Winter etc in Nepal

Someone reminded me I haven't done anything with my blog for a long time and so I just thought some of you would like to know how we are surviving the vicious winter here in Banepa. For those of you whjust wanted to see pictures I have included a few to let you know how cold it is here, inside and

out. The temp outside our window this morning was 41 and inside 58. Since the hospital has no central heating it is similar, as the one patient I photographed this morning at 9 am. demonstrates. He was very pleased to have his

picture taken and at noon he was sitting in the courtyard of

the hospital with his wife enjoying the sunshine along with many others and asked if I would please take another picture of him with his wife. At this point the air temp has risen to almost 65 and in the direct sunlight it is quite pleasant.

The problem is in preserving the heat of the day for the night. The other photo shows our unsophisticated effort toward this end with the four 25 liter containers and reflector making hot water for an evening bath. How hot it gets depends partly on the time the morning fog lifts but mainly on the intensity of the sun. I cover the jugs at night so the temp won't drop so low; eight am temp in the jugs is usually about 65-70 if the previous day was good and by noon the temp of water is 85-95 and by 4 pm it should be above 100 on a good day, 115 on a really sunny day.

Back to patients. While we see many problems similar to what would be expected in the USA we also have some unusual, or I should say unfamiliar ones. Late last week a 14 yr girl was admitted with a collection of pus in the right chest (empyema); certainly unusual in my experience but rather common in Nepal. The staff tell me most of these are from TB. Of course this had to be drained with a chest tube and when I saw her this morning on rounds I learned more about her problems, probably unrelated to the empyema. In the last year she has been having "seizure" problems and at such times she often grasps her neck and appears to be trying to choke herself in addition to twitching of the eyes and epileptic like muscular contractions. The witch doctor (a relative of the family) didn't charge much but told her the problem was someone had put a curse on her. He proceeded with some incantations, applied some red paste to the forehead and the girl seemed to calm down and feel better. The family has taken her to the "doctor" six or seven times over the last year. Interestingly, no other members of the family have tried out the witch doctor. The junior doctors seemed amused by the story so I suggested they take the story seriously because at least I believed such forces existed. The girl will be with us at least another week so we will see what more we can learn from the family as to what they believe.

Another problem we see with disturbing regularity is suicide and attempted suicide. The favorite form is to take organo-phosphate used in farming. I think we see at least a case a week. This compound slowly shuts down the respiratory system and untreated of course they die. Medication is primarily injectable atropine and many high does must be given with the patient being observed in ICU. Most of these patients are young women, which is understandable considering they are destined largely to a life of hard labor and multiple child births after being first bartered off to a husband five to ten years older, the decision being made by her father and primarily based on economic considerations. If they are not working in their family's fields they may hire out to carry baskets on their backs loaded with dirt, rocks, bricks or any other commodity needing transport, each basket load being about 70 pounds or more and for this they get about $1.25 USD per day. Little wonder that one of the most common problems among these women is a prolapsed uterus.

Another significant distraction is the relative lack of law and order which leads to disorder. The most common form is the "Bandha", pronounced like "bond". This is usually instigated by a political faction in an effort to let the government know they are unhappy and about which the government seems to have little or no control. But a "Bondha" also may come at the decision of a power faction such as the petroleum companies. Once a "Bandha" is called, all public transport through out the country comes to a halt, stores and shops all close and on the bright side, the air becomes less polluted. Buses or trucks or even motorbikes move at risk of being accosted or stoned. If you were planning on leaving on a plane and are fortunate enough to be at a major hotel in Kathmandu a government convey may get you to the airport. But being stoned does not require a political action party. Last week a prominent hospital in Kathmandu was "attacked" by stone throwers because a patient died and the family blamed the doctors, insisting they were not being allowed to see the patient in the ICU. Our hospital has also had to deal with such threats but so far never actually carried out.

Well, that is enough for now, so here are the few pictures.

Carlyle and Lora

Real Missionaries see Baboons

Yesterday morning I checked on the owlets and they are all still there but not so small as before. A little while later in the morning I heard them making this loud noise as well as other birds . I thought, what can be making them so agitated? I looked our another window and saw what looked like a small baboon walking across a brick fence between these apartments and the house next door under the tree where the birds are always sitting. I went looking for the camera but with all our moving in and out, I could not find it. So I just watched. He sat on the wall a few minutes then walked on a water pipe across to another building that is 4 stories. He walked around on a ledge and sat on the balcony where I sometimes see the residents leave left over rice for the crows (Imagine wanting to feed these noisy crows which are nearly as big as a raven and make so much noise!). Anyway, the monkey baboon sat there but there was no food coming so he walked on their balcony rail and out of sight for me.

When I told our other family I saw a baboon, the father gently pointed out that Nepal does not have baboons but it is some other animal that looks like it. He ask me to describe it and I said it had no tail and an ugly behind! He told Carlyle the name but Grandpa can't remember it. So I am calling it the Nepalese baboon.

That family has not seen it yet. They told me to call them if I see it again. Their house is just on the other side of the partial brick wall.

Yesterday I expected a helper to come help wash and clean dresser drawers again. By ten o'clock she had not come. She works for the other family. I went over to check and discovered she was quite ill. Has the same thing we all have had, I guess. So they offered to call one of the students for me. The student's english name is Eunice. She was happy to come. She needs to earn her entrance to school (11th grade this year which they call college) She needs 3.000 Rupee which is about $350. I had several laughs with her. She was a good worker . She is quite assertive, sometimes to her detriment. Our small living room looked bad since we have 11 walmart containers setting against the wall and the furniture was sort of just on the other side pushed here and there. Her first comment was 'we need to decorate' meaning we needed to arrange things in the room. I told her I would do that when we had the boxes emptied. Then she wanted to open the boxes and take care of that. Later when I sat down to eat I saw a small decorative mirror with a picture on it stuck on the wall where there was an existing nail. In the kitchen she thought I should put nails along the wall to hold the large stirring spoons and utensils. Later, in a unstructured moment she did 'decorate' the living room by moving all the furniture flat against the wall on two sides. That looked good to her. I pulled the one recliner type chair out and showed her how it works and explained it could not be flat against the wall. Oh, yes, she also told me I needed to get a carpet on all the floor. I said, why? She said, it is too cold for my feet. Her english is pretty good so I am thinking to ask her to come help me learn at least my Nepali numbers from her. She will earn as much in an hour teaching english as she does all day working in the house. She wanted to come again today and every day. I will wait until I have moved the boxes out of the living room so it won't trouble her so. Actually, she just wanted to see what was inside. Curiously, in 'college' they have class from 6am until 9:30 am only. Then they are free the rest of the day. I expect that is so they can work too.

Last night we opened 3 boxes. It is largely up to me to find a place for things so after the 3rd box I was ready to stop for the day! It was a long day, lots of scrubbing , sorting and such. I had been up since 5 and was ready to recline.

We did have the electricians arrive and fix the two plug ins that were broken and hanging out of the wall. Also the furniture people came that we had talked to on Friday. They gave us an estimate of how much it will cost to have the furniture recovered and refurbished. We decided to do it ourselves. We have not asked permission. Now it will be clean and smell better. I will put naugehyde (fake leather) on it in a neutral putty color. He said, it will be just like new. And I said, and will it last a long time?? Oh, yes, of course. I should have clarified what a 'long time' meant to him. It will cost $235 to do the couch and two chairs. We did not bring enough U.S. currency and we do not get paid enough here to cover our food and utilities (some of our income is deposited in the States) so we will need to figure out how to get some more money to use here. I think Carlyle says the hospital will accept a personal check without penalty. Actually there is a penalty as they give you a little less in exchange rate than at the bank, about 1 rupee per dollar less.

I also walked over to a village carpenter shop and had him come look at my needs. I want a small table that will set over the gas canister in the kitchen and I can set the water filter on it. Then I want an L shaped table here in the room we have dedicated to the computers and my sewing to put the sewing machine on and to give me some sort of desk. I keep using Carlyle's computer since mine is inconvenient at the moment. He said I could come over today to find out what it will cost and if I want to do it.

The neighbor, Sonia, called and was very distressed. She had arranged to have the piano tuned at the place where we have church. She did not ask anyone. The tuner said there were keys to fix etc and it would take 3 sundays to get it done. When she checked on his work yesterday it was a mouth dropping experience. She is rather timid in some ways. She said he was trimming the piano in gold! Where it had been banged up and chipped he put gold on it; She said to him, when she could find her voice, but I don't like gold. Oh, Maam you will like it. It is very nice. No, she said, I just asked you to tune the piano not paint it. But he remonstrated with her that it looked much better this way. So she was very nervous. She is a little afraid of the administrator, Lincoln Morikone, and she says what will he say??!! I said, Oh, don't worry. His wife, Drucy loves shiny stuff. Her curtains and clothes are decorated in sequin type things so maybe they will think it is lovely. She said she would hire a carpenter to come sand it off and varnish it properly....

Life in Nepal.

The days are delightfully warm and the nights cool (we now have uncovered a thermometer in our stuff and it reads about 60) No rains for the last two days so the farmers are busy trying to harvest rice.

Carlyle has a very drippy nose but he says he is now getting better.

I made a big pot of cornmeal/wheat cereal yesterday for breakfast and there is enough so we can heat it in the microwave (the microwave is quite small, I discovered) whenever we want a hot cereal. That will not be Carlyle's first choice.

So that is the news from here. Love to all.

Lora P.S. I use this computer since it is on an existing desk instead of my own. When I have a space to work then I will use the computer with my name on it.

Sabbath at Scheer Mem. Hospital

Dear Family and friends,

Today we had a first again. The first communion service here. it was a little confusing as the location was not well understood. However, Carlyle and I met someone as we were on our way to church who said the service would not be in the school, but in the church meeting room as usual. So we went there. Found we were the only westerners there at first. Carlyle was supposed to have the lesson study for the english group. They found a place for us to meet but the english group did not know about it. They came in little by little.

But the more interesting part was the communion. When they separated for the foot washing, men on one side (outside) of the church and the women on the other. It was raining a little but they had set up basins around a flower bed which had a concrete border around it. The women sat on that. Never mind that it was a little wet. the basins were more than symbolic. They were ample in size. The water was cold, of course. They gave us two little towels. I wondered if we were to use one for each foot but I was not sure so used only one and then gave my partner the other one for my feet. I participated with a guest from Africa. The basins were bright orange color. After you had finished you then stood on the sidewalk while others sat to wash. Those on the sidewalk sang as we waited for everyone to finish. It still was raining a bit. We prayed together and then returned to the church. There was no problem with nylons etc. as folk here all wear sandals or flip flops for foot wear.

The remainder of the service was very similar to how we do the wine in the states. Although they ran out of wine cups in one of the trays and instead of just handing the next tray to the server, they put the little glasses into his tray and then he finished serving his side.

It was a very nice service and did not seem so ritualistic as it sometimes does at home.

In the afternoon we foreigners served lunch to the guest and there were quite a number. Then at 4 pm I agreed to hike up the mountain to the little home at the very top of this hill where they sing and tell a couple of bible stories to the children. It takes an hour to get up there going up hill almost all of the way. One or two slightly plateau areas but mostly uphill on very rocky road/path. Before we got to the top some small children came running out to us, fighting over who could hold our hand as we climbed and talked (or yelled) at us and then giggled as we walked. I finally convinced them there was another group coming so they abandoned me and went back to the other group. They sing some children's songs and tell a couple of stories. They finished just about sundown and we hurried down the mountain. It was quite dark by the time we were home again. I have tentatively agreed to take care of the story time next week as the woman who usually is leading will be with the pathfinders for the afternoon. I plan to leave at least a half hour earlier so we are not walking home when it is so dark. The road is not smooth or easy to walk on anytime and especially in the dark.

So this grandmother felt like I had a full day and I am ready for a bath. Now that is a little problem too. After Carlyle finished showering last night and it was my turn, I discovered we had run out of gas and there was no longer any hot water. I filled a bucket at the kitchen sink _ that water is heated with electricity but in the bathroom it is a gas in line heater-- took that bucket of water to the shower and had my 'bath'. Guess it will be the same tonight. Hopefully, we can get a new gas canister tomorrow. I was fearful that we would also run out of gas while heating the food at lunch time as one burner seems to have stopped working but we managed to get everything heated.

Tonight I whizzed up the left over peas and potatoes and gave Carlyle split pea soup,. I ate the juice from the beans at lunch time. So that was easy.

On the way down the hill I walked with one of the young women who works for the other family. I asked about her history. Her english is not always so clear but as much as I could piece her story it sounds like she want sent down to Banepa area to be a maid for one of the women who happened to be Christian. The girl was Hindu, as are most of the Nepali. Apparently the lady liked her and decided she should marry her son. The girl's brother was happy for this arrangement. Her mother was a third wife so the girl never knew her father and apparently the brother was the acting head of the family. Anyway, the marriage did not please the lady's son. He had a different girlfriend. He was 24 or 26 and this girl was 14. They were married but he was not good to her for a few years. She says now he is good and the girl friend married someone else. She seems like a very sweet and thoughtful girl. She was very kind and generous toward the young girls up at the story telling house. She had her first baby between 15 -16 years of age and from her story it was quite difficult and neither she nor the baby did well at first. She says her Christian mother-in-law prayed and prayed for us and then my baby got better and now I am strong. She is 24 or 26 years old now and has two sons..

That is the end for today.

Lora

The Main Drag

As you might guess, the main drag is the road connecting Kathmandu with towns on the periphery of the valley. I have been trying to capture, at least in a small way, the experience of traveling this route. I really don't think I can, in so far as one at least needs video and all the other senses applicable to a potholed road, severe traffic congestion, major air pollution, severely erratic driving habits, etc. All told, it must be as exciting as the rides at the midway of the county fair, depending on one's age. Whatever, here are a few pictures, mostly taken

from the window of the hospital vehicle.

Swinging in Nepal

Three days ago we looked out our window at the hillside about a mile away and saw someone swinging from some kind of device. We are nearing the end of the biggest festival of the year and suspected there was some relationship. Day before yesterday we decided to investigate. Making a large swing is one way to celebrate the festival for the children and this is what we found. The four poles are bamboo trees that have been stuck in the ground in the arrangement of a square then tied together with a cross piece up about twenty feet with a heavy rope making the swing. As I look out my window right now the swing seems to be in constant use and with a little scouting around one finds these swings put up in many locations including one just out side the local temple. Of course putting them up on a hillside simply makes the ride a bit more exciting as the bamboo trees do bend a bit. The following pictures further support how much fun it is and as you can guess the locals insisted, without too much resistance, that we try it too.

The Battle of the Bugs

The battle lines are drawn and we are finally taking taking the offense. We had been aware of apparent bedbugs in the apartment from our brief stay last spring and the management agreed to at least thoroughly clean the premises and spray but there also seemed some uncertainty as to what might be available beyond that. Not long after returning it became apparent this would not be enough and we went to the internet to find professional pest control facilities in Kathmandu. In addition we were able to capture several of the little beasties and preserve them between pieces of scotch tape for confirmation. With this evidence as well as the somewhat characteristic bites the hospital administration was mobilized and went with us to see the professionals of extermination.

Yesterday they came and fumigated the entire 4-plex and locked the main door for 24 hours. They are supposed to open it for a 4 hour airing this afternoon and hopefully we will be back in this evening. I say hopefully since this morning no one seems to know where the key is to the main door and the lock may have to be removed. This is the first time in our 14 years in Asia we have had bedbugs and I can certainly tell you I hope it will be the last. The creatures do not carry disease but the bite incites a severe allergic response with intense itching which tends to last a week to ten days. Two or three bites can be a major distraction and this led to a serendipitous finding. Seeking some kind of counter irritant therapy I tried Vics with little effect and then thought while in the shower to try heat followed by cold on my arm. After a few minutes of water as hot as I could tolerate on the area of my arm affected I then switched to cold and afterwards the relief was substantial and fairly long lasting. Lora tried the same with significant relief as well. We aren't ready to write this one up but it did seem to work and the heat seemed the primary agent.

Assuming we get into our apartment later today we will also run the clothes all through the dryer. This actually is a recognized treatment and other things such as suitcases will be put in the non-ventilated laundry room and subjected to a pesticide fogger. Hopefully the battle will be turning in our favor by the end of the weekend but the pest control people will come back in a week to 10 days and give a second treatment trying for a "clean sweep". Stay tuned and don't scratch.

Carlyle

Branch Sabbath School

I mentioned going to a branch Sabbath School up in the hills previously. Here is an expanded report from the s

ame location along with a few pictures.

We left the hospital about 4:15 pm. You have to keep in mind English Church services finish about 1:30 and by the time everyone was fed and visited it was about that time.The winding rocky rutted and steep road led us to a small village approximately 800 ft higher than the hospital which is at 4750 ft elevation. On the way we happened on a scare crow in a patch of corn. The laundry director who went along to give the devotional said the farmers hope it will also scar the tigers away. Although it is hard to find anyone who has actually seen a tiger everyone believes many lives have been lost over the years from tiger attacks, especially children. Ironically, if you search the net on tigers in Nepal almost all the information is about concern over the

diminishing number of tigers in Nepal.

I think there were at least 40 children listening intently to the stories and health lectures as well as enthusiastically joining in singing. The short term visiting dentist from LLU had found a book with pictures illustrating dental hygiene which had an explanation on the back in Nepali which allowed one of the Nepali teenagers in our group to read the explanation of each picture, then the dentist answered questions through a translator. Two Nepali teenagers from our group (pathfinders) led the whole group in a rousing Christian song in the local language. A picture roll was then used to illustrate the story of creation followed by a devotional by one of the church members from our local congregation. At the close tooth brushes were handed out.

In the middle of the program a goat got loose and managed to get several bites of fresh greens before being shooed away.

Was it worth it? This girl’s smile along with her new friend tells the story. Anna is a pre nursing student at Union College, here teaching in the grade school for a year.