, I was chatting with one of the first year students about how they felt the PBL course was coming.  She replied,  "It is great.  Your course is the first one that has asked and listened to us about what we think ...."   And then she went on to complain that there is too much work ..... so I'll just remember the first part.

Tony has come down principally to teach and supervise the psychiatry residents in the new Master of Medicine - Psychiatry that began late last year.    He brings the same enthusiasm that he had a decade ago.   And since he is here he wants to get involved with the nurses here at Mercy.  So, with enormous reluctance,  I'll let him use my classes during the week and I will be left with nothing to do .....😢😢😢😂😂😂.   Tony will be here for three weeks and since he never gives me the last word, I am sure he'll replace my blogging for a week. [Repeat emojis]

Another Old, But Not Nearly as Old, Friend

Donna Joy Tai, has been a Scarboro Fathers lay volunteer for 6 years, and I have known her all those years.   She retired as a travel agent in Montreal to do something with her life...   She has invested herself in the Boys Home, John Bosco, and the parish there in Plaisance.  She once sold me $1,000 worth of fair tickets when she knew I couldn't go that day .....  so "Give them to Rashleigh and Gregory" -- very persuasive!  She used to lead a weekly hymn/song session at Mercy Hospital, and  has continued at the new Mercy Resident Care facility on Pere Street.  She is quite involved with the diocesan committee on justice and human rights, and I am sure she is involved in other activities but I don't want to suggest she is working harder than I am .....

On a sad note and symbolic of out times, the Scarboro Fathers need to cancel their support of the Lay Missionary programme for financial reasons.  So Donna and her colleague, Bev Trach, will be leaving permanently at the end of the year.  I find it incomprehensible that as North American societies we have billions for war and self-protection and nothing for those who teach love and compassion.    Yes, I know she comes with her missionary baggage, but that has to be way better than wiping the burning napalm off your child's skin.    Maybe our children's children will shape a world we can only dream of.

And a New Friend

More accurate pictures next week

How new? I hear you asking.   I haven't even met her yet!  We have very lax recruiting criteria here:  if you have enthusiasm, Welcome.  (I'm glad Sister Sheila Walsh used those same lax standards with me 15 years ago!) And Tracy Meeker does have eagerness as so far she has not said no to any request to teach.  Tracy only found out about this work in Guyana in August and a couple of weeks ago decided to come .  She will arrive on Sunday for eight days.  Unless she starts saying no at the end of her time here, I'll get her to write a blog.

Tracy is an "advanced practice" nurse from the Faculty of Nursing, University of Ottawa.  She has her expertise in Mental Health and is currently the manager of a Shared Care Mental Health team at Ottawa Hospital, a small team working with usually very complex presentations but people who are not acutely ill.  She is also a clinical instructor and a guest lecturer for the University of Ottawa Nursing programme.   (More next week.)   

I have had housekeeping clean up the flat, asked laundry to wash all the towels and linens, warned the kitchen of both Tony's and Tracey's presence.   I had planned on Tony staying here with us, but after he got to Project Dawn, he wrote, "I walk through the guarded locked gates, into this block building, and into a different world.  Neat, painted and tiled corridors, beautiful hardwood floor in HUGE living-room, electronic keys, my own palatial room with working window-blinds which dwarfs the two double-beds, en-suite bathroom, wifi, nice ladies Samantha and Rima who can fix anything, all clean and shiny and functioning!!"  So, as the old saying goes, and it looks like it is still  true, "After they've seen Paris, how can you keep them even in my 'executive volunteer suite'?"

Here's a quiz about the uniqueness of my flat.  (I should have a prize for the first person to identify it, but I don't have any prizes.   And before I get this posted, Tracy will already be on the plane .....)

The answer will come "from above".

Nursing at Mercy and in Guyana

Last year, it was discovered that some students had paid to receive the questions and answers from members of the Guyana Nursing Council.   So in true Guyanese style, instead to trying to figure out who cheated and who sold the answers, everyone was forced to do a retake ..... and not only that, the whole style of the exam was changed and drawn up by the Department of Education.  So a huge percentage of student nurses failed the final exam. .... and they had to wait almost a year to retake.    The School couldn't cope with all the students, so they had to fend for themselves, working at call centres, cooks, restaurants, etc.  So now, that group and the present crop of students will be writing exams this Tuesday.   

As you would expect from me, I wrote to everyone including the Minister of Public Health:

I do not think there has been a year when there wasn’t some “talk” about leaks from the exam.   The only difference this year is that the Council got caught adding a little to their own pockets.

I really believe it is unethical to have only the students punished when it is the lack of control from the Council.  There needs to be balance in order to be fair.   This is especially true, as the “leakee” Council members bear the prime responsibility for the problem.  

The whole Council needs to resign… and a new leadership elected by all Guyana nurses with a mandate to bring Guyana Nursing into full accreditation in the Caribbean.   There is no redemption for the present Council members… They have been given more than enough time to move towards the 19^th century!     The whole concept of the present four days of exams is crazy ..… It is so archaic and of very questionable value for the evaluation on nursing knowledge and skills.  The present style of the exam has no integrity… that is certainly one of the reasons the rest of the world has little respect for nursing education in Guyana.  The exam is highly subjective with no real testing for validity and reliability.

I believe unless this opportunity is not used for significant reform, then you can forget Caribbean respect for a decade.  As well, if your long term goals is for these new nurses to feel that they are welcome in Guyana to practice nursing, then screwing them around isn't going to help and making them the victims of the nursing council’s lack of integrity.   They will remember how you sacrificed them for your immediate solution.  Really, why stay in Guyana or even why stay in nursing here.

 With this in mind, I offer my suggestions:  There are techniques to determine who cheated on the exam and hold them accountable.  At a minimum, require these students to re-write.  Students deserve to be considered innocent, unless you have proof of their guilt.   

So far no one has responded to my letters, except personal friends. Do you think I should give up waiting for a response?  Nor have there been any conclusions about the parties responsible for leaking the answers; nor has the Nursing Council been overhauled.

However, for the last month the present seniors and for the last two weeks the previous seniors have been in school full time.  Crowded is too nice a word to describe the situation.    The PBL small groups are meeting all over, including my flat.    And the crowding has only increased the heat.. The tearful, sweating students have made me let them have two fans from my flat ....   (I hope I get some points in the afterlife for this!)

We will have a "double" Massive Prayer Service on Monday to show our support for these nurses taking their exam ..... and (in case you are RC) there will be enough petitions to convince God to be merciful.  My favourite Saint for exams was Joseph Cupertino...   When being examined for the priesthood, he was not good with the books and so only knew one answer -- and guess what?   That was the question the examiner asked him.  I needed him on my side for some courses.   The students have studied and the older ones have persevered to keep their dream of being a nurse alive...   How could a saint named Joseph not intervene for students from Saint Joseph's!

Speaking of Old - Mercy Day

Most of the Long Term Service Awardees

Last year I got over the shock of seeing some of my former students get their ten year service awards..  but I had forgotten...  So when Tracy Allen got her ten year pin - I questioned Human Resources' counting... it's true.. 

Tracy is now on  Nursing Faculty , part time.

And the five year crowd seems like they were First Year yesterday ....  There are other old students who are still working in Guyana at almost every health care facility in the country ..... and this is a good thing for Guyana.    Anecdotally, it does seem that the exodus of nurses has slowed from a decade or so ago -- and there is still way more Guyana needs to do to keep its skilled nurses, like salary raises, eh?

Martina, Mishea, Alicia and Bibi

Mashun

You Need to Have Vision - Home in the Country

Huge Back Yard - Tilapia pond front

Front of Home 

Back of Home

My friend, Taju, is building a home outside the city and across the river in a small town of Bagotville.  He has always dreamed of having a farm and raising chickens, fish (tilapia), and even pigs.  (He's a liberal Muslim).   He is doing almost all the work himself except for some skilled construction stuff. He has dug by hand the big fish pond -- now really a dirt hole.   When he walked me around last Sunday, as he was talking you could see he had finished everything in his mind.  He works at the farm 6 days a week after starting his day at 4:30am delivering food to the food truck outside the Public Hospital, shopping for supplies and food for the Princess Kitchen,  and sometime after lunch is finished, he heads across to work for several hours before returning at dark to help with the restaurant on Durban.   

I am afraid that I didn't have that much vision..   or energy.   My consciousness is framed by lawns, level ground and sculptured gardens .....  and certainly not by a neighbouring pond with huge alligators -- he has killed one already.   (I tried to convince Taju to make friends with the O'Connor like him, my brother Tony who is a real alligator whisperer.)  

In a compliment to me, he said that he marks his work by a year from where he was last year when I visited Guyana.       And last year this property was bush with no cleared areas or even a bridge...  The neighbours on either side could not even see through the bush to each other. That is progress.   However, I did have to ask myself:  What the hell did I do in that year?  

Enough... probably more than enough for the week.  Thanks for reading with me.

And a welcome to his new home with a Sunday Morning Beer!