Jerry 'n Lanelle Newsletter
by Jerry and Lanelle Northrup
February 7, 2010
by Jerry and Lanelle Northrup
February 7, 2010
Dear Children, Church and Friends,
The phone rings and I answers “Good morning on to Davis Memorial Hospital”. And yes we are still here in Guyana, South America! Yesterday I held a BLS class for our hospital staff. There were ten students and this time I think the class went smoother and was more fun. I usually enjoy the “Attitude” here which goes with the culture. And I kept one of my students from three years ago with us in our appt. overnight as she lives better than an hour away and had worked to eleven PM the night before. We also ate lunch together and Niamby had NEVER eaten broccoli or almonds. And while she had eaten eggs before she had never had an egg sandwich. Sometimes I forget how really American we still are. We do eat rice but only occasionally and not everyday like most here. And one of Jerry’s workers Prince is regularly skipping meals due to lack of funds or food or maybe both. And this is not considered terribly unusual. No wonder Mrs. Vigilence for AM hospital staff worships at times says “You all had a good weekend—three meals a day?” I don’t think I’ve ever judged my day or weekend as good by the amount of meals I had eaten. One should be a lot more grateful.
Then I want to tell you about the Junior Room at New Life SDA church. Jerry and I and Alpha and Schwarah painted the room a soft white. And we ground the wooden floor boards to a fairly smooth finish and lacquered the floor with a clear coat. We also lacquered the stairs up to our second floor room. We have no curtains yet so I put up bulletin board boarders (from good ole Dollar Tree state side) around the windows. The kids love having a place to call their Jr. Room. I’ll try and attach a picture or two. Thank you friend Teresa and family for your help with this huge project.
Then about two weeks ago Dr. Wilson’s wife Heide started a women’s Bible study group in her home. The topic is faith presented by evangelist Beth Moore. It works right in with our Jr. Room theme this quarter of putting on the whole armor of God. This last week we did the shield of faith and took the five statement pledge of faith and taught it with the hand motions to the Jr. kids. It says:
1. I believe God is who He says He is.
2. I believe God can do what He says He can do.
3. I believe I am who God says I am.
4. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13
5. God’s Word is alive and active in me.
I think some of us worship a God that is far too small. We try to get God to behave and fit into our box. This can take some of the mystery and awe away. Every time we grasp a new concept about God it is suggested we try thinking, He is this……and so much more. Our faith will never be stronger than the God we perceive. If God gets bigger as we study we are on the right track. If God is getting smaller or becoming just a little something to be reckoned with, then we are on the wrong tack. Believe me it is turning out to be a fun Bible study.
Then here at the hospital a large donation (thank you cousin) has come in and we will add the monies we presently have saved with it to start putting in screened windows on the other side of the hospital upstairs where our patient rooms are. We can hardly wait to get started. It will be such a blessing to have screened windows that open instead of just opaque glass slats. And this week I am finalizing on buying a hospital vacuum. The housekeepers at present sweep the few rugs we do have by hand with short little brooms. I also am looking at a microwave for our upstairs kitchen pantry so that patient food can be reheated there when necessary. Thank you Fallon Church Family and our many mission minded friends and sisters for each of your donations. I can assure you we stretch them to help buy the most.
Then this new week I am going to be working on hospital nursing protocols that have to do with IV’s. As I reviewed a chart recently I discovered that nowhere on the chart were two signatures required to hang blood. Yes, everyone says it is to be done. Some say on the lab request slip—some say on the I&O sheet and others say in the nurses notes. But on the chart I reviewed where the child had received blood it was not recorded anywhere. So, with a slight revision or two we are going to uses Fallon’s transfusion record. And it will have the required vital signs on it too!
It has been mind boggling to field the Drs. Complaints of nursing errors. We seem to have basically two IV rates—on and off. Actually it is more like barely on and then on and changes with the patients movement. As you have probably guessed we are on roller clamp and not IV pumps. I have two IV pumps with us but the hospital can’t afford the tubing cost. And so when a Dr. orders three Liters in twenty-four hours he is lucky if two liters go in during that time. Some mornings I find several IV bags dry and hanging. We don’t seem to realize how much effort and checking it takes to run IV’s on roller clamps. And if you have enough experience, even the nurse aide can add the KCL to the IV bag and hang it. I had previously written a Hep Lock flush protocol and now am working on implementing it. I am sure things can change. Do pray with us for the knowhow and right amount of tact and yet firmness to facilitate these needed changes. If any of you have ideas to share Lanelle would love to hear from you.
We actually do get lonesome over here and miss our previous work positions, church family and friends hugely. Not to mention our grandkids and sons. Often when Lanelle sits at the administrative table or even general staff meeting no one sits next to her. She has been told that if they are her friend than some others are not happy. Well, enough of that. What is the saying “Learn to bloom where planted”. And I find that writing complaint letters to God takes care of most of it.
Then we have an odd request. Is there anyone on the Eastern seaboard of the US who would be willing to ship barrels to us from time to time? We would have the goods mailed to you that we order on line and we would pay the barrel shipping cost. What we need you to do is to pack the barrel and get it to the shipper, and possibly stuff in some extra literature. We run short of papers to put out on our hospital “free” rack. It is hard to come by enough literature to keep it full and it hurts my heart to see it part empty at times. Please contact us at our E-mail JerryNLanelle @ Yahoo.com (Jerry request that you not place our name in your contact or email address book) or by snail mail in care of Davis Memorial Hospital, 121 Durban Backlands, Georgetown, Guyana, South America. Or you can contact us by phone at (592)638-1318. Thank-you in advance somebody.
Then just last night we received an amazing E-mail. We are being asked to go to Haiti temporarily to help with the relief efforts there. Whew—we will be leaving Feb. 15! We will fly to Miami, Florida first and then back to Haiti. I wish we could go to a Wal-Mart store for a half hour. We sure do get lonesome for familiar things. To think we will actually be in the states for a few moments soon! I wish our sons, parents and you our friends lived in Miami for then we’d get to see you.
And in closing I want to add a note about how happy the nurses were with all the uniforms that you sent Uncle. You must still have a real heart for missions. And I was reminded of Scotty the other day as we used the pulse ox Jerry had repaired long ago for him. I may be in trouble as there are so many of you medical friends there in Fallon who have helped us. Nurse Winchester’s gifts from the surgical unit and supplies that Nurse Laura had saved for us have been a blessing and Surgery staff for the ValleyLabs. We’d never make it without you our friends out there. Even to helping me keep my continuing education credits up thanx to nurse Reva.
I started this letter out as if on the phone and over here when I am through talking I would just hang up. There are no good-byes said and actually I’ve gotten used to it. We will try and write you from Haiti. Do keep us in your prayers and do E-mail us and keep in touch.
Well, you didn’t hang up so I’ll add quick PS. I went in early Friday AM about three to see how the night shift was doing. Plus I wanted to audit our nurse’s time-book where they sign in and out for each shift they work. I worked my way through about two months and discovered some very interesting facts. I said you were on time if you came within the first fifteen minutes of the shift. About one half the nurses are on time five to seven times during that period. Nurse Daniels was on time every time. Amazing!! I am sad to say he has since left us to study theology at the University of the Southern Caribbean But what a record and legacy he left behind. Three other of the full time nurses were not on time even once. And it is not unusual to have them come late by over an hour. And you guessed it. This causes a tremendous amount of problems plus puts patient care at a real risk. Everyone agrees that the nurses should be on time but it just doesn’t happen. There are no real consequences for being late. Yes, they dock your paycheck for the actual time you miss at the end of the year and maybe once between. But the RN and RM (registered midwife) only make three hundred dollars an hour. The exchange rate is two hundred to one US dollar. So yes, they make one and one half US dollars an hour. Not much incentive to worry about getting in all your hours. Rice is cheap here, but batteries, gasoline, and margarine and milk all cost about the same as state side. So there are many very poor people here. Any way, we welcome suggestions as how to encourage help to arrive on time. “CLICK”
The phone rings and I answers “Good morning on to Davis Memorial Hospital”. And yes we are still here in Guyana, South America! Yesterday I held a BLS class for our hospital staff. There were ten students and this time I think the class went smoother and was more fun. I usually enjoy the “Attitude” here which goes with the culture. And I kept one of my students from three years ago with us in our appt. overnight as she lives better than an hour away and had worked to eleven PM the night before. We also ate lunch together and Niamby had NEVER eaten broccoli or almonds. And while she had eaten eggs before she had never had an egg sandwich. Sometimes I forget how really American we still are. We do eat rice but only occasionally and not everyday like most here. And one of Jerry’s workers Prince is regularly skipping meals due to lack of funds or food or maybe both. And this is not considered terribly unusual. No wonder Mrs. Vigilence for AM hospital staff worships at times says “You all had a good weekend—three meals a day?” I don’t think I’ve ever judged my day or weekend as good by the amount of meals I had eaten. One should be a lot more grateful.
Then I want to tell you about the Junior Room at New Life SDA church. Jerry and I and Alpha and Schwarah painted the room a soft white. And we ground the wooden floor boards to a fairly smooth finish and lacquered the floor with a clear coat. We also lacquered the stairs up to our second floor room. We have no curtains yet so I put up bulletin board boarders (from good ole Dollar Tree state side) around the windows. The kids love having a place to call their Jr. Room. I’ll try and attach a picture or two. Thank you friend Teresa and family for your help with this huge project.
Then about two weeks ago Dr. Wilson’s wife Heide started a women’s Bible study group in her home. The topic is faith presented by evangelist Beth Moore. It works right in with our Jr. Room theme this quarter of putting on the whole armor of God. This last week we did the shield of faith and took the five statement pledge of faith and taught it with the hand motions to the Jr. kids. It says:
1. I believe God is who He says He is.
2. I believe God can do what He says He can do.
3. I believe I am who God says I am.
4. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13
5. God’s Word is alive and active in me.
I think some of us worship a God that is far too small. We try to get God to behave and fit into our box. This can take some of the mystery and awe away. Every time we grasp a new concept about God it is suggested we try thinking, He is this……and so much more. Our faith will never be stronger than the God we perceive. If God gets bigger as we study we are on the right track. If God is getting smaller or becoming just a little something to be reckoned with, then we are on the wrong tack. Believe me it is turning out to be a fun Bible study.
Then here at the hospital a large donation (thank you cousin) has come in and we will add the monies we presently have saved with it to start putting in screened windows on the other side of the hospital upstairs where our patient rooms are. We can hardly wait to get started. It will be such a blessing to have screened windows that open instead of just opaque glass slats. And this week I am finalizing on buying a hospital vacuum. The housekeepers at present sweep the few rugs we do have by hand with short little brooms. I also am looking at a microwave for our upstairs kitchen pantry so that patient food can be reheated there when necessary. Thank you Fallon Church Family and our many mission minded friends and sisters for each of your donations. I can assure you we stretch them to help buy the most.
Then this new week I am going to be working on hospital nursing protocols that have to do with IV’s. As I reviewed a chart recently I discovered that nowhere on the chart were two signatures required to hang blood. Yes, everyone says it is to be done. Some say on the lab request slip—some say on the I&O sheet and others say in the nurses notes. But on the chart I reviewed where the child had received blood it was not recorded anywhere. So, with a slight revision or two we are going to uses Fallon’s transfusion record. And it will have the required vital signs on it too!
It has been mind boggling to field the Drs. Complaints of nursing errors. We seem to have basically two IV rates—on and off. Actually it is more like barely on and then on and changes with the patients movement. As you have probably guessed we are on roller clamp and not IV pumps. I have two IV pumps with us but the hospital can’t afford the tubing cost. And so when a Dr. orders three Liters in twenty-four hours he is lucky if two liters go in during that time. Some mornings I find several IV bags dry and hanging. We don’t seem to realize how much effort and checking it takes to run IV’s on roller clamps. And if you have enough experience, even the nurse aide can add the KCL to the IV bag and hang it. I had previously written a Hep Lock flush protocol and now am working on implementing it. I am sure things can change. Do pray with us for the knowhow and right amount of tact and yet firmness to facilitate these needed changes. If any of you have ideas to share Lanelle would love to hear from you.
We actually do get lonesome over here and miss our previous work positions, church family and friends hugely. Not to mention our grandkids and sons. Often when Lanelle sits at the administrative table or even general staff meeting no one sits next to her. She has been told that if they are her friend than some others are not happy. Well, enough of that. What is the saying “Learn to bloom where planted”. And I find that writing complaint letters to God takes care of most of it.
Then we have an odd request. Is there anyone on the Eastern seaboard of the US who would be willing to ship barrels to us from time to time? We would have the goods mailed to you that we order on line and we would pay the barrel shipping cost. What we need you to do is to pack the barrel and get it to the shipper, and possibly stuff in some extra literature. We run short of papers to put out on our hospital “free” rack. It is hard to come by enough literature to keep it full and it hurts my heart to see it part empty at times. Please contact us at our E-mail JerryNLanelle @ Yahoo.com (Jerry request that you not place our name in your contact or email address book) or by snail mail in care of Davis Memorial Hospital, 121 Durban Backlands, Georgetown, Guyana, South America. Or you can contact us by phone at (592)638-1318. Thank-you in advance somebody.
Then just last night we received an amazing E-mail. We are being asked to go to Haiti temporarily to help with the relief efforts there. Whew—we will be leaving Feb. 15! We will fly to Miami, Florida first and then back to Haiti. I wish we could go to a Wal-Mart store for a half hour. We sure do get lonesome for familiar things. To think we will actually be in the states for a few moments soon! I wish our sons, parents and you our friends lived in Miami for then we’d get to see you.
And in closing I want to add a note about how happy the nurses were with all the uniforms that you sent Uncle. You must still have a real heart for missions. And I was reminded of Scotty the other day as we used the pulse ox Jerry had repaired long ago for him. I may be in trouble as there are so many of you medical friends there in Fallon who have helped us. Nurse Winchester’s gifts from the surgical unit and supplies that Nurse Laura had saved for us have been a blessing and Surgery staff for the ValleyLabs. We’d never make it without you our friends out there. Even to helping me keep my continuing education credits up thanx to nurse Reva.
I started this letter out as if on the phone and over here when I am through talking I would just hang up. There are no good-byes said and actually I’ve gotten used to it. We will try and write you from Haiti. Do keep us in your prayers and do E-mail us and keep in touch.
Well, you didn’t hang up so I’ll add quick PS. I went in early Friday AM about three to see how the night shift was doing. Plus I wanted to audit our nurse’s time-book where they sign in and out for each shift they work. I worked my way through about two months and discovered some very interesting facts. I said you were on time if you came within the first fifteen minutes of the shift. About one half the nurses are on time five to seven times during that period. Nurse Daniels was on time every time. Amazing!! I am sad to say he has since left us to study theology at the University of the Southern Caribbean But what a record and legacy he left behind. Three other of the full time nurses were not on time even once. And it is not unusual to have them come late by over an hour. And you guessed it. This causes a tremendous amount of problems plus puts patient care at a real risk. Everyone agrees that the nurses should be on time but it just doesn’t happen. There are no real consequences for being late. Yes, they dock your paycheck for the actual time you miss at the end of the year and maybe once between. But the RN and RM (registered midwife) only make three hundred dollars an hour. The exchange rate is two hundred to one US dollar. So yes, they make one and one half US dollars an hour. Not much incentive to worry about getting in all your hours. Rice is cheap here, but batteries, gasoline, and margarine and milk all cost about the same as state side. So there are many very poor people here. Any way, we welcome suggestions as how to encourage help to arrive on time. “CLICK”
Love,
Lanelle & Jerry
Lanelle & Jerry