Hello

• (I still have not figured out how to make paragraphs work in blogger, so just imagine the bullet points as paragraphs, ok?)
• Well, since I last posted, Holly has come and left. It was a tremendous treat to have someone from Baton Rouge in my house here in Nepal. We speak the same language, like food from the same culture and can crack jokes in south Louisiana slang. I cannot show any of the marvelous pics taken during her visit, since my laptop died again the day she left. The laptop is in KTM, but it is the biggest festival time of year and it can be difficult to get things done here in Nepal. Somewhat similar to the Christmas season in the US. Somewhat. Multitudes of turkeys and pigs "discreetly" die in the US during our Christmas season. In Nepal, it seems every family that can afford it sacrifices a goat or a waterbuffalo. I will spare you the details, but the details of the ceremonial dispatch and what to do with the remains are a little more "open" here than where you may live. So, it was my first Dashain festival. There was a definite dent placed in the goat population.
• The hospital closed during the week of Dashain. The day the lab reopened, staff worked feverishly (some literally) all day. So many people had problems. Stomach and fever issues. What happens in a culture where refrigeration is not necessarily common, but festival cooking for large gatherings is made? Some do not eat meat all year except during this holiday. Great aftereffects. It would put me off meat, too. Someday, I may tell you about my experience with beef gel served at a feast we attended...
• In the paper the other day, I saw that 47% of the Nepalese population cannot be accessed by roads. 50% do not have access to a toilet. It is easy to come to Nepal and stay in the tourist places accessible by roads. But those places do not give the whole picture of Nepal.
• Elisa, the Aussie occupational therapist, is the other foreign employee at Anandaban. Her work is very different from mine (lab work in hospital). It is her job to travel out to communities and villages and organize small support groups among those afflicted with the after effects of leprosy or other debilitating handicaps. She helps them learn and maintain self-care so they can potentially limit their disabilites from getting worse. In a culture where most jobs involve alot of physical labor and career changes to suit disability are not a common option, Elisa's work is critical to helping leprosy patients live the rest of their life.
• Anyway, it means that when Elisa travels to the field, she often returns with great stories.
• A few weeks ago she had to go to Chitwan. During the community work, they found a family with six members affected by leprosy. Elisa stayed in the health department's quarters, a several story building. She heard noises at the bedroom door, so she opened it. Three goats came in. They were wandering upstairs in the building.
• A recent foreign visitor in KTM had an earache. Someone offered to take him to a clinic (this is a very loose term here). Whoever the doctor was told the foreigner this advice: "Do not blow your nose or your brains will come out. Take these three medications. "
• By the way, want to trek to Mt. Everest Base Camp? Imagine 21 days without bathing. Water for some washing can be heated in a bucket over burning yak dung chips, if you like.
• How about unwinding bandages from a wounded foot in a clinic and having a frog jump out and scamper across the floor? It happened.
• Anandaban is a haven, a quiet secluded refuge with clear air and beautiful trees. Patients can come here and receive good treatment in a accepting environment. But you do not have to go far off the compound to see the difference.
• Next Saturday, we will be performing a free medical camp in a nearby village. Next month, we will have another one at village more remote. Holly brought donations that are going to help fund this one. We will drive partway and then have to walk the last 3 hours carrying whatever gear we need to treat the people (part of the 47% not accessible by road). Due to the travel time, we will also leave the day before and return the day after the camp. Sleeping bags, etc. I will take pics for you. Hopefully, I will be able to post them by then! As always, your prayers are greatly, greatly appreciated!