Let the Research Begin

Today was the first full day of data collection at Joytown. The crazy thing about our "study" here is that its actually 4 different studies linked together by our team:

1. One study looks at the condition of the wheelchairs that have been in use by the kids at Joytown for several months or years prior.
2. Another study gathers the opinions of Joytown's wheelchair technicians on the design of this year's two study chairs.
3. Another gathers the opinions of students at Joytown who have been using the study chairs for a few months prior to our visit.
4. and  the last but not least study measures the comparative effort or energy cost of using the two study chairs with a series of " wheelchair skills tests" (i.e. rolling, wheelie, curb, figure 8, ect.)

These four studies are taking place simultaneously, in the same space, with similar groups of subjects. Fun stuff indeed. A real logistical dream. ;) I have been working mostly on wheelchair skills tests (runs) so far this trip. 

I was conflicted and frustrated with the wheelchair skills runs today because they were going so slow and all I wanted to do was to just BE at Joytown, not worry about all this stuff to DO. I was frustrated with the speed because I was stressed about getting the entire body of data collected in the time we have these three weeks. It seemed a bit crazy and impossible in my freak-out-mode head. But once again our evening post-dinner team meeting really helped me to re-focus my thoughts on the blessings of the day, the approachable challenges of tomorrow, and ultimately, God. 

After the big group meeting, we had a small team meeting of us four student researchers and Prof. Rispin. We broke down how our research and data flow had gone the past two days, how much we had left to collect, and a preliminary goal for how many wheelchair data sets we needed to collect each day. Prof. Rispin took the time to genuinely commend in the work we've done so far and encourage us that the end goal is indeed possible, the first and second day always feel frustratingly useless. It was exactly what I needed to hear. :)

On a similar Prof. Rispin-really-rocks note, she spent a good part of her day running back and forth from Joytown to our SACDEP home to check on Matt who stayed in bed with a fever. Praise news, though, that by dinnertime Matt was up and running with no fever and much more of a sense of renewed strength and rest. Yay!

I feel being at Joytown is really "testing my metal" for what I've thought I've wanted to do with my life: be a doctor (possibly a pediatrician) in foreign settings with a lot of need. Being around these kids is so good for seeing how my heart responds, for imagining the day when I can jump right in and care for them. I want to grow to love these kids, to really show them some love with my time here and not just simply research them.

I was really blessed today by my interaction and growing relationship with Ruth and Mercy, two volunteers from the Joytown community who are helping with our research these three weeks. They have caught on so quickly to the process and demands and purpose of the wheelchair skills tests. Mercy has filled in as my much-needed second brain on several occasions and helps to make sure my research is inline with frequent "Emy, maybe we can..." or "Oh Emy, we must measure here." or "Emy, is this okay?". It is so awesome to have another research partner and Kenyan friend to talk to even after knowing each other for less than two days. She taught me how to count to 10 today in Swahili (which of course I remember none of it by now…) but who knows, in a week I may comeback with a whole other language under my belt. ;)

I am listening now to some of the interesting night sounds of Kenya: the ever-faithful cricket, the chorus of squeaky-tennis-shoe frogs, the sporadic and proud group of gravely-voiced bullfrogs, this one unidentified creature that sounds like a person screeching (so comforting...), bickering stray dogs, and a group of rowdy Kenyan neighbors watching a futbol match. Oh, and around 4:30am I can catch the call to prayer from the Muslim temple around the corner. By the time I am snuggled in bed under my mosquito net, these sounds blend into a wonderful lullaby, one that I will surely grow to miss.

Kwaheri for now! (That means goodbye)