On to rounds to see a museum of neurosurgical cases. I hesitate to post this photo but it may be quite historic:
I leave rounds early as I am being picked up by the administrator of ST. Yarod's Hospital. This was founded two years ago by Akeza Teame, an Ethiopian who went to K.U. Med school and did internal medicine and an infectious disease fellowship at Albert Einstein.
He is quite an amazing guy and his vision and his hospital are quite unique. Too long to go into all the fascinating details, but I am going to try to help him set up a sustainable program for elective neurosurgery in Addis. He is of the opinion that of the current 6 or so neurosurgeons in the country there is not one who meets his standards; he is probably correct. We are going to try and change that.
Had a snack on Bole rd and then lunch at the Jupiter Hotel where I caught up on Internet and email for the first time in two days. You would never know it is new year's eve in Ethiopia unless you are at one of the western hotels. Their new years is sept. 1.
Went to Dr. Rick's for Shabbat and it was historic. 60 people in his very small living room, the most he has ever had. His cook, working in a kitchen the size of a small closet made buffet dinner for all. There was a load of 27 fascinating Jews from Sweden who arrived yesterday for a 10 day tour of Jewish Ethiopia. About one third of them were doctors and I had some fascinating talks with them. They were extremely moved by the experience as was I. This is at least my fifth Shabbat at Rick's house, and each is different and very inspirational. Hard to put such a unique experience into words.
Met and had a long talk with Tom Kornberg, a fruit fly researcher at UCSF and son of a Nobel Prize winner. His son Ross is being paid by Johns Hopkins to do research here in Addis for one year; he will then be going to med school. Part of his work is at The Black Lion Hospital where I am working; I plan to meet him for lunch next week to learn more.
Also saw once again two couples from Denver who Lynn met when she was here. They have just returned from 10 days in the south omo. Their experience was not quite like mine; they were quite fascinated with the trek that we did.
Now I look forward to a weekend of leisure and dinner Sunday with Akeza and his wife.
One more funny story from the Mercato, the largest market in Africa and pickpocket capital of Addis. A true story. A friend of mine was there today. Suddenly he saw a woman lifted in the air by her waist and then shaken up and down. The woman's shoes fell off, the fellow grabbed her shoes and ran off. As the Ethiopians would say, "very clever".
Somehow I never know what I will be doing tomorrow, but it always ends up fascinating. I will miss Rick as he leaves for a two week trip to the states. Denver is having a huge fund raiser for him and thus far has raised nearly $400,000. He has a one hour presentation to the Gates Foundation, and is also trying to raise money from Schultz, CEO of Starbucks and one other prominent foundation.
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