We all made
our way down to breakfast and then to the hospital, as usual. It is fun to watch the locals pack into the buses. Fare is 20 cents, but the ride is wild.Today for some reason many people forgot their scrubs. Richard, well over 6 foot something, loaned me a pair of his. Very sweet, except they were larger than I needed. But they worked!
Walking up
the stairs this morning, we had to share with a wheelchair being moved with a patient on it. There are no elevators, and later in the day someone else had to carry a patient down the stairs. These are electronics and luxuries we all take for granted. Consider the logistics - the wards are upstairs, while the clinics, testing, and other essentials are downstairs. Some of the wards we use are downstairs, and surgery is upstairs...
The first cases were a three and a four year old. My first patient was the three year old. He was the spitting image of his father! Both very sweet, and they traded off who wore the hat as the day progressed.
Verathon was kind enough to let us use a Glidescope Ranger. This is a very portable video scope that allows us to place tubes in people that otherwise might be too difficult to do. We have used it many times, but three times it proved to be critical. I think we all have used it now and are very thankful to have it.
There is a wonderful woman who cooks o
ur meals and serves them up with her son and daughter. She has two other daughters, one of whom is in Los Angeles. Her son speaks English and they are all very friendly. And great cooks!
The case that made my day feel so long was the release of a burn that ended up being longer in duration and more complicated than any of us expected. It took a long time to get everything done, the patient was very tired after the case, and we all spent much time and attention to get him perked up and ready to send to the ward. We finally all headed home after dark, had a quick dinner, and fell into bed.
Which is where I am headed now...
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