This week made me kinda feel bad.

Living in a developed, well-off country, you take for granted all the diseases you hear about as mythical things that in no way can affect you. I mean, no one really DIES from diseases anymore, right?

It was so interesting looking at all the WHO statistics and comparing the US with Sierra Leone. Looking at water sanitation, it's hard for me to process the true consequences of the poor water conditions that Sierra Leone suffers from. Lake Michigan ruins the greatness of water for me. 

And while we mostly worry about dieing when we are old by the hands of Alzheimer's (which, frankly, scares me the most out of any disease), Sierra Leone has to deal with diseases that can affect anyone, including the old, such as repiratory infections, tuberculosis, and malaria. It makes me think that in order for a society to prosper, it's basic health needs must be met first. 

My favorite (favorite sounds like a politically incorrect thing to say here...) topic to learn about was the causes of death in children under 5. While our causes for death are mostly established at birth, Sierra Leone has top causes that can last into 5 years of age and even past that. Stunting, as Professor Amos described, has a very permanent impact on the population. And the fact that so many babies are affected by it is, quite honestly, haunting. 

Getting a better picture of what the health snapshot is like in Sierra Leone isn't exactly a fun experience, but I do think it's useful. I'm looking forward to whatever is next.