Happy Thanksgiving!

11/26/09
Last few days have been busy. Yesterday I stayed home to care for the villagers while most of the others went to the hospital in Maesot with several patients (generally a whole day project.) I did have a translator most of the time, thankfully! Looked in a sore mouth (quickly decided I was inept!), little girls with scabies, baby with diarrhea, a few women wanted there blood pressures taken, and did several malaria tests, among other things. Two little girls ended up with pf malaria so I got to give my first pills! That scares me. I don't take lightly to giving medications I don't know very well - especially to kids. But with the help of a few phone calls we got it figured out and it was good experience.
I've just recently learned of the possibilty of taking a 6 month medic course here. It's created for medics on the front lines, I believe, so it should be really great. I just have to have a little better grasp on the language first as it's taught in Karen. There's also a doctor here who I may be able to shadow to learn more.
Right now one of my biggest goals is to speak the language - Karen (pronounced as kurin) - fluently. I'm working on learning to read and write it. I forgot a lot of what I did know while I was back in the States and it was very discouraging to begin with, but most of it's finally starting to come back! It's such a huge handicap to not be able to speak. It's especially hard in Thailand as I speak next to no Thai. My total vocabulary basically consists of the words hello, thank-you, and vegetarian (truly vital!:) But I don't see myself learning a considerable amount of Thai anytime in the near future. Over here I'm not only illiterate, but, for all intents and purposes, most of the time might as well be deaf and dumb as well.:) It can truly be humbling at times, trust me...:)
But the possibilities are really exciting!
I'm in Maesot right now as we had to take a little boy from a nearby village to the hospital. I didn't even realize it was Thanksgiving 'til I got on the internet. Happy Thanksgiving everybody!:) I hope you guys are all having a great one and keeping in mind how blessed we really are!