Celebration time...

Today we registered the 1000th patient in the out patient clinic! Actually, we registered up until 1005 today, but the 1000th patient is definitely a milestone. It’s unbelievable that 4 months after the clinic’s opening we have seen so many children come to the clinic. And some have come back multiple times. Many children come from the Aberdeen area, but some come from as far as Kissy and Waterloo- quite a drive in the taxi (1 hour). It is a priviledge to be able to work in the clinic and help the children here in the Freetown area. As challenging as it can be at times, it is definitely rewarding as well.

Patient 999 was one of our ward patient’s daughter- who I diagnosed with malaria today. Patient 1001 was a boy from Freetown who I also diagnosed with malaria. (We had a lot of positive malaria tests today!) And patient 1000 was a boy from Lumley (near Aberdeen) who came with an ear infection. He is a Sierra Leonean boy but his family has been missionaries in the Gambia and moved back to Sierra Leone only two days ago.

One last reason to celebrate is that last Wednesday marked my 6 months of living in Sierra Leone! I can’t believe I have been here for 6 months already!