The nature of my work changes when I go on vacation. I tend to lose my patients since they aren’t too good at thinking very far into the future. That is, if I tell a patient not to come next week but rather the week after, I’ll likely never see them again… I guess they just get used to not coming and it slips their mind. Who knows? At any rate, a lower case load gives me more time to finish off projects which is great!
I have some catching up to do with my blog…During the week of January 5, 2009, Phil came to work with me to try to fix our hopeless computers plagued with viruses. On Tuesday night, MC, Claudine, Sabine, Phil and I went to a “local’s” restaurant called Chez Alain to eat porcupine! Unfortunately, even though we had called and ordered it, they didn’t have any. Instead, they gave us what Phil coined “mystery meat” and what they seemed to say was beaver! I haven’t had the time yet to verify if beavers actually exist here…I doubt it. What the meat was, we’ll never know. Some pieces had hair on them and I didn’t eat much because I wasn’t so hungry. It was ok to the taste (I avoided the hairy pieces). Our hosts explained how the animal is hunted and tried to describe it to us. The more they talked about it, the more it seemed as though we had eaten huge rats!
After our interesting time at the restaurant fuelled by wine, Phil complained of nausea (and not because he had over-drank) during our walk home. I’ll refrain from giving the details but keywords to describe the hellish night are: diarrhoea, multiple, vomit, mess, lying on bathroom floor. Phil being my guest, I lovingly stayed by him during his explosions from within. The next morning, we were both non-operational. I still had my everlasting cold and he was dehydrated and couldn’t keep anything in him (even water). We therefore went to the doctor (the same one I had been to before). We got so many medication prescriptions that for the days that followed, we felt like an elderly couple popping pills all day long! The doctor was perplexed by the fact that I was still ill. She sent me for a consult with the ORL. I missed work that day.
The next day, I got my blood tested again (for the second time in the week since they’d lost my results the first time) for malaria. Phil stayed home to recuperate. I tried to get an appointment with the ORL specialist but this was im
possible seeing as how she’s the only one in the province and she was sick herself. In the end, I went on internet and confirmed that it might make sense to take on of the antibiotics I had brought from
(image left: our campement was very beautiful; our hut in the background)
Friday, both Phil and I were feeling better. Alleluhiah (or for muselmans, Alhramdulilah) for antibiotics! After my day at work, we headed off to northern Casamance, destination: Abéné. We had a very uncomfortable ride, being squished i
n the back of a station wagon with severe exhaust problems. But it was worth it once we got to our campement by the ocean named the Kossey. I had been there before and really loved it because you stay in a hut in a beautiful garden by the beach + food is delicious + no electricity so candles and lanterns instead!
(image right: sunset on beach in front of campement)
We stayed there four days (yes, I missed two more days 
of work!), having a blast and relaxing. There wasn’t much to do which suited us fine… each day, we woke up late, ate breakfast, went for long walks on the beach, read, watched awesome sunsets, showered, had delicious evening meal and went to bed early.
(Image left: candle-lit dinners ; lots of fresh fish! mmm!)
The setti
ng was most romantic, the air was pure and calm and the scenery was beautiful. The mini vacation delighted us both and the high quality relaxation enabled us both to get back on our feet.
(Image right: baobab tree by the beach)
For the first time in a month, I feel normal! My energy level has returned and I can breath when I lie on my back! My only remaining ailment is that my left nostril is still very blocked… and I`m severely out of shape!
Wednesday, I returned to work refreshed. It was an unsual day since m
y supervisor had asked me to give a lecture on the prevention of bed wounds to a class of nurses.
(Image left: me watching the sunset in peace)
As soon as I got to work at 8 am, Abba and I left for the school and I gave my two hour lecture. I have to admit that I was not looking forward to this since I hate speaking in front of crowds. But it went surprisingly well since I was well prepared (and I had given presentations on the subject before). I always thought I`d hate being a
professor, but I actually enjoyed myself! I liked interacting with the students; keeping their attention, answering their questions, making them laugh ever now and then, etc. I find I`m really lucky to be getting experience in all sorts of things I never thought I`d do!
(Image right: Phil and I eating breakfast in the gardens)
When I got back to the hospital, I saw a patient (hemi stroke) who I`ve been working with for the past two months or so. He`s only 36 years old! I did a work site treatment session with him before the holidays and also evaluated his ability to ride a bike for he was unable. I 
gave him a plethora of recommendations and was happy to see that he had carried them out successfully. Because of my intervention, work was going a lot better and he was now able to ride a bike! I love having an impact on people`s quality of life like that!
(Image left: a man enjoying his well earned vacation...)
It being my last full day with Phil, we went shopping for souvenirs, a drink by the fleuve Casamance and a romantic diner. He came to work with me on the next day since his flight was only at 5:30 pm. For lunch, we went back home along with MC and Claudine for a good-bye lunch with my family. We ate a delicious thie boujdien (national meal – fish and rice) and s
hortly after, headed to the airport. It was sad to bid farewell to Phil but not half as hard as when I left him in September since we`ll be seeing each other in one month! Suffice to say that during my walk home alone, my head was pretty low. In the evening, I joined the usual suspects for a modern dance show at the cultural centre. It was mediocre.
(Image right: Me, Phil and El Hadj on the day of his departure)
Friday was busy with preparing reports for work, planning the rest of the trip with the girls and doing a home visit. My patient has been tetraplegic for twenty years and has asked all the previous Occupational Therapists in my position to see him. Its amazing how we all have such different ideas for different interventions. He is awesome to work with and I wish I he had appeared on my caseload sooner! I installed a bed helper to help him get out of bed independently with *a lot* less effort, showed him a more comfortable way to eat, discussed modifications for his toilet (currently transfers onto a toilet only a couple of inches above the ground!) and most importantly, discussed the construction of a ramp into his house.
The man is independent for everything except for getting in and out of his home! Home modifications are not my forte, so I`m now going to have to review my algebra for calculating/designing the ramp. Hoorah for me…years ago, I debated becoming an engineer; now is my chance to do some!
(Image left: the delicious thie boudjien!)
In the afternoon, I went to buy my boat tickets for my final departure from Ziguinchor. I decided that I`ll be skipping town a little sooner and will visit St-Louis (historic city in north of the country) with the girls. I`ll also be going to
My afternoon sped by quickly since I had to wash my underwear (by hand) and meet a teacher regarding ultimate frisbee. Indeed, my friend Lou Lou (the guy who has helped me get ultimate going) put me into contact with a gym teacher who is interested in teaching the sport to his students. Nothing about the rendez vous went according to plan, but in short, I`ll be teaching students between the ages of 11 and 13 next Tuesday as a part of their phys ed class :) I am truly happy to get this opportunity to try and introduce the sport here! As to the fact that within the space of one week, I`ll have given a phys ed class and a lecture to nursing students, I`m a little perplexed!
I returned to the cultural centre in the evening for a meal (yes, they are so good!) and another modern dance show which was a complete and utter disappointment. I think it’s the worst production I`ve ever seen. It was an absurd Spanish production with two ladies who didn`t even dance much and had no meaning. At least it was short. I found my 15 minute stargazing session on my rooftop far more entertaining.
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