Tuesday, May 19: A new eye and a new job...

Chris and I had more fabrication on Tuesday. We had told the people from Macha that we would do their fittings on Thursday, so we needed all six of the Macha people's prostheses ready by end of day on Wednesday. Crunch time!

The finished sockets. None of the sockets had been smoothed yet, but Chris was going to get most of that done on Wednesday. I finished selecting feet for each patient and had the feet, knee if above-knee prosthesis, and the socket grouped together on the table. There is organization on that table...it just doesn't look like it.

Model set up for laminating.

Chris taking a sit-down break while watching the lamination. She had 13 laminations done by the end of Tuesday...only 4 more to go.

My Tuesday was mostly consumed with sewing...aside from times doing other work in the garage when I needed a de-frustration break. There were 8 prostheses that were above-knee sockets that we did a CJ socket design on. These socket designs need a cloth section, called a 'sail', that goes on the back of the thigh part of the socket. The sewing took forever it seemed! By the end of the day, I had 6 done...and the 6th I finished after dinner. A large part of the time it took was due to the sewing machine....it's a used machine that has some glitches. The belt doesn't always catch, so it's quite literally spinning it's wheel without doing anything. I also broke 2 needles and had to replace those. 

The sewing...

went on...

and on. 

I really should have listened to my mom and learned to sew at an early age.

John was working on fabrication and had one patient fitting of a custom eye. It was "the lady with the baby". The lady and her husband left around 5:30am, each on a bicycle and she carrying her baby, and they arrived at New Day around noon. John gave them money for transport, so that they wouldn't have to ride their bicycles all that way back. 

Before picture.

After.

She was pleased with the eye John made for her. Many of the people we saw just don't smile for pictures. 

The lady and her husband getting their bicycles ready to leave. 

During the fitting process, Bryan interpreted for John. Bryan also talked with them more about where they lived, etc. It ended up that Bryan offered for the husband to work for him in the Lusaka area. Bryan's wife and two children stay at their home when he is working at New Day, so this couple can live there and help out while Bryan is away working. How awesome that she coming to see John led to this connection for work for her husband. 

John took a cool moon picture Tuesday night. 

*Next post: Wednesday, May 20: Ready for fittings