Dominican Ears

London on the way home

ears-donna — Wed, 3 Jan 2007 03:58:00 GMT

I FROZE!!!!! Why did the coldest days of this mild winter have to be while I was there for three days.

But i enjoyed the cranberry juice, strawberries, pub meals, wrapping up in a duvet and coats.

Just drying your towels on the heaters and such was fab.

I loved the self serve check out in tesco... I stuffed it up of course.

I loved catching up with all the people I had known there and to chat about where they have been.

Got to speak at a school assembly in a school that had supported my work by having a own clothes day. THey raised 250 pounds in a day. It is just that easy. Thanks to the teachers who did all the organising.

I am always glad to get to meet the people who make my work in DR possible. It was fab to have that chance in London. Speaking of work I dropped in at the clinic I used to work in and got some great help from the people there in terms of information. It is always hard to stay informed so far away.

Also I got to stay with my friend Ness and catch up on her plans to return to see me in DR next year.

We went out and in true London style we met up with various mates and ate various cuisines.... Vietnamese, turkish etc. It was great to eat things I don't get to in DR. But never fear my trusty Spanish was useful when we accidentally gatecrashed a brazilian party at a bar. They speak portugese but the languages are similar and it was great. We also learnt to Samba. Just a normal London night,.

So all in all it was great.

Christmas lights

ears-donna — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 03:51:00 GMT

My house was looking a bit bare coming into November so when David came to visit we took a break from work and put up the Christmas lights. They decorate early and with as many lights as possible. They don't usually use lights alone, although I did they normally put up fake greenage and wrap the lights in them.

The Christmas tree was a new experience as they do not use tinsel but rather use ribbon to wrap the tree. THey also use dried flowers and butterflies.

It was a nice family moment decorating the tree ...just me and Madison but nice for us to have a tree to put all those pressies under. You can't really buy gift tags or wrapping paper separately as most shops gift wrap if you can take the queues. I made gifttags with potato prints my neighbours thought me sooo very creative.

I couldn't find a star or an angel for the top of the tree anywhere so we have nothing there yet. Maybe next year.

Guns on the street

ears-donna — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 15:09:00 GMT

Sometimes the scariest thing is not knowing what is going on and not being able to find out. Seeing men walking on the street with guns (rifle in one arm and pistol in the front of the pants) makes you curious. WHen you are driving through and many shop owners have shut up and put their heads in you begin to wonder what has just happened or what is about to happen. THen you think am I overreacting.

In the end you think all I can do is keep driving and get past this.

So that is what I did. The hardest part though is arriving at my work, which is about 500metres up the road from the men with guns ( yes work has security with guns but thats different),and still not knowing what the heck is happening.

But now I hear that there may be some violence throughout the city later this week due to strikes. At least there is a reason and usually here when they predict violence it is less. As people don't go out much.

David's visit

ears-donna — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 14:53:00 GMT

Okay well David Pither has been here for the last two weeks. He is a whirlwind. BUt on the plus side we got a lot of new equipment and supplies for the clinic. Thank goodness the team here seems to know what was happening and is a little used to his style. he was everywhere.

He built the booth for our new clinic with he guys and a lot of help from our Fijian rugby playing friend who managed to lift one side while three Dominican men lifted the other.

We went to the beaches up NOrth one weekend in the middle. Just a quick drive up and back with time for some relaxing and swimming.

We had a great trip, it was David's first time to see the beach in the carribean after five trips here. I would say he deserved this break.

We swam and relaxed and ate at a restuarant on the beach in cabarete. We took Madison the teenager who is staying with me along. he had never seen this part of the country. He has a great time as well. Taught him to dive in the pool. Yes post surgery I was not demonstrating very much.

Met my first Aussie since being here and he said the same. He is a dive instructor up North only here for 8 months but lives in Spain. Always good to hear the accent.

David brought us equipment that will allow us to test babies and young children a lot easier. (DPOAEs and ABR for those in the know). We are hoping to start this soon. UGGH more training and more services.

Feelign like we are growing and soon will need more space. Still praying for the money for the building. Still hoping to see what will happen in the next year with students for the course.

All in all I am still unsure what is ahead but will keep moving forward and try to remember to recuperate as well.

Found a massage place near home that is cheap may need to check it out.

Hope you all are on track.

Donna

recovery continued

ears-donna — Fri, 3 Nov 2006 16:39:00 GMT

Okay well I am fine and returning to work has been fun. Well not exactly I am tired all the time and can't reach up or donw too far. Don't realise how often you do that. I am also not quite up to my usual speed. So I am taking it a little easy.

david has arrived

ears-donna — Fri, 3 Nov 2006 16:06:00 GMT

Hey the president has arrived. Well the president of EARS inc anyway. He is here to help us build the new sound proof booth in the city office. I am very excited as it is a job would be useless at. I am also excited as he will be conducting more training with the guys on soldering and repairing hearing aids.

Not only that but he has with him heaps of valuable donated hearing aids and equipment. In fact he brought with him a video otoscope, ABR and DPOAEs. For audiologists out there you will know this means we can start testing children even younger and we will be able to develop more screening services. I am so excited by this.

I am so excited. I also know that this means a lot more work!!!!

It is always great when travelling to meet up with people from your own country if only to speak English at a normal rate. But also to hear the news from home.

I am feeling stronger but having to cover clinic by myself a few days this week after just gtting back from surgery is a lot.

Hoping you are all having a great time.

Recovery time

ears-donna — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 17:33:00 GMT

Hey guys,

Well I thought I had better take some time today to write and let you know how I am after surgery.

In case of any of you who didn’t catch the news that I was having surgery. Well hmmm. Tune out and relax I am fine.

Okay well I went in last Wednesday the 11^th for a laparoscopic surgery to remove my gallbladder. I was in Esperanza hospital (means hope), it is an area of the hospital I work in.

I know the surgeon and he is a lovely guy, also know the nurses etc. It is a comforting feeling in some ways in other ways it is weird.

Well in true Dominican style they has told me we would do it on Wednesday but not given me a time. Then rang to say I was late at 7.15am. Anyway got there.

Went into surgery for an hour… came out three and a half hours later. In fact I thought even coming out of it that it was strange Madison was there. As his school finishes at 1pm.

Anyway I was obviously out most of the day this didn’t stop the visitors.

I finally got a few more details and was told about the surgery having some complications from my visitors. I was still pretty drugged but don’t worry my visitors took plenty of photos. I will include only a few. Some visitors even cahnged clothes and visited to take photos posing with me.

I got to see lots of people there are no specific visiting hours. So people come and go all day. In a ward of 7 women that can get pretty busy but I had more than most since my friends work in the hospital. I had several bedside prayers and lots of people to tuck me in.

At one stage I had three visitors while on a bedpan… gotta say not comfortable and had stage fright. Decided after that that no matter what I was going to have to get up to go.... who cares about a bit of pain.

Anyway all in all things were good.

There are no curtains between patients but the only screening was around me at times.

Patients families are responsible to bring the food to them in the hospital. I saw one women who had an ovary removed ( its quite an amazing looking thing seeing all the bits removed in jars beside peoples beds). Anyway the day after her family bought her pica pollo (fried chicken).

Luckily I was only allowed a glass of water on Friday before discharge.

I am now at home and I have hired a lady for the week to help while Madison is at school and so he won’t have more work to do than his usual stuff. In case you don't know who Madison is - he is a teenager who is now living with me for a while during school term at least and helps out around the house.

I am now moving about better most of the stitches are out and things are fine. Bit of a scar as the laparoscopic procedure changed half way through to open due to position and size of gallbladder. So I have a cool looking scar.

Have lost some weight though!! Also caught up on my napping.

Well better go lie down some more can’t sit up too long.

Hope all is well.

Donna

they stole the electric wires

ears-donna — Mon, 9 Oct 2006 18:44:00 GMT

One of the guys I work with frequently finds his phone not working due to stolen phone wires in his area. The phone company replaces them so regularly you think they'd do something about it all but what!!!

Anyway this time they didn't steal the phone lines but the electric lines. So now even if his house has power he can't use it.

Petrol shortage

ears-donna — Mon, 9 Oct 2006 18:41:00 GMT

We had a petrol shortage unlike anything we get in Aus. This affected everyting with meetings cancelled and people fearing tehy wouldn't eb able to get anywhere soon. Now the tankers came in but it is all a still a bit up in the air. I have a full tank so I should be okay for now. This is a bit of an extract from a news service here to tell you all the lastest in local news here.

Oil arrives, shortages continue Even though two oil tankers have arrived in the Dominican Republic, apparently ending the recent fuel shortages, many gas stations were still without fuel as of last night. Contradictions continue between the explanations given by the Shell Oil Company, the government and the Venezuelan authorities for the reasons behind the lack of fuel. Although the Dominican Refinery SA (Refidomsa) had begun dispatching more than 18 million gallons of fuel in the hope of easing the shortage, many gas stations remained without fuel yesterday, causing long lines at the stations that did receive fuel. Adding to the problem is the announcement by the Association of Transporters that Texaco has canceled 20 contracts, and is looking to cancel 12 more. Texaco says that they have no relationship with some drivers because they are Chevron Caribbean employees. Industry and Commerce Minister Francisco Javier Garcia has said that if necessary a fuel rationing system will be put in place and the government will take on responsibility for controlling the distribution quotas. Meanwhile, the Shell Oil Company has said that it is not directly responsible for the oil shortage that threatened to paralyze the country over the last week, and assured that the conflict is between Chevron-Texaco and the transportation unions. In a letter from Shell that was sent to Hoy newspaper, the company specifies that the shortages were caused by the delay in fuel delivery. The letter also clarifies that the shortages in diesel fuel was caused by the exit of Coastal from the market and the recent problems with the Haina-Itabo energy generators. The generators required more fuel, which in turn decreased the amount available for public use. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rugby in the DR

ears-donna — Mon, 9 Oct 2006 18:04:00 GMT

Well my friend Tuks from Fiji has found rugby here. We went on Saturday to watch the DR team play a team from Florida. Not a world class game really but well worth a look. At least to find a whole group of guys who know about Rugby. One even had an Aussie jersy when we went to the perty afterwards.

It looks like so much fun to have a group of people who are from a real mix of backgrounds. People from a lot of different countries that are moved here and a few Dominicans who ahve been converted away from Baseball or at least realise there are other sports out there.

Meeting with Uni re the approval

ears-donna — Wed, 4 Oct 2006 14:49:00 GMT

Well as always I am amazed here how to get anything done or for people to work hard on something you need to bring in the directors and in a way threaten their jobs. They then hurry and act out of fear.

A lot of face in these meetings by which I mean a lot of pride and pretense that they have everything under control. I find it difficult when you need to watch the theatrics and be patient before asking WELL WHY HAVEN'T YOU DONE IT IF IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO YOU!!!!!

Anyway where we are up to.

The University has all the documents they need they just need to format ad make them look pretty.... yes this is the same place we were 3 or 4 or even 6 months ago.

NOw though we are told because the director of both Medical Ministries INternational and the UNiversity were there that they will eb arranging a meeting this week with the secretary of education.

We need to formally present the idea of AUdiology to a country where they have not heard of an audiologist and convince her that it is a needed profession.

So this will be an important step toward approval.

We need approval yesterday.

We also discussed the costings which are higher than I would ahve liked for the poor but also realising the gaps in education that the poorest have even after high school are considerable. We also know that here there is not the value on education that developed or even Asian cultures have. They don't have a concept of study.

Living with a teenager who is supposed to be studying I am learning more and more the fundamental gaps in knowledge.

The things that school teaches us that schools here often do not.

I am having to write a program for the university that explains every basic concept in case they have no knowledge of it. The idea of students self educating on certain topics is not really heard of. They are trying to do it in some schools but the lack of resources make it difficult for students to find the information except from unreliable internet sites and they often only check one.

Anyway all in all my part is done now so I ahve to wait on the bureaucracy.

Donna

Surgery delayed

ears-donna — Wed, 4 Oct 2006 14:46:00 GMT

Well I was supposed to have surgery this week but then I delayed it as I couldn't reorganise all the stuff in time.

Now I was all organised well as well as can be for next week. BUt I have a cold and they want me to delay another week.

Meanwhile I guess i continue eating crazy boring food. Lucky for me there are lots of veggies here. But no grease at all kinds of limits your preparation.

I also have a real hankering for my diet coke... I think this might be something I have to ride out. Although luckily the caffeine cravings are gone. Feeling well except for my nose. Stupid runny nose. Now I need to reorganise again.

OH well more time for preparing things.

A party Fijian and Burmese style with a Dominican crowd.

ears-donna — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 17:37:00 GMT

Well it was another celbration this weekend with the birthday of Natia. She is a opthalmology resident who arrived the week after me here. She is from Burma and this is her first time away from family and her community.

Her birthday was yet another reason for a party. She is an excellent cook and she decided she wanted us to have a party outside on the grass outside Senata's house. Senata another resident and her husband Tuks are Fijian.

So we had Kava and Fijian music with Burmese food. Quite a mix of culture for the locals and having eaten Burmese food a lot with NAtia and not being able to eat myself with my gall stone I was food guide. Pointing out how to mix it all together on the plate.

Just to confuse things Senata had made her now famous potato salad and so many confused diners ended up with burmese noodles, chicken, cilantro, cucumbers, nuts, mixed with potato salad. I kept trying to say you mix everything together but leave the salad on the side. BUt well they liked it.

We had some south african wine one of the doctors bought and some local juice.

All in all we had a great evening listening to Tuks sing and play guitar a real tropical treat.

The Dominicans even got used to him being in a Sulu. NOt a man in a skirt as they first thought!!.

Reading class last night

ears-donna — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 19:56:00 GMT

Well I went again to Chavon barrio last night to visit the thirteen year old with undiagnosed dyslexia (well that is my laymans guess). We are doing well with the reading and at least making her more interested in the process. She is enjoying the classes.

HOwever last night was so hot I couldn't really concentrate and with me not well and the heat.. uggh not our best class ever.

Hopefully we will do better next week.

For months I blamed my bed

ears-donna — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 16:03:00 GMT

Well for 3 or 4 months now I have been thinking wow this mattress is bad but apparently the pain I was having could have been a symptom of the gall stone that I have now been diagnosed with. I have a gall stone which is blocking the passageway enough that it has apparently caused pancreatitis. This indicates that I need to have the gall bladder removed.

At least that what I took from the whole consult in spanish. They have said I should have surgery in the next few weeks. I am loving the convenience of working in a hospital and having all this at my finger tips. But I am seeing how frustrating it is and confusing for a patient to get information here. They really have the doctor is right don't ask questions attitude which I am not that used to.

I will be glad to be able to eat normally again and without pain.

Donna

I just wanted to feed the dog

ears-donna — Fri, 8 Sep 2006 05:07:00 GMT

Did you ever see that Brady bunch episode with the really big tarantula. Well think big and hairy spider like that then make it bigger!!!!

I went out to feed the dog and in the laundry passageway was a great big black tarantula....

I was more surprised it had ot past my crazy dog at first than anything else. Then it started to move then I started thinking a lot of thoughts... mostly based on my knowledge and experiences with Aussie type spiders like Huntsmen which jump and such.

I rang a friend and asked if they jump. I had already heard after the snake incident that nothing here can kill. Apparently they can't jump either. Phew.... still couldn't quite figure out if I could live with the knowledge he was there and not knowing if he was stayign put. I now have screens on my windows.... but the installation was not the greatest so who knows.

The passageway is right near my room.

I ended up calling a neighbour who came to my rescue. he caught the spider in a plastic bag and took it away... a long way away....

So the spider lives and I live... but hopefully we will forever live separate lives....

reading classes

ears-donna — Tue, 5 Sep 2006 16:44:00 GMT

Last year I was teaching a couple of local 13 year old girls who work at the hospital some English when I realised that one had reading problem. She is now motivated to work on this provided I come to her house to do it. She is embarassed about the difficulty she has but likes to work on it at home. She lives in a typical Dominican Barrio the same one where I helped paint at the school.

She is a great girl but cannot read at all. this is obvious to anyone. She cannot spell and Spanish spelling is basically sounding out. She does not even know her alphabet with confidence.

We have been playing games with letters and gettting her to read just two letter combinations she is semi accurate at this now. She is also more willing to try writing. She can read single syllables 80% accurately and now can combine two two letter syllables if she has a three letter syllable she has no idea and in her writig she leaves extra sounds out frequently. She also spins letters backwards and will read el sa le and le as el or even lo as el.

She mixes voweles constantly giving her writing very little sense as she blurs all things together.

Anyway we have begun to work and usually get five minutes alone and a whoel hour with the rest of the kids wanting to play as it is the only diversion in the barrio.

So last week I thought we would do some colouring for the younger kids and she could work more. Unfortunately I hadn't counted on the fact that colouring pencils while on every school kids list is not somethign these kids have even really had a lot of access to so I had teenage girls joining to colour Winnie the Pooh. We had fun... not a lot of reading work but they are all motivated to play and to draw and have fun. One kid who was seven had never coloured.

Hearing aid Projects

ears-donna — Tue, 5 Sep 2006 16:36:00 GMT

Last week we had the first two days of hearing aid projects sonsored by Isla. Isla is a petroleum company who spends a lot of money on hearing aids here every year through Starkey Foundation. In order for starkey foundation to fit 1000 kids with hearing aids this comning january we are onducting all the testing and taking the moulds to determine who are candidates for the hearing aids. unfortunately these types of projects have so many variables. The weather, transport, communication, materials, the team the site etc.

Well we were organised we had only two weeks to plan so I think we did very well. Each day something went wrong. But the second day was quite crazy with about 50 extra people registering. Making our day crazy.

I was so proud of our team though holding it all together. While we were tired and cranky we made it and spoke professionally to each client.

I was so pleased that we had this opportunity to really show what we are capable of.

Hope that the next few projects go well as we search for the rest of the thousand people. In time for the four fittings days Starkey is here for. then we will start the followup process.

Hope all is wel with you. I better get back to work ... more to be done.

A snake at the door

ears-donna — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 15:04:00 GMT

I arrived home from work the other night and put the key in the door. A snake appeared out from under my front door. I logically jumped back about three feet. It advanced and hissed so I moved back again.

My neighbour noticed what was happening and while it was a snake it was also small. however although I had heard there are no lethal animals here I was not really wanting a snake bite of any kind. Also lets face it any animal appearing suddenly freaks me out.

The neighbour old me we just needed a large rock. I was thinking more like broom to encourage it to move away while maintaining my distance. She was thinking of big rock on its head. As it was she threw the rock which cut it in half and splattered blood everywhere, she then threw rocks at what was left of it to try to get its head as it was still moving.

All up quite violent and gross. I of course thanked her and entered the house to check everywhere for its mates.

Luckily no others so far.

The road to work

ears-donna — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 14:49:00 GMT

My Road to work each day provides me with surprises daily. During this rainy season they have been working on it constantly laying down new rocks and clay which of course with the rain move about daily. At least one thing is constant the potholes never go away they just move from place to place.

I also tend to pass all manner of vehicles carrying all manner of things. I have seen families piled onto all manner of vehicle. I have seen two motos carrying plumbing pipes five metres long between them. I have seen trucks carrying cages and cages of chickens, but I have also seen trucks carrying lots of chickens headless and plucked that are ready for sale all piled up on the back of a ute going to the various markets.

Everyday I think I see at least one truly crazy stunt by a driver that would lead to certain accidents in other countries but here where defensive driving is mandatory it is just another day.