Epic-blog Epi-logue

I think it's about time that I wrapped things up with one final post. I fully intended to write proper blogs about the events of the last few weeks, Mdumbi, Bulungula, assisting on a Caesarean, Pietermaritzburg etc but I think they will just have to stay as memories for those involved [I guess Ben is right, no one ever finishes 'the diary of their holiday' after they come back!] Here's a brief run down though:




The Final Weeks of Work



In general the last few weeks were, to coin a phrase, hectic. I spent lots of time hunched over the back desk of the pharmacy trying to [here comes another classic phrase] make a plan for the next couple of months so that the transition between myself and my successor goes smoothly. After some stressful hours trying to sort it out in my head, I ended up writing about 11 pages of handover notes and a six page plan and explained it all to a number of people so I left feeling [almost] completely confident that it will be okay. It definitely made me realise how much I have been responsible for over my time here, I'll miss the challenge of that when I go back to making cups of tea and toast...



With Ian transforming the pharmacy from a centre of randomness to the most organised place on the planet and Fesiwe back to work, things got a little easier for a time, but then Thabo went on some hard earned leave, so I continued running around like crazy until the very end. I'm sad that I wasn't there to witness Ian continue to improve things - in the few weeks that we worked together he made a phenomenal difference! Here's a typical Ian activity:

Ian Jordaan: pharmacist extraordinaire!

Ian Jordaan: pharmacist extraordinaire!




I did manage to get in a bit more work experience, shadowing Jo, Taryn, Sally and Liz in ARV clinic, wards and OPD which was really interesting; everyone has such a unique style when seeing patients! The part that sticks out the most was how calm Jo remained when a boy she had sedated with ketamine started waking up and going INSANE [;)], needing three of us to restrain him while she took some sutures out of his foot. But I guess the story that I'll end up telling the most is when Karl let me assist him with a Caesarean - something they would never ever allow in the world of health and safety that is the UK. It's unlikely that I'll get that sort of opportunity again for at least 6-7 years, at the very least until I've finished my degree [unless of course I come back]! It was incredible: even though I'm sure I was of very little use apart from holding the retractors and doing suction, even being scrubbed in and being up that close was fascinating. The feeling of touching someone else’s insides is so bizarre, and I don't think I'll forget what it was like to hold this woman's womb in my hand for a long time! It was a definite highlight of the entire seven months and I'm so grateful to Karl for letting me do it. It's been an absolute privilege to work in a hospital where there is so much opportunity to learn without all the red tape they have in the UK, and I am so appreciative of everyone who took the time to show and explain things to me and answer my questions. I should probably say a particular thank you to Liz who was endlessly patient with me and let me come on rounds, to ARV clinic, OPD, on call at all times of the day and night, and made an effort to teach me even when the situation at hand was stressful, what a legend :)



The final four weekends



The last four weekends saw us all going over the place. First up was a trip to Mdumbi with Annelou, a student from Stellenbosch who loved giving tips, being Afrikaans and having good times. It was a fun weekend although all of us got rather ill so didn't do anything too strenuous. We met a variety of interesting people, including these guys called Edward and Jacob [sadly nothing like their Twilight namesakes] who were so unimpressed with our chat that at one point Jacob even said, 'I don't know why we are even having this conversation, it's stupid'. We went through to Coffee Bay for the night, but I was feeling so sick that I just curled up in the back of the 4x4 and spent the evening trying not to throw up, not the most pleasant experience ever! We also had massages in the church, had less than appetising meal in a shabeen and played the most epic fail game of 30 seconds ever :)

The view over Mdumbi beach

Next up was our final weekend in Zithulele itself. After Friday night's epic braai at the Le Rouxs [the one where we all danced around the table for about 2 hours] I stayed over at Liz and Lisa's until we were woken up by a piercing scream which turned out to be Johann spraying himself [and everything else] with a hose. It ended up that Liz, Kate, myself and the Le Rouxs all spent a good hour or so on the grass at the Plaza chatting and playing the Xhosa version of Duck-Duck-Goose, which is something like Cow-Cow-Goat [I'm sure Lisa can correct me on that one!]. I then went up to Anita's house where Sam and I would be staying for the weekend, and we watched some very random things on their TV, most of which I'd rather not see again! Sunday saw me at Zithulele church for one final time: rather uneventful apart from when there appeared to be some kind of communion going on with only 8 giant cups and some Powerade...turns out it was part of the sermon [not sure how but oh well]. It was great to get the chance to go to the church here over the past few months, to be so warmly welcomed and included by the community there, and to learn all the words to hymn 74 [yes, we had to sing it AGAIN:)]. In the evening we had inaugural praise and worship at the Gaunts which was such a great way to end the week and get ready for the next one. So basically a chilled weekend, but one which was typical of all those I've spent here...




The penultimate weekend was Bulungula [see separate blog post] which was definitely one of the most awesome weekends I've had: just a chance to relax, spend time with friends, entertain some of the cutest kids in the world, eat great food, look at the most brilliant sky full of stars and just have good times in general :)



For our final weekend, Sam and I split up [sad times I know] with her taking a trip to Bushman's [aka THE CLOOF] with Anita and myself taking the long road trip up to Pietermaritzburg with Liziwe. As Liz's car is still being held hostage by the panel beaters, we were driven to Umtata by Tom and Jo and waited at the petrol station for a while, getting some stunning chattings up while we did so. Eventually we were picked up by the legend that is JULES and Kath [?spelled right] and drove through the night to Maritzburg, and uneventful journey with the exception of a crazy driver called Delmaine [get in the lane, Delmaine...ok, I think you had to be there].



I stayed at Liz's house with the crazy poodles and the world's best looking Transkei dog :) It was a brilliant weekend all round, mainly involving eating, although I should have been prepared for that given that when I asked what the plans for the trip were, Liz replied, 'You know, going out for dinner, meeting people for tea, going to coffee places, having braais, going for supper, having breakfast with friends....'. On Saturday morning, Helen (Liz's sister) made us a nutritious breakfast of muffins and coffee which we ate while watching some Glee, does it get any better? Then we went out for coffee, then for lunch, then for a very sarcastic [yet effective] shopping trip to the mall, came home for a rest and some muffins and brownies [once again courtesy of Helen :)] and then went out for supper. Kind of like an ideal day.



Sunday saw us repeating our morning activities [cake and Glee] before we went out for a very entertaining lunch to a place called Piggly Wiggly with the same people from the day before. We chatted in the Gatley house for the afternoon before having one of the most hilarious braais ever with Liz's mum, dad and sister during which there was much accidental insulting [:)] and after which we played the world's most complex card game (called Card Game with 79 Cards Game of Cards...or something) which I am sure Helen made up as she went along, either way it was a top night and I haven't laughed that much in ages! All in all, a brilliant final weekend, thanks Liziwe :)



The Final Week



Some highlights: Princess Bride movie night, our leaving braai, last combined cell/praise and worship, 'sunrise surprise' at Hole in the Wall, final trip to the beach, pizza at the Gaunts...it's weird to spend your days knowing that it’s the last time you're going to do certain things :(

The last supper - pizza at the Gaunts

And then Saturday came, and after saying goodbye to the Gaunts and Le Rouxs, Lisa and Liz drove us to the airport where we had THE most entertaining coffee experience ever (we managed to break the seats) before saying our final goodbye and getting on that tiny plane back to the UK :(




Epilogue


Now I'm back in Scotland and it's been over a week since I left Zithulele. The trip back was not bad, except for a looooooooooooooooong TWENTY SIX hours spent in Johannesburg airport [thanks PT].

This was our camp in the airport...ending our trip in the classy fashion we are famous for!

 

The reverse culture shock was initially pretty insane; I couldn't get over how clean and green everything is - it really didn't feel like the real world! The whole last seven months feel so far away now, it's as if they never happened and sometimes [like when I had to go for a refresher meeting at my old work and they checked if I knew how to brush someone's teeth in a safe way] I can really believe they never did.



The time I spent in Zithulele was without doubt the best of my life so far: I saw so many amazing things, had some incredible experiences, met some brilliant people and made truly great friends. My perspective on life has been turned upside down and I have learned so much. I have to thank all of those who were part of it: the Gaunts, Le Rouxs, Anita and Etienne, Tom and Jo, Shannon, Marlie, Megan, Ian, Kate, Zandile, Asanda, Thabo, Sarah and Bernard, Fesiwe, Athini, Jules, Monique, Roger and Karen, Jess, JT, Lisa, Liz, Sam and all the other people who came through Zithulele at some point or another :)

Some of the legendary people I have been lucky enough to live among :)

I could monologue on about it all some more but I think seven months is enough!




I guess that's the end of KMAC in South Africa, it's been so much fun to blog about it all. Thanks for reading :)



Kayleigh xxxxx



P.S. maybe I'll start KMAC in Cambridge in October?