Sections, Scoliosis and Socc...errr.. ah, I mean.....Football !!!!

Much done today, we fixed another girl with scoliosis today, 75 degrees, so she was a little worse than last weeks girl.  Amy and the two student dietitians got to go in and see C-sections today with Dr Dickens.  I asked Amy how many she saw, and was surprised when she said all four...there were only three scheduled.  I was wondering if she liked seeing it so much she talked someone else into a section, but she assures me that they added on an emergency one.  She was nervous for a bit, because the baby didn't cry for awhile after it came out.  But, alas,  the cries came, and Amy got to hold the newborn almost immediately so all was good.

Amy raids the nursery!!!

Dr Dicken's bringing new life into the world!!

 So then Grace came into the OR to see what I do for a living.  She got to see a big spinal fusion we were doing for scoliosis.  She didn't last very long, and after about 20-30 minutes I heard her ask her Mom to leave.  I was worried it was making her sick, but when I asked her later if it was making her feel sick. She was like, "No Dad!!!    It was just boring standing there watching you and Dr Nana pick at her spine...you weren't really doing anything."  Maybe someday she'll understand that it was pretty cool to be standing there while her Dad and his colleague were passing sub-laminar wires into the spinal canal to straighten her spine.  Not something every 10 year old can say they have seen.

Grace getting bored watching us "picking at the spine"

Today's task..

I also went to visit the little boy who had compartment syndrome several weeks ago from a accidentally placed tourniquet that was left overnight.  His arm was looking good and healing well.  I think he will keep his arm but am still not sure how much function he will have in it.  I think that it will be better than a very high arm amputation.

Then I got invited back to play football with the hospital team versus the local boys team.  Again, I say I feel pretty fat and out of shape to play at 4,800 feet elevation with a bunch of 16-20 year olds.  It's another great African experience.  Their love of the game, their passion for it is cool...especially for a former soccer player, to see 50+ men and boys fighting to get onto the field to play in knee high grass, where the ball gets lost.  It just fun.  They practice twice a week, Tues/Thurs evenings and play a game every weekend.  I survived it again without breaking or tearing anything, and even contributed a little to my team, but still have a long way to go... It's good fun and great exercise.

Football in deep grass!! My nurse anesthetists (David) is the gentleman in white on right of picture..

BI