#19- The Markets, malaria, and magic moments

#19- The Markets

Another massive day starts with an early call to a woman with a new case of Malaria. We have these little test kits in the clinic. A drop of blood is placed on a reagent strip, a developing solution is dripped onto the kit and in 15-20 mins you have a result. Much like a pregnancy test you'd buy at a pharmacy, quick, accurate and tests for all 4 strains of malaria.  
Well bingo. My first solo positive. It felt so good to be able to share with this girl why she felt so crook for 4 days!!!

It us relatively easy to treat. Surprisingly easy actually. Four tablets every 12 hours for three days following a protocol. I'll check on her in the morning, but she will have a couple of days of feeling sick to wade through yet. 

The markets came to town today. PNG villagers bring over boatloads of people and hand made goods for sale and trade. I bought a wonderful carving that epitomizes some of the culture here. Women make weaves pampas baskets and mats, mud crabs are sold for a song. Huge barramundi, mud clams, masks, spears and a host of other items are traded with tourists and locals.

Tourists??? You heard right... By tourist, I mean me. Telstra workers, nurses, teachers, tradesmen, and pilots. All short term stayers to the island are tourists.  In fact it is a bit of tongue in cheek really. There is NO tourism on this island. You won't see bus loads of Asian or European photo takers here.  Saibai has a raw, unspoiled charisma about it, and the fact that there is only one food shop, one clothing store and no maccas  makes it unique. Islanders go about their business caring for their island, without having to be anyone to anyone.  There is a sense that I should ask permission to pull out my camera, and I do. 

This afternoon a very sick PNG 5 year old was carried in by his dad.  I was really worried!! This kid was so hot (T=40.7) and dry that he hadn't peed (pispis) for 24 hours. I weighed this kid at only 18kg and he was white as a ghost.  A quick pass of my stethoscope revealed no air in his right lung. This boy had one of the worst cases of pneumonia I've seen.  After whacking in an IV and starting him on fluids, I rang the doctor on Thursday Island. Some Iv antibiotics, given and in just 2 hours, this kid had bounced back from the brink... I swear he was gonna code. 

That's it with children, they crash so fast, but add water and it never ceases to amaze me how quick they pack up. I wandered down to the water front where boat loads of PNG nationals are staging their nightly exodus, and there is my boy, laughing, singing and running with other kids from his village....awe struck.
I love this game!!!