We started out with orientation to the hospital, and the pharmacy but then we got to take a tour of Cherokee! A woman from Infection Control has lived in the area for over 10 years and drove us around explaining the tribe and the area to us.
I learned that the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians actually never lived in Tepees, but instead had farms. Also, they are broken up into 7 clans and each clan has their own community center on the land. At the community center they have tribal meetings and other political and communal events. Apparently, only a few full blooded Cherokees still remain.
There have been 2 cases of TB in the last 10-15years and since the community does not understand how infections spread the people with the infection were ostracized by the community.
The Cherokee's are also great entrepreneurs and can find any way possible to make money. Finally, they differ from other tribes in that they are pretty much middle class America. The woman giving the tour has worked on other reservations where this is not true and it is harder to get them access to the health care they need.
Well, tomorrow is the first day we will get an opportunity to work with patient's time to rest up!
**Excuse the randomness, I was just spouting off information I remember from today!**
Here are some additional pictures of the adventures today!! We went to the Farmstand and a Fish Hatchery
Me attempting to sit on the front porch without breaking it haha, its kind of an old building!
Look at this amazing view!! I still can't believe I am in the mountains!! :-)
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