Carolina and I are heading to Tatopani tomorrow. It is a four day short trek from Pokhara in the Annapurna Conservation Area. I am so excited!
Today was an excellent teaching day. We did basic wheelchair skills all morning in the wheelchair skills park which has never been used. They only have to options of chairs here. The "Drive" wheelchair (you can google it, it is a really crappy chair!) and a 3 wheel chair. Let's just say wheelies are a little different in these wheelchairs!
We did mat assessments for the afternoon with OT, PT and orthopedic technicians. The peer counsellor here has been assessed and the team is going to work on her seating solutions with the supplies that are at the hospital!
I have learned and consolidated to much info today! I am bursting at the seams!
The next you will here from me is when I am back in Canada. My flight arrives to Toronto on March 22. I look forward to sharing photos and stories with everybody.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
updates
This week is flying by. To see an update of the community visits with pictures visit:
http://carolinainnepal.blogspot.com
This week has been interesting. Starting off with leprousy rounds. There are a lot of myths around leprousy and it is not as contagious as one thinks. You need to be immuno compromised to catch it so staff are safe. Many people in the hospital without homes to return to. Some people have been abandoned. The average length of stay is very high, much higher than the 8 - 12 week North American length of stay in a rehab center.
We have clarified what type of equipment is useful here. Basically anything they can mimic and make, or order from India or China. We have design ideas for equipment that we will give to the workshop so they can create equipment. A ground cart like wheelchair can be made for 7000 rupees which is about 100 canadian dollars. This is much to expensive for them. Cost is the major factor and also the geographical area, to using equipment successfully.
Today we will be teaching again, and tomorrow is the last day of teaching. A donator gave funds for a wheelchair training park that nobodyhas used yet. We will venture into it tomorrow with all the staff in wheelchairs. Might as well mimic what we did at home -Lyndhurst!
Cheers!
Oh, we have seen the mountain tips, one time, for about 30 minutes!!
http://carolinainnepal.blogspot.com
This week has been interesting. Starting off with leprousy rounds. There are a lot of myths around leprousy and it is not as contagious as one thinks. You need to be immuno compromised to catch it so staff are safe. Many people in the hospital without homes to return to. Some people have been abandoned. The average length of stay is very high, much higher than the 8 - 12 week North American length of stay in a rehab center.
We have clarified what type of equipment is useful here. Basically anything they can mimic and make, or order from India or China. We have design ideas for equipment that we will give to the workshop so they can create equipment. A ground cart like wheelchair can be made for 7000 rupees which is about 100 canadian dollars. This is much to expensive for them. Cost is the major factor and also the geographical area, to using equipment successfully.
Today we will be teaching again, and tomorrow is the last day of teaching. A donator gave funds for a wheelchair training park that nobodyhas used yet. We will venture into it tomorrow with all the staff in wheelchairs. Might as well mimic what we did at home -Lyndhurst!
Cheers!
Oh, we have seen the mountain tips, one time, for about 30 minutes!!
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