Joining the Team

Jan. 16, 2008

Niamey, Niger

10:12 pm

Today I met the team. The medical team, that is. Within the last week or so it has worked out for me to join this short term medical team from Oklahoma that just arrived yesterday. We will be going to several towns near Niamey to hold day clinics, pass out meds, and treat patients. On the team there are four doctors (ER, OB/GYN, Pediatrician, Family Practice) and two nurses, along with some others to help out. There is also a well-drilling branch of the team, but I’ll be working with the medical side.

So today I spent many hours taking pills from bottles, then putting them into plastic bags. This was after I labeled the plastic bags. Yep. Pretty exciting. Then I took some different pills and put them into other bags that I’d labeled with my Sharpie pen.

Of course I got to talk with other people from the team and get to know them a bit. I heard doctors’ stories which were pretty cool, and got more of an insider’s view into the medical field. Oh yeah, and we ate some great food! Tuna sandwiches for lunch, and for dinner we had spaghetti which nearly brought me to tears it was so good!

Anyways, time to go.