Recent Activities...

Hi All,

As many of you may have heard i recently had a little accident on my way back home (aka to site in Oloolaimutia). I have been in Nairobi since September 12, along with my entire training class (minus 1 who decided to Early Terminate aka ET aka return to the U.S.A. due to site difficulty and personal reasons). We came back for In-Service-Training, we learned about a variety of topics we told our supervisors we needed more information on in order to carry out projects at our sites. After completion of IST we were all to return home on friday, i along with some others decided to return Saturday. My plan was to return with my buddy Z to my site, he has been wanting to come visit my site as it is very different than his; he is located near Funyula, which is almost on the Ugandan Border in the Western Province of Kenya.

On Saturday morning, Z, Megan, Brian, and I (Megan, Brian and I all live relatively close to one another in the Lower Rift Valley) boarded the bus and set out for Narok. Upon arriving in Narok, we got off the bus and proceeded to walk down the street to a local eatery for lunch. While walking down the side of the street, because there are no sidewalks, i was in the lead. As i walked along side a car parked on the side of the road a big Lori, or as we would call it a Cargo Truck, came barreling down the road; let me add that the roads here are very narrow, and usually have cars parked on both sides and then just enough room for two lanes of traffic flowing in opposite directions to pass one another. As i was walking i had my backpack on my back and big duffle bag over my right front shoulder. When the Lori approached me, i guess there just wasnt enough room or maybe he wasnt paying enough attention but regardless the bag and my right arm were struck! The momentum sent me spinning into the air and crashing into the parked car, with enough force to leave a noticable dent in the car....or so i was told by my fellow PCV's that were walking behind me; all i can remember is seeing the truck tires about to run over my legs and thinking to pull them up and back just before they were crushed beyond repair.

After the truck passed, and just kept on driving (it never stopped at all), i saw the other three PCV's running towards me along with some Kenyans. by the time they reached me i had gotten to my feet and noted that all my limbs and bodily functions seemed in tact. The people rushing towards me asked if i was alright and some other things i dont remember (i was in shock i think and wasnt really paying attention to anyone and what they were saying). I began picking up my things and started to walk to the eatery where we were headed initially. Once we arrived there my friends asked again if i was okay, recanted the story to me, and told me to call the PC Medical Emergency number and let them know what happened. I called and told them i got hit by a truck and they told me to go to the Narok hospital. I went up there and 3 hrs later i got a half-decent check and two half-decent x-rays. After that i called the PC Medical Office and they said i could get a hotel to sleep in that night, so i didnt have to sleep on a couch that was to short for me or the ground. Z said he would stay with me, becasue they didnt want me to be alone just in case something went wrong. the next morning i was told to return to Nairobi, accompanied by Z, so that i could get checked out there.

Yesterday, i saw a doctor at Nairobi Hospital (an orthopod) who ordered more x-rays and then sent me to get physical therapy. I saw the physio today and i will again thursday and friday and then i am supposed to return to the doctor on monday. Overall, my injuries were not severe nor were they even probably appropriate for what happened to me; they should have been worse, im lucky to be alive and have my legs in tact.

Injuries:
Right Knee - deep bruise, left elbow - scraped, bruised, right elbow - big, deep bruise and large bump, left ass cheek - scraped and bruised, stomach - scraped, deep tissue bruise, very sore, neck - whiplash

So thats, that...i'll be fine and i got a good look at what its like to be a patient here in Kenya, in large and small urban center hospitals. Im ready to go home though, the big city is taking its toll on me! it is expensive, busy, polluted and overwhelming and brings out the consumer in me and i dont like it...im ready to go back to my simple life, very ready.

Hope you enjoyed the story and the picture above.