Bike Ride To Madarounfa

We had the day off of work for a holiday, so Aaron, Lois, Laura, and I decided to go on an adventure! We took our motorcycles and drove about 45 minutes to Lake Madarounfa, where we had a little picnic. It was really fun and a good excuse to get out and do something active.

Aaron is so happy!

Lois provided the food

Aerial shot!

The road was flooded, so we had to cross this "river"
(Yes, we all got wet...)

The river has been crossed!

Meatfest!

So we had a "Meatfest" here in Danja a few weekends ago, and it was so fun! Now by meatfest, I mean some serious meat...

All of us singles and the Hazell family joined forces for a game night and instead of cooking a bunch of food, we just bought tons of meat in Maradi town! They have street corner grills all over town, so we went to our "chicken guy", the "brochette guy", and then some other guys who sold sheep meat (is that called mutton?)! So we bought a huge leg of lamb that even had ribs attached! It was so tasty and we all felt a bit more "savage" than when we started...

Mosque in the sunset

Waiting for grilled goodness!

Many chickens died...

And a big sheep too...

Mmmm! So darn good!

Luke the "meat modeler"

GRE Test!

So for those of you who don't know, I'm wanting to go to graduate school next year after I get back from Niger. I'm applying for Physical Therapy and Physician's Assistant programs in the California area and hope to start mid-2009.

Anyways, I was planning on taking the GRE test once I got back to the States, study really hard, and do well. Most graduate schools require applicants to take the GRE as part of the application process. Well I found out that if I want to go to school next year, I have to basically take the test by October of this year. One slight problem...I'm thousands of miles away on the edge of the Sahara Desert in Maradi, Niger!

Well thank God there are actually GRE test centers in this part of the world, and even one in Niamey (a mere 10-hr drive from my front porch). But of course the Niamey center only offers the test at the beginning of the year (not so helpful). To make this story a shorter one that it could have been...I'm taking the test in Abuja, Nigeria on Sept. 20! (All that is required is about 8 hrs of discomfort crammed in the back of a bush taxi, a very expensive Nigerian visa, a border crossing, hotel accommodations, a passport, two #2 pencils, and some scrap paper).

But seriously, please be praying with me as I study for this very important test, and that the Lord would work out all the travel, logistics, visa, etc. to Abuja and back.

One big fatty GRE study book (thank you for sending it all the way from the States!)

Yes, proof I'm actually studying...flash cards!
(By the way, it seems like some of these words may have been made up by the test-writers as a joke...let's just say no human would ever use them in a sentence)

Oh darn! Less than a month left until test day...

GRE Word of the Day:

soporific - sleep-causing; marked by sleepiness

(as in...Studying for the GRE is so soporific it is hard to maintain consciousness.)

New Motorcycle!

So finally I was able to buy a bike that I can use to get around town and travel between Danja and Maradi! I bought it from a friend at work, and it runs well. It is a Kasea 125, made in China.

Whenever I start the engine I am greeted by the beautiful voice of a Chinese lady who says to me, "Wehcum to new Kasea motosayeecoh!" Music to my ears, I tell you... and don't worry I did buy a helmet in town that I am using!

Here are some pictures...

Isn't she beautiful?

What a dork!

Sorry, no "Favorite Hausa Phrase of the Day" today...sai hankuri (have patience)!

Leprosy

At the hospital I've been learning a lot about leprosy, so I thought I'd share a bit with you. Here is how you diagnose leprosy (to tell if someone actually has leprosy or not):

Talk to the Person - Questions to Ask

How long has the skin patch been there?
How did it start?
Has it changed?
(usually patches appear slowly)
Do the patches itch?
Is there pain?
(usually not itchy and not painful)
Do you have unusual sensations in your hands or feet, like numbness, tingling, or burning?
(if there are unusual sensations, it could be leprosy)
Have your hands or feet become weaker?
Do you have problems holding or lifting things, or moving your hands and feet?
(loss of strength can be a sign of leprosy)
Have you experienced any social problems?
(often people are ostracized if they have some disability due to leprosy)

Examine the Skin
1) Look for skin patches (may be reddish in color, raised edges)
2) Look for thickening of skin, that is shiny and dry to the touch
3) Look for nodules or lumps (indicates a serious infection)

Can you see the two patches on this man's face?

Test the Feeling in the Skin Patches
1) Patient should close their eyes first
2) Touch the skin patch with cotton wool or the tip of a pen
3) Patient should point to where you touched them
4) Touch normal skin to make sure that the patient understands
(if they cannot feel anything in the skin patch, then they have leprosy)

These patches are a bit easier to see. Note the hard, raised edges and discoloration...

Feel the Nerves
1) Ulnar Nerve
a. Hold the patient’s hand as if you were shaking hands with them
b. Feel around the back of the elbow, from outside in
c. Palpate the nerve between two points of bone and compare to other arm
d. If nerve feels larger in one arm, then it is enlarged
2) Peroneal Nerve
a. Feel for nerve on the outside of the leg, just below the knee
b. Also feel for the nerve behind the knee (it comes from behind the knee and curves around the fibula)
c. If nerve feels larger in one leg, then it is enlarged
3) Enlarged nerves may indicate leprosy
4) Also check for painful nerves (this could indicate leprosy reaction)

Examine Hands and Feet
1) Check for loss of sensation, pain, numbness
2) Look for deformities (bone absorption, degeneration, etc.)
3) Look for ulcers, lesions, wounds
4) Check for dry, cracked skin
(all these could indicate reduced sensation as a result of leprosy)

Most patients in the ward are either ulcer patients, or else they are in reaction (which I'll write about later)

Skin Smear

- if necessary, have a skin smear taken to check for bacteria from leprosy patches

These are shoes that we give to leprosy patients to protect their feet and distribute their weight evenly.

This is the medication we give to treat leprosy. Once they start taking the medicine, they are no longer contagious. This medicine will cure a person completely from their leprosy!

Physical Therapy

While at the hospital in Danja, I work both in the Physical Therapy and Pharmacy departments. I'm enjoying both and staying busy with work. The PT department is joined with the leprosy control/POD (Prevention of Disability) dept, so I have been able to be exposed to quite a wide variety of patients.

I'll be the first to admit that I am not a trained physical therapist, so I'm learning a lot as I work with the local and missionary staff. There is a lot of freedom to be creative and spend time with patients. They are very appreciative for whatever care we can give them. I work most closely with a great Nigerien man named Aboubacar who, though not educated formally, has worked in PT at the hospital for many years. He knows many exercises and stretches to give patients and it's great to work with him.

I also work with an Australian missionary from The Leprosy Mission (TLM) who is a trained occupational therapist with a Master's degree in International Public Health. She's a great friend and has taught me a lot while I've been here. She is the head of the department and also works closely with Adamou and Boube in the POD/Leprosy Control program.

Okay, enough writing. Here are some pictures from the physical therapy department here at CSL Danja...

One of the patients I've been working with for a few weeks now. He's always smiling!

Aboubacar! As a recovered leper, he has lots of knowledge and experience with leprosy patients.

Aboubacar and I...he likes to smile a lot too!

Tchima. She has come a long way recovering from burns all over her backside, legs, and hands.

Helen and Adamou doing some very serious work.

This patient has osteoporosis and could hardly sit up. Now he is learning to stand and walk despite his disability.

One of my favorite patients (is that allowed)? She had severe hip contractures, but now is doing much better and walking with just a slight limp.

Aboubacar working with one of our stroke patients. It is so exciting to see patients improve over the time that they are here! God has made us all with incredible bodies that heal!

Sevilla

From Cordoba we took a short two-hour trip to Sevilla...oh wait, it actually took about 7 or 8 hours, but who's keeping track anyways? On the way we found this really cool Spanish castle from hundreds of years ago! It's the type of castle that you read about in storybooks. It is on the top of a hill with a beautiful 360 degree panoramic view, a river, towers, flags, and even a dungeon.

In Sevilla we stayed at the Novotel Hotel, which is a really nice hotel right in the city. We went to a palace with a beautiful courtyard out front and a fountain. Supposedly they filmed part of one of the Star Wars films there (I think the 2nd one). After a little dip in the fountain (once again, it was a very hot day), we went to the park and rented these tandem bike carts to ride. I was the driver and let's just say we did a little off-roading!

Well that's it for my last stop on vacation in Spain with the Williams...it was too much fun and a sweet glimpse of good times ahead with friends back in the States.

The castle on a hill

Peek-a-boo

What a view!

My new hairstyle...what do you think?

The off-roading machine! We even went down a set of stairs in this bad boy...

Palace in Sevilla

The entire Amaya-Williams family!

Not bad...