Week Three

Hello again :)

Another week in the hospital done. Time really is flying by!

So, I've had another fantastic week. I really feel like I'm getting into the routine of things now. I've been trying to keep a list of every new thing that I learn/do throughout the day, and then in the evening I've been typing it up to keep a note of it - it's already pages long!! The learning curve has definitely been steep but so beneficial! 

I was so chuffed to find out that I'll be working in Liverpool - thanks for all of the congrats messages! I've now ranked all of the hospitals so I will find that out next week, and then I have to rank the job rotations. It is such a drawn out process, but by the time I get home I should have a definite job and know exactly where I'll be and what I'll be doing so that's really exciting.

Going to the bush church last Sunday was brilliant. It was really nice to get off the station and see a bit more of PNG - I cannot get over how beautiful the landscape is here. It is by far the most stunning place I have ever visited. I never knew such vividly bright flowers existed, and they grow absolutely everywhere!! Everyone at the church was really welcoming - there was lots of handshaking!! The children were especially excited to see us because Judy (Andy's wife)  had brought some stickers so they all queued up to get a Dora the Explorer sticker on their top or hand. They were so made up with them! It's a shame these simple pleasures are lost on today's kids back home!

I've been trying to keep up to my routine in the gym every other day. I've now moved down to the smaller sized elastic band thing to help me do chin ups and can do 5 in a row now!! I look like a complete wally but it's something to keep me occupied through the week!!

On Thursday morning I spoke to Will on Skype (Wednesday evening for him) which was really great but did make me a little homesick. I'd had to deal with something particularly challenging on call on Tuesday evening, and then speaking to him made me suddenly really miss him and become aware of how far away I am from everyone that I love! 

As soon as we stopped speaking though I felt fine again and I actually ended up having a really good day. I sat outside in the sun for a while on my dinner break which made a difference. It is such glorious weather here but I am inside for the majority of daylight hours so it was nice to spend a bit of time outdoors. That afternoon I found a murmur and significantly raised blood pressure on a previously undiagnosed patient so was able to give them some treatment which made me feel good too! 

Then on Thursday evening I went to a prayer meeting at one of the other houses. It's on every week but I had previously put off going for one reason or another so I didn't really know what to expect, but I was so glad that I went! We spent time chatting and praying about different things that we are thankful and grateful for and within minutes I couldn't believe that I'd ever felt homesick at all. I'm in the most beautiful country in the world, and get to work with and treat an amazing community of people who most people will never have the privilege of meeting. I really love how God has a way of putting things into perspective!

So it is now Friday evening and tomorrow I am hoping to go for a hike/long walk with some of the other missionaries. We have to always have at least one male to every two females so it depends if we can persuade some of the men to come along but I'm really hoping that we do because it would be great to see some more of the surrounding area. Everyday I wake up to the view of stunning mountains all around me and I'm itching to get up one!!

Sunday I am on call which means I will be in for 8am to round on all of the wards and will then see any patients who are in A+E. After that I just have to be available to be phoned for anybody new who comes in, so it could be hectic or nice and relaxed, I'll have to wait and see!

Hope all is still well back home. Missing everyone lots!! (But not too much..)

Lots of love,

Tigz X