What the Chitenje!
Wednesday April 20, 2011
Chitenje (say “Shi-ten-jay”) is the Chichewa word for the brightly colored wraps that are pretty much ubiquitous in sub-Saharan Africa. [I know that is a gross generalization but I thought “ubiqutous” sounded better than “common in the five six African countries I have been in.” So pardon the ecological fallacy!]
Anyway. Chitenje. Having now spent… six and a half months here in Malawi I have noticed chitenje (zitenje really as that is the plural form) being used for all kinds of things. I am sure that no Western woman could be as creative with a piece of cloth that is approximately 6 foot by 2 1/2 foot. Uses include:
- Baby sling
- Blanket
- Towel
- Pillow
- Purse
- Fanny pack
- Head wrap
- Tissue
- Pelvis stabilizer (ok, that is one I came up with, but a woman had a really bad broken pelvis and I had nothing else to stabilize it with, so I tied her chitenje really tight around her hips.)
- Diaper
- Skirt (Malawi is very conservative culturally. A woman who wears a pantsuit at work will likely whip a chitenje out of her purse at the end of the day to wear as a wrap skirt for the ride home.)
- Backpack
- Cushion
I am sure there are a lot more but that is what I came up with off the top of my head. And it’s not like a woman is only using one chitenje for one purpose at a time. She might have 2-3 or more zitenjes for different purposes all at once! (A head wrap, skirt and baby sling for instance. Not necessarily matching…)
I will post a picture of the part of the market where they sell the zitenje soon.
And if you’re lucky, I will post a picture of me in a shirt made from chitenje!
Wednesday April 20, 2011
These are both edible and legal. They are also proof that, on average, things are better in Africa!
Anyone who knows me knows that I hate mushrooms. These bright orange ones are actually quite tasty! They still have that weird squishy texture of a mushroom but the flavor is not bad at all.
Update:
Friday March 25, 2011
That three year old from last night was operated on today. She had a condition that needed surgery to correct it. She has been sick for 11 days before getting surgery which is bad. But she has her youth going for her.
She is doing quite a bit better after the surgery, but that is only relative to before surgery. Touch and go for the next few days!
Friday March 25, 2011
This is the view from my front doorway. Now you understand the part of my last post about life here being good…
Stress
Thursday March 24, 2011
So in general, life here is pretty darn relaxing; especially when compared to surgery residency.
I don’t get to work till 7:30 am. I leave by five. Everyday. I have two days off every weekend (in case you’re saying “no duh” in surgery residency having a ”golden weekend” was a special occasion that happened on a less than monthly basis.) I get holidays off (and there are a lot of holidays in Malawi.) I can take a week of vacation pretty much when I want (and I get four weeks!!!)
All of those are because I am taking a year out of surgical residency and would be true no matter where I was spending this year. But there are all the other side benefits that are Malawi specific:
- Cheap, palatable beer (<$1, at the bars!)
- Really good reggae/dancehall
- Interesting people to hang out with
- Lake Malawi
But, and you know a but was coming! I still take call once a week while here. It keeps my skills sharp. Lord knows they need the help at the hospital and I LIKE surgery. But it taking call here is a huge responsibility. Being a doctor anywhere is a huge responsibility, but more so here than in America I feel like. There are fewer resources available for diagnosis so I have to rely a lot more on my physical exam. There are also fewer treatment options available. Tonight I am on call and it’s midnight and I can’t sleep. There is a 3 year old who is really sick. I’m not sure if she needs to be operated on and it is really stressing me out. If she needs an operation and I DON’T do it she might die. If doesn’t need an operation and I do one, she might die. And believe it or not, surgeons aren’t gods!!! (haha) So I can’t be certain. That is one of the awesome things about surgery; having to make serious, black and white decisions on sometimes nebulous very gray information. It is an huge responsibility.
Which is why I am blogging, I can’t sleep.
Surviving quite nicely
Thursday February 3, 2011
I’d apologize about the lack of posts. But I don’t have any good excuses to tack on at the end. I guess life just feels normal here now. It’s harder to think of things to write when I’ve adjusted (mostly) to this place.
I do miss snow though. I’m sure if I was in Rochester I’d be heartily sick of brushing my car off at this point. But since I am in Lilongwe, Malawi where it is in the 80s pretty much every day, I miss the snow.
I made this for dinner tonight. It was pretty good. Topped it with two sauces, almonds, golden raisins and some daikon/carrots/onion sauted in soy sauce and soybean oil. It was tasty. In fact a roommate said it’s the best thing he’s had to eat since coming to Malawi. Granted, he’s only been here a month and Lilongwe is not exactly a foodie Mecca. But even faint praise is flattering!
Friday January 28, 2011
African English
Thursday December 30, 2010
I have started to pick up some different and interesting phraseology while spending time in Africa.
- “I am coming.” (When excusing yourself, instead of saying “I’ll be right back.”)
- “Even me…” (When agreeing with someone or sharing a similar story.)
- “Nice journey.” (Really, it’s more efficient than “Have a good trip.”)
I’m sure there are more but I can’t think of them at the moment. But when I get home 7 months from now I’m sure you will all delight in laughing at me when I use them!
Monday December 13, 2010
10 year old male. Presents to casualty after falling from a mango tree. Tachycardic, hypotensive. Abdomen tender and distended. Hemoglobin 5.5. Reportedly, frank blood aspirated from the abdomen at the district hospital.
Only ever done one splenectomy before. Only surgeon there. What if it’s the wrong call? It’s the right call for sure, but what if it’s wrong?!?!
Patient on table, asleep. Prep. Drape. Open abdomen. BLOOD! Take down the ligaments. Flip spleen out. Clamp hilum. Clamp short gastrics.
It’s in the bucket. Breathe. Now sew him back up.
Sometimes…
Thursday December 9, 2010
A lot of patients die here. Patients who would probably live if there were more resources.
To be perfectly honest, I get used to it. Mostly. Guess you can get used to anything.
Who am I kidding? When a baby dies of a curable disease, I get so angry. In that sad kind of rage where I want to punch a whole in the wall and scream. At the US government who’s crop subsidies keep African farmers impoverished. At the hospital director, as if he could conjure extra clinicians. The overworked nurse who has 30 other patients. At the parents who waited to long to bring a sick child to the hospital because it’s the middle of planting season. At the traditional healer who tries to cure things like appendicitis by rubbing herbs into small nicks in the skin. Myself for not knowing/doing enough. God.
