Professional Medical Services

While we were in South Africa Grant complained of a tender left elbow. He saw the doctor who said it was inflamed - possibly gout and treated him accordingly. Back in Tanzania, Grant wore an elbow guard (which he said made the pain worse) we rubbed liniment on the area morning and night (which almost had him jumping through the roof) 

Eventually one morning he took himself off the Dr Leonard here at the local hospital. He took one look at Grant's elbow and said he had an abscess. He sent Grant off to the small theater where Nurse John Shoshiwe lanced the abscess, cleaned it and then applied a dressing covered with a bandage. 

The doctor prescribed a course of antibiotics and Grant visited John for a dressing every morning for two weeks. Just before Christmas John declared the wound almost healed and said Grant should come every second day for a dressing. 

This morning I went along with Grant as I had a Christmas card and a gift for John. He is the same man who treated my cat-bite wounds (I had seven)  in October. When I showed my SA doctor the healed wounds, he said that without the professional treatment I'd had here in Mwadui, I could have lost my leg below the knee. 

The card and gift which we gave John this morning. As I opened the Christmas card, Jingle Bells pealed from its innards. Ambrose shot up off his tree perch behind me and hid under the dining table 

John agreed that I could take photos of first the beautifully clean and almost-healed wound and later of him cleaning it and administering the iodine solution. 

John prepares to work on Grant's wound

The wound is almost healed

Grant says (and I remember this) that John works very gently

John cleaned and treated the wound and dressed it. 

Professionally done. As always.

Happy Sunday everyone!