A Day in the Life...

So I thought that I’d talk about a day in the life of a physal therapist in Cameroon. I wake up at 6:00 AM (12:00AM central time) and take a look at the ground before getting out of bed as to avoid ants, spiders, crickets or cochroaches. All-employee chapel is at 6:40 which includes song and a quick devotional. Worship is so fun here because one person will start a song and then more people will join in in harmony-they don’t use instruments and yet everyone still keeps to the same pitch and pace. Mornings are usually spent going to one of the different wards to check on patients. I’m still not comfortable with writing pain medicine prescriptions or telling a patient how much weight they can really put on their leg as that is not considered within my scope of practice in the States. Each patient has their own caregiver from home with them to bring them food and take care of the patient. We try to see each patient with the caregiver, so they both know the exercises or proper way to walk. Patients still have some difficulty saying things and I have to remember to attempt Cameroonian English- like asking ‘where you feel de heat?’ aka ‘where are you feeling the pain?’ There are also a lot of outpatients coming in for physical therapy. There are so many interesting cases due to a lot of reasons like AIDS, TB, and the fact that most people wait til things are really severe before coming to the hospital. I had a patient who waited 5 months with a broken leg before going to the hospital! Some patients went to a traditional African healer first and have infections from that. I see most patients with one of the other physical therapy staff members so they can translate and that we can both learn from each other in treatment. My goal with the physical therapy department is to emphasize exercises and educate manual therapy skills as these seem to be what they are most lacking. I've also been asked to do some radio broadcasts on various topics such as cerebral palsy and dizziness for the public to recognize symptoms and that they are not in fact, being 'bewitched' and when they need to go to a physician.

Work days get done at about 3. If it's not raining, I go for walks through the villages or hills. Most days during the rainy season- downpours begin around 3 or 3:30 and last for hours! Therefore, I've been doing a LOT of reading to pass the time. Dinner is at 5:30 with another short term missionary physician and his family. They are so nice and make me feel at home. They leave in two weeks and I'm going to miss them!! It usually gets dark around 7, so I usually go to bed early. I'm starting to get semi-comfortable with the hospital system and am brainstorming ways that I can further advance the PT department and patient care.