One of the goals of bringing James to America was to give him a complete medical check up since he has been working so hard under not so good conditions. It is not easy to maintain good health in a country where medical facilities are sparsely supplied and medical staff hindered by the lack.
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| James delivering supplies from Nazareth House Apostolate to Kroo Bay Clinic, Freetown, SL |
As James waits in the waiting room, he thinks about back home in Sierra Leone. His wait was short compared to the hours and hours a patient waits to see a doctor in Salone. ...and then sometimes having not been seen, the patient will have to return tomorrow in hopes of a chance to be attended by a physician.
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| A bit apprehensive James waits to see what is in store for him. |
Yesterday, at Clark County Family Medical Facility in Indiana, the doctor and staff gave James a complete physical including lab work.
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| Pulse: normal |
This Medical Clinic has long been supporters of NHA
and we are most grateful for them. The doctor checks him out...
a flu shot is ordered
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| James was not alone in getting a flu shot, Seraphim received one, too. |
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| James was a very good patient and received a Christmas Lollypop! |
Next an ECG was ordered. James had no idea what this entailed or what it was for.
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| A misspell on his name, but James is ready for testing.... |
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| Wired and test activated, results proved normal I was delighted in that at each test, results were normal. For a young man who has had chronic bouts of malaria, suffered chlorea, had Yellow Fever and Typhoid, James seems to be considerably healthy. From the Clinic in Clarksville we had orders for lab work at the hospital, so it was off to the hospital.  James was astonished, "This is a hospital, mom?" "Oh, it looks like a fancy hotel!"  |
James got a dose of our "red tape" as we registered him at the hospital, complete with Hospital I.D. bracelet, etc. He was shocked at how quickly and professional the experience was.
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| James was amazed by the friendly, caring, respectful attention he received. Being a West African, used to sweltering heat, James has suffered from the cold here in Kentucky. The temperatures have been well below freezing and despite the bright sunshine, James teeth perpetually chatter - even bundled up. You'll notice during the ECG he kept his gloves on!  During the blood tests, in the coolness of the hospital room, he started shaking with cold.  |
His veins kept rolling so the technician could not get a good sample
So, rather than hurting him with multiple sticks, she decided to do a finger prick.
Problem was - ice cold fingers!
Problem was solved by a heat wrap (the kind they use on baby's feet to warm them up) on James' finger
Then his finger was massaged until the vial was filled, one drop at a time! A urine sample and we were free to leave. We'll hear the results in a few days. Next test was for James was to figure out the revolving doors of the hospital....
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| "Mama, I don't have to push? These doors just go round and round by themselves?" |
Mission accomplished, medical tests and merry-go-round doors all completed in one day.... time to go back to the St. Simeon Skete.
As James ponders the day's events, he again considers the Healthcare in his country. Such a huge gap in the way things are here and they way they are there...
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| No hospital bed or examining table, a child lies on a table. Being sick is a scary thing in Sierra Leone, simple illnesses without treatment become life threatening. |
Preventative medicine is "out of the question", a rarity. James and the others that NHA serves and cares for are getting a chance through your kindness, the supplies and donations; but we have so much more to do.
A $25 per month donation will go a long way in bettering lives of those who suffer daily just to exist.
"Live simply so that others may simply live!"
Donate through the Paypal link on our website
or mail your donations to:
NHA
185 Captains Cove Drive
Taylorsville, KY 40071
