Today I spent the day with 2 girls from the research department, who agreed to spend some time with me and take me out at the weekends! They are so lovely & kind! Its been wicked to make some friends so I don't feel so isolated!
So today they took me to this massive shopping centre which has an African Arts Market. It was simply just amazing! Unlike anything I have ever seen before. The African people make such beautiful items. There was paintings, jewellery, wooden animals, and animals made from beads. They were absolutely stunning and amazing! Such a good experience of what Africa is really like! Hit home where I was in the world! This country is full of surprises....in a very modern shopping centre that could have easily been anywhere in the UK was this amazing market! (:
They then took me to lunch at a very nice cafe! Everything is so cheap out here compared to sterling! One of the girls was telling me that some tickets for the World Cup were only R200 ..... £20!!!! Crazy compared to those selling for the Olympics in London!
We then went to the cinema to see Bridesmaids. Its a really good film. SO funny :D had us all laughing most of the way through! We got some popcorn & its amazing here!! Come basically unflavoured and you get shakers and add your flavour!! There was salt, salt and vinegar, sweet and butter! Such a good invention .... we definitely need it in the UK!
Tomorrow I'm heading back to the shops and market to see if I can get some souvenirs and gifts for people! Have to make some room in my overweight bag haha (:
Hope everyone is having a good weekend in the rainy UK, its nice & sunny here and warm :D hehe!
Saturday, 9 July 2011
Research!
Spent yesterday in the Clinical HIV Research Unit (CHRU) at the Themba Lethu clinic! It was amazing & soooo interesting!! Even in this country there is so many ethical and legal bodies that research studies have to pass through before they are allowed to go ahead. They have reviews every so often and if the study is proving to be un-beneficial its pulled! Its so interesting and different to anything I have done before. They test new medication for HIV patients, and some drugs which are registered abroad but not in South Africa. They also do some research on the side effects of drugs. All patients have to pass through screening to be able to come onto a study, and then they have regular check up appointments to see how they are doing, take bloods, and see if the study is working. Some are double blind, meaning that both the patient and the researcher do not know if they have received the study drug or a placebo. Everything is anonymous and patients have a unique reference number incorporating their initials! Its just fascinating to see how the studies we read on paper started out (: really good day!
Thursday, 7 July 2011
Let the sun shine (:
The cold weather finally decided to go away :D wooooo!!
Have had a busy few days (: loving it out here though the country is just so different to anywhere I have been before, & its such an amazingly brilliant experience! So grateful for everyone who has made this possible!!
So what have I been upto?!
Well Wednesday I spent with a VERY busy senior nurse, who took me around the clinic & bits of the hospital. I learnt how the clinic is managed, & the ways in which things are run! Its all very hard work for such a small place, but its so busy all the time! I spent the afternoon sat in clinic again & saw some more interesting things like a pregnant lady, someone whos ARVs might not be working, and people with complications from the meds! Every patient you see, despite all having the same underlying problem, is just so different in their own way! Its really fascinating to see the diversity within one illness.
Today I went to the Childrens clinic up the road. It was amazing. They do research as well, & have a clinic the same as the adults. They see patients from birth upwards, & I was surprised by the wide range of ages they saw. They see a lot more children surviving into adolescence now, where before the treatment with ARV's a lot of the children died young. This alongside a very successful Preventing Mother To Child Transmission (PMTCT) programme, a lot less younger children are being diagnosed with HIV! It was wicked to get a chance to see the peads teams in action!
Tomorrow I'm spending the day with the researchers back at the Themba Lethu clinic (: this should hopefully be really interesting! & at the weekend hopefully going with them to a film :D woop!
Next week I'm going to the ACTs clinic in White River. Its gunna be sooo awesome I can't wait :D
So all in all very good few days = a very happy Amy! Loving South Africa, especially now its sunny! So excited for whats to come!
Have had a busy few days (: loving it out here though the country is just so different to anywhere I have been before, & its such an amazingly brilliant experience! So grateful for everyone who has made this possible!!
So what have I been upto?!
Well Wednesday I spent with a VERY busy senior nurse, who took me around the clinic & bits of the hospital. I learnt how the clinic is managed, & the ways in which things are run! Its all very hard work for such a small place, but its so busy all the time! I spent the afternoon sat in clinic again & saw some more interesting things like a pregnant lady, someone whos ARVs might not be working, and people with complications from the meds! Every patient you see, despite all having the same underlying problem, is just so different in their own way! Its really fascinating to see the diversity within one illness.
Today I went to the Childrens clinic up the road. It was amazing. They do research as well, & have a clinic the same as the adults. They see patients from birth upwards, & I was surprised by the wide range of ages they saw. They see a lot more children surviving into adolescence now, where before the treatment with ARV's a lot of the children died young. This alongside a very successful Preventing Mother To Child Transmission (PMTCT) programme, a lot less younger children are being diagnosed with HIV! It was wicked to get a chance to see the peads teams in action!
Tomorrow I'm spending the day with the researchers back at the Themba Lethu clinic (: this should hopefully be really interesting! & at the weekend hopefully going with them to a film :D woop!
Next week I'm going to the ACTs clinic in White River. Its gunna be sooo awesome I can't wait :D
So all in all very good few days = a very happy Amy! Loving South Africa, especially now its sunny! So excited for whats to come!
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
Themba Lethu Clinic!
WOW! Busy busy busy!!
I spent today at Right To Care's Themba Lethu Clinic, which is based at the Helen & Joseph Hospital. Its such a busy place!! They see between 500-750 patients a day! I don't know anywhere in the UK that would cope with that many people in one day its crazy!! But I've learnt sooooo much!!
They primarily deal with those with HIV, co-ordinating their treatment regimes and checking their health. Everyone seems to have appointments but just for that day, & no particular time! They start at around 7:30, but patients can arrive as early as 5am to get a place in the queue!! They have 29,000 people on their records :O !!! They also deal with those who have TB, and provide diagnoses and initial treatment prior to referrals. Theres a counselling service for those with HIV, and services to ensure medicine is administered. They have different clinics for other illnesses such as bone problems. Theres a pharmacy where people wait for hours for their drugs to take home. Theres also a research department which is amazing! They run trials of new treatments for HIV, or for things related to the illness or medications, e.g. sore feet.
Everything is so old fashioned yet so modern all in the same building!! Theres a new computer system using bar codes to register patients, but then they write on papers which are very outdated! Their medication is behind that of the UK mostly due to costs, which isn't right! These people need the medication!!
Nurses are also very different to the UK. They can prescribe a lot of drugs including antibiotics, and can also diagnose. They're allowed to perform a circumcision! Its all very different but very interesting. They have had to step up their duties to cover the areas over here that are failed to be covered by other professions, or in fact do more because there is less of them!
Looking forward to tomorrow! (:
I spent today at Right To Care's Themba Lethu Clinic, which is based at the Helen & Joseph Hospital. Its such a busy place!! They see between 500-750 patients a day! I don't know anywhere in the UK that would cope with that many people in one day its crazy!! But I've learnt sooooo much!!
They primarily deal with those with HIV, co-ordinating their treatment regimes and checking their health. Everyone seems to have appointments but just for that day, & no particular time! They start at around 7:30, but patients can arrive as early as 5am to get a place in the queue!! They have 29,000 people on their records :O !!! They also deal with those who have TB, and provide diagnoses and initial treatment prior to referrals. Theres a counselling service for those with HIV, and services to ensure medicine is administered. They have different clinics for other illnesses such as bone problems. Theres a pharmacy where people wait for hours for their drugs to take home. Theres also a research department which is amazing! They run trials of new treatments for HIV, or for things related to the illness or medications, e.g. sore feet.
Everything is so old fashioned yet so modern all in the same building!! Theres a new computer system using bar codes to register patients, but then they write on papers which are very outdated! Their medication is behind that of the UK mostly due to costs, which isn't right! These people need the medication!!
Nurses are also very different to the UK. They can prescribe a lot of drugs including antibiotics, and can also diagnose. They're allowed to perform a circumcision! Its all very different but very interesting. They have had to step up their duties to cover the areas over here that are failed to be covered by other professions, or in fact do more because there is less of them!
Looking forward to tomorrow! (:
I've arrived safe & sound!!
Hello from the other side of the equator!!
Arrived yesterday morning! Flight was ok (: just loooooong!! Was sooo tired all day yesterday! Spent the day at Anglo American seeing their different health initiatives after settling into the guest house! Guest House is ok, everyone is really friendly! (: bit chilly over here only 5 degrees at the minute! Everyone is saying its not like Joburg to be this cold!!! Hopefully will warm up soon (:
Arrived yesterday morning! Flight was ok (: just loooooong!! Was sooo tired all day yesterday! Spent the day at Anglo American seeing their different health initiatives after settling into the guest house! Guest House is ok, everyone is really friendly! (: bit chilly over here only 5 degrees at the minute! Everyone is saying its not like Joburg to be this cold!!! Hopefully will warm up soon (:
Saturday, 2 July 2011
OVERWEIGHT !!!
Today I packed my bag, and I'm overweight :/ haha! Oh what fun! So need to repack later with less stuff!!! Only 2kg over which is REALLY annoying!!
Had the last supper now too! Made sure I stocked up just in case I don't get much to eat for a month :P hehe!
Checked in online!! All rather scary now!! Very real all of a sudden ......
23 hrs, 10 mins to go!
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