Tuesday, a much better day at work

Went to hospital very early for morning report. Fortunately one night's "action" is not as involved as the weekend. As we are having obligatory tea break, the general surgeons file in and one of the fellows looks remarkably familiar. Turns out he is a pediatric surgeon who I Had met and done several operations with in Gondar during my last visit. Just one month ago he moved to Addis to be chief of pediatric surgery here. In great detail he reminded me of the surgeries we had done together.

Next on to rounds with the chief resident and one of the consultants. Memories of many years ago. I am in awe of the the resident keeping track of the names and varied locations of 40 patients. Women's adult ward, then mens, then icu, then pediatrics, then newborn nursery and on and on. Could be easily depressed with 6 new meningomyeloceles


with hydrocephalus,
3 men nearly paralyzed from advanced problems involving the cervical spine (including one age 26), a gymnast who missed a maneuver, landed on his head, fracured his neck and is now paralyzed. 4 huge benign brain tumors being constantly postponed because of priority of others. The smallest of these is larger than the largest tumor I have ever seen. Took more than 2 hours to see everyone.

Next we move on to OPD (outpatient department) where there were at least 40 patients waiting in a small room to be seen by four of us. I was assigned my own room with desk and translator/nurse. She was great. Very efficiently handed me a chart to review, ushered in the patient, translated, then filled in all required demographic if I needed to write a prescription. Incredibly competent help. So goes another day at work.

I walk a mile or two to Ethiopian airlines to pay for tickets to Lalibela tomorrow, then to lunch, walk some more and then catch a minibus to Jupiter hotel, one of the few places in town with wifi. Minibus is 14 people crammed into what we call a minivan. Windows closed, one man with a basket of at least 100 eggs, and plenty of local "perfume" (use your imagination).

A final visit to Rick's for Rachel to teach the kids how to make dolls out of pipe cleaners. We walk home in the dark, pack, and tomorrow we get up at 5:30 to get the plane to Lalibela for our 4 day/3night trek. Lynn is not so excited (but Rachel is) and I have not yet been brave enough to tell her we will be flying a turboprop.

This won't be posted till we get back, when I'll have a full report of our adventure.

That's all for now.

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