Joyce

There are a few things that have the power to really ruin my day.  When my truck isn't running well and I just don't know what to do about it (or just can't spare the DAYS it will take to get it working again).  When I waste an entire day trying to get some reasonable care for a patient. When the people I'm interacting with are being lazy or don't have any common sense. These things drive me crazy more than most challenges here. Unfortunately all three of these things converged on this day. It is seven pm, I've survived the day but I am just weary. I'm eating my first real meal of the day and headed to bed very shortly.
But first I wanted to ask for prayers for Joyce. She was hit by a drunk driver last night on her way home from school. This is the last week before they take their PLE exams (which determines if they can go to secondary school or not) so they stay at school until after dark studying. She could have been hurt much worse but she has a displaced femur fracture and a tibial fracture. We spent far too long getting this diagnosis and trying to get an ortho consult. Finally we packed up and headed to Kumi, a near by town which has a large orthopedic hospital. But no surgeon there either. He'll be back Monday.

This is us in the back of my truck feeling lots better after 1mg IV morphine. 

So she is about to spend the next four days in traction waiting for surgery. She has a lot of pain and she is frustrated because she will have to repeat P7 as I've learned there is no way to make up this test. For any reason. No matter how valid.


10/27 Addendum- I went to her school today to beg for a makeup test date. They said there was absolutely no way as the test is administered by the government and it just is not possible. Their suggestion was that if Joyce can have the surgery Monday I can bring her back to Soroti that night and she can still take the tests Tuesday.  Less than 24 hours post-op. That seems like a great idea. So when I was at the hospital I was just discussing with the Ugandan nurses and they confirmed that there was no way to miss the test. Their idea actually was that I go get her now, have her take the test and bring her back for surgery the day after she finishes. A displaced femur fracture. That also seems like a great idea. Are you kidding me?!?