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Diary - June 10, 2003
Greetings to family, friends, and colleagues,
I am having a fantastic time in Tanzania!! This experience has
been so wonderful and extremely educational in every regard. Lately
I have been balancing the clinical work with pleasure. In the
last two weekends I have done two safaris. The first safari that
I did was to Ngorongoro Crater. The second safari was to the Selous
game reserve. With both trips the animal and plant diversity were
incredible. The scenery was absolutely astounding and breath-taking.
I am very grateful to nature to have had these experiences of
a lifetime. While I was in Dar es Salaam I visited a friend of
whom is a Canadian diplomat and stayed at the residence of the
Canadian Embassy. This was a very informative and interesting
time.
In my last correspondence, I mentioned that I would discuss clinical
experiences. These experiences have encouraged and inspired me
to be constantly on a learning continuum. The massage therapist
and I are challenged every day. The education and skills that
we have been taught in Canada are certainly being used. We are
both so thankful and fortunate to have these tools in order to
assist others with the simplicities of life as well as complications.
Yvonne and I have had success with several neromusculoskeletal
conditions. The patients have been truly amazed that their conditions
that they have been experiencing for months to years to decades
have been resolved with very few treatments of chiropractic and
massage. Their activities of daily living have been enhanced and
overall they are happier people and more productive with their
lives in general. A primary example is a patient of ours who has
had advanced scoliosis her entire life and has been living in
pain and discomfort suddenly has become a person of vitality with
treatment. Other case scenarios include; discopathy, headaches,
ergonomic pathologies, osteoarthritis, tendonitis, frozen shoulder,
Osgoode-Schlatter's, chondromalacia patella, jumper's knee, abdominal
pathologies, skin disorders, parasites, bacterial and fungal infections,
viral complications, psychopathologies, and blood related disorders.
Specific cases that we have encountered include; sickle cell anaemia,
multiple myeloma, cerebral palsy, club foot in infants, gastroenteritis,
hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular disease,
hypertension, schizophrenia, epilepsy, malaria, schistosomiasis,
ascaris, tinea capitis and pedis, filariasis, multiple sclerosis,
diabetes, peripheral neuropathies, dysentery, upper motor neuron
lesions, erectile dysfunction, menstrual symptomatology, post-stroke
syndrome, communicable diseases of Africa, tuberculosis, lymphedema,
endometriosis, congenital abnormalities, heart dysfunction, and
many more...
We have been using our clinical skills to the best of our ability.
Quite often people present with cases of dehydration for the people
don't drink enough water considering their environment and work.
We have been doing simple education on hydration to improve their
quality of health. Extreme emphasis has been placed upon diet
for they have a very high carbohydrate and low fibre diet. It
is amazing how such simple advice can make such a differerence
to their lives...
Our interpreters, Pandu and Mrisho, have been most influential
with instilling to the people the importance of nutrition and
diet. It has been inspiring to see their motivation to promote
health and wellness in the community. We are most certain that
they will continue to do this with their dedication to health
and keeness to learn and educate others. Without them we would
not have had the opportunity to educate the community and make
a difference. At this time we would like to thank them for all
their generosity, kindness and helpfulness with contributing to
this project in their community. They have been most influential
in the development of this project in Jambiani...
On a different note, I was invited to attend and observe an english
class at a local school the other day. All of the students had
arrived and I was waiting for the teacher to arrive as well. The
students then told me that I was the teacher for this class. All
of a sudden I had to get very creative and decide on a lesson
plan. We all agreed upon a conversational english class. This
was a great time. One of the students was the chief councillor
of the village. After the class I went to his father's home(for
he was unable to walk very far) and gave him a treatment for degenerative
joint disease of the knees. The chief then wanted to give me some
eggs for this gesture. I did not take him up on his kind offer
for I was going for a walk down the beach.
LOVE,
HAPPINESS,
andHEALTH
SHAWNA
Jambo from the massage clinic!
The past couple of weeks have been very busy for me in the clinic.
There has been the ongoing challenge and stimulation of new patients
with interesting and complex pathologies as well as the positive
feedback and results from our returning clients.
I am feeling very ALIVE and dynamic on a professional level. It
reminds me of those initial days and months of internship in the
outpatient clinic in massage college. I would like to invite any
motivated Registered Massage Therapist to partake in this amazing
Hands Across Borders Society project. From the recent graduates
with their keen academic perspective, to the experienced therapists
who can bring their own specialties and history of hands-on practical
knowledge to the team. I can guarantee your lives will be enhanced
by the experience.
Last week I began a project of my own which I feel very passionate
about. I am teaching relaxation massage to some of the locals
here in Jambiani. Tourism is starting to take off on this side
of the island, and a few people who are already offering relaxation
massage on the beach and in hotels are participating in my course.
My goal is to increase their knowledge and skills so they can
offer professional and therapeutic treatments, thereby providing
them with a means of increasing their income.
The theory covers contraindications including some of the most
common skin conditions endemic to this area, basic anatomy and
physiology, principles of treatment, and client/therapist interactions.
Our classes are 2 hours long, and there will be 8 classes in total.
Once we've completed the training, I wish to assist them in "making
it happen" ...ex: how they advertise and speak to perspective
clients, how much do they charge, what do they work on instead
of a proper massage table, etc.
I currently have three Tanzanian students, one Jambiani woman
who is at beginner's level of English, and two others who speak
English very well, and are translating for me. We have had 5 classes
so far, and I am proud of the progress that they've made. There
are another three women who have signed up and are waiting for
my next course to begin!
I am so enthusiastic about this project, and eager to see my students
profit from their hard work.
Tutaonana badai!
Yvonne
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