Superman

Today our group met with Dr. Merry, an infectious disease attending affiliated with Northwestern who has worked in Mulago for over 8 years (I think). It was really helpful to be able to talk to someone with an informed and enlightened perspective on global health. I thought I'd journal about some of the points I took away from the experience.

One thing Dr. Merry discussed with us was the reaction she thinks many students have when they arrive at Mulago and how similar it was to the Kubler-Ross stages of grief. I think I can identify with a few of those stages myself.

- denial: at first it was almost surreal to be here, in Africa, I almost didn't realize that I was here. After being at Mulago for a few days, thinking that perhaps the patients weren't getting as poor care as I thought.
- anger: being angry with the system we're thrown into here, where I feel so helpless to help patients even when I know what to do. Angry with the residents and attendings around me who seem so apathetic to the patients in front of them who lack care.
- bargaining: with healthcare workers around the area about speeding up care for patients.
- depression: seeing how many people lack the basic necessities for medical care was one of the most striking memories I had coming here. Realizing how wasteful our society is makes me feel guilty to waste the things I have when others have so little.
- acceptance: Perhaps something I'm finally getting to... using the experience to learn about medical care in a developing country and to figure out my role in global health in the future.

It was interesting to hear Dr. Merry's experience with other students who have come to Mulago. She told us a story about a few foreign medical students (not from NU) who came in the fall during the Ebola outbreak. The students had just arrived and became so paranoid about Ebola (which is transmitted through skin contact) that they were wearing TB masks and gloves even at Makerere Guest House. Their behavior was a reaction to panic and anxiety from escalated rumors and being in a foreign place. Ebola is a disease with great mortality and I can't necessarily say I would have acted too differently in a similar situation. Their behavior had started to spread paranoia throughout the guest house and community-- not only had their presence in Kampala not been at all constructive, it was actually destructive to the people around them. They all booked flights out of the country. Dr. Merry had a chat with them in which she described how her son at a young age aspired to be Superman and wanted to "save the world". Everybody at some point wanted to be Superman (or any other superhero of your choice). She explained that as we age, the dream to become Superman becomes replaced but it does not disappear. I remember being an idealistic teenager, ready to save the world. I think over the years, I've felt myself coming to the realization of how seemingly impossible most things have become. (Jaded, I believe, is the appropriate term). Anyways, she encouraged them to find that inner Superman, even if only for the 48 hours they had left in town, and use their efforts to improve the community in some way-- eat at a restaurant, explain to the guesthouse workers how to avoid contracting Ebola, put together a pamphlet for the surrounding community. Well I suppose those students all found their inner superhero because they all stayed. Her point was that it didn't take anything astronomical like stopping a speeding train to be Superman. Everyday, anywhere there are simple things you can do to find your inner Superman. This mantra was very poignant to me and something I hope to always remember.

I hope no one gets too nitpicky about the details in these stories. Remember they're an abridged version of our discussion with Dr. Merry and I only meant to capture the meaning (which I hope I have) and not the minutia.

It looks like there's going to be a huge monsoon today! Although I just got a winter advisory warning for Chicago so I should count my blessings.