Proud Mum

Children on ward



Mapuordit Cathedral

10th Aug
Well it has been a few weeks since I put pen to paper. No time since Ian came. There has been lots to talk about in the evening, and the days are full in the classroom or on the wards. But I must say the dressing room has a certain attraction to me.

My biggest problem at the moment is how to care for a girl of about 7 years, who fell into the fire (another one), a known epileptic. She has about 30% burns across her chest; stomach, both thighs, through to her buttocks.

She is so good when we do the dressing, but she is in such a mess. We sent Ian off to Rumbek to see if he could purchase a baby bath so we could sit her in it, but not one to be had. Instead we found a large plastic bowl.

So, up to yesterday we were soaking her each morning in salt warm water, so the debriding is happening slowly. After, we are using Silver Sulphadiazine cream with homemade paraffin gauze over it. Tried open dressing, but very hard to keep the flies off her. Each day it takes me about 2 hours and then she is ready for a sleep.

The worry is she may develop contractions as she is very reluctant to move (who can blame her?). Her bed looks like a scene from Florence Nightingale’s day with our one and only very large cast iron bed cradle in place. Just wish we could get Prof Fiona Wood (Australian of the Year 2005 winner for growing skin grafts), to come over and help, that really would be wonderful. Has anyone got her e mail address?

On Tuesday there was a fight in the market which involved a man of about 26yrs being arrowed through the leg (upper thigh). He arrived with the arrow head sticking out about 5 inches, not a pretty sight. Removed yesterday, now daily dressing. An open wound of about 4inches.

I think I must have the most exciting dressing list of anyone I know!

Good news - our student has not got Guinea worm but Larva Migrans. Think it is some other worm, but she is now having treatment and her foot is a lot better. So hope they are all dead and she can get back to sleeping instead of looking out for the head of the worm popping out of her foot!