The Clinic pays off again....

Unexpectedly, I needed the clinic today. Each week we have at least one need for the clinic just from our own visitors and crew. Today, unexpectedly, I became the most serious trauma case to date.

Lele pulled up with the tractor complaining about the mower. So, we got the mower off and the blades were really blunt. So we decided to remove and sharpen them. Seeing that they were so blunt that they were worn as smooth as a bald man's head, I took hold of the blade and applied the socket set. What I had not seen was that the blade had shattered on the other side and was sharper than a razor blade. The slice into my left palm was deep, and the pain shot up my arm.

With Lele and two of the new students watching the blood spurted, and started to pour. I immediately applied direct pressure and called for the vehicle to take me to the MoM Helen Himsworth Mini-Clinic on the other side of the airfield.

The option to got the nearest hospital, and taking a four to six hour round trip ran through my mind. However, Patricia opened the clinic and as I released the hand pressure over the sink - the blood ran thick, deep red and in rivers. It was probably the second worst cut I have ever had. In an ideal world I would reach for a suture, but we do not have sutures in stock yet. We only have the 3M brand self adhesive butterfly type stitches With the hand cleaned and the flap of skin and tissue looking like a fresh baby butterfly steak, it was time to try to get it all together. The first two butterfly stitches simply washed off as the blood oozed under their adhesive. A bit more alcohol to clean the skin and six more stitches applied quickly and the skin looked like it would hold.

Fortunately, we also have some op-site in stock, not only would it hold it all together, but also provide a sterile environment to the wound site - especially since the TV crew from ZDF Germany had just arrived too, and those blades needed sharpened still... and the show must go on! Two pain killers, a clean bandage over the hand and some tongue depressor splints to prevent the hand flexing... and the rest of the day ran as normal (but the ZDF film shows me with a big white bandage on my left hand!)

The availability of appropriate supplies, in a clean environment without the time delay, and associated risks, of getting to the nearest hospital, seems to have yielded a positive result once again.

The best moment came as I returned to the workshop and Deborah came up to me and stated 'You should have worn gloves - you need to remember your appropriate PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)! At least we provide practical training and real life incidents (but wish to avoid any more personal injuries!) and for a student from the village to have the confidence to tell me that I did it wrong, after less than three months, is amazing!

It is clear that the mini-clinic is going to be have a massive impact next year, as Marcel, and others, come out and provide the extra training to ensure that it provides a service to those in need in an even more timely and efficient manner.

Thank you to all who have helped get the clinic ready - I personally appreciate it today!

Getting a load….

We urgently needed to get some stones from the local quarry to make some concrete. So, Jonathan and I went off for a few miles down the road in the Trusty Truck. As we came to the quarry, which lies at the end of a horribly rutted dirt road, it seemed like an almost surrealistic place with monstrous conveyor belts clanking away all day. They were joined in their cacophonous symphony by a pair of (rather nice-looking) hammer mills banging away on some poor rocks, which they turned into stones for our concrete.

We were told to park the Trusty Truck for loading, and it looked dreadfully puny when a huge bulldozer approached. The vast shovel was full of stones which threatened to (a) pulverize the truck and then (b) to bury it. We stood with bated breath, but fortunately the skilled operator was pretty careful, and didn’t give the truck that almighty whack that we were expecting, but we could see the truck bed groaning under the weight of the stones.

Off we went, at a slow crawl, hoping that the tiny tires would not burst in the heat on that rutted road, but they held out bravely, and we arrived back home on the airfield with the Trusty Truck more or less unscathed.

You’ll find out more about the concrete in a future blog – coming soon!

Just part of living in West Africa

The rains have started and so has the increase in mosquitos... and Malaria....

I am not immune, and after a busy week, and being run down, have all the symptoms of this parasitic disease.

Fortunately, I have access to the latest medication, costing nearly $10 for the course... That is several days wages for many people here.

The symptoms hit me on a check flight and I immediately grounded myself. The modern medication, if taken early and the full course taken, takes effect in a matter if hours, and completely cures. I expect to be back to full operations very quickly.

We must remember that for many, this malaria season will mean a lot of sickness, loss of schooling, loss of productivity, complications in other sickness, and for some loss of life.

Former students

As a lecturer on college and university courses in the UK, I had the privilege of teaching some amazing young people. Often I would use aviation and African themes in my delivery.
Many of those students are still in contact via the wondrous social media of today. One of the most wonderful parts of my day is to check on Facebook, my email and Twitter for their latest news.

The support and encouragement that they give is immeasurable. Thank you to all my ex-students for your support, moral, financial, in equipment and through simply staying in contact.

Remember you all need to come out and visit! I have homework for you!