Sorry that is has been four days since my last post. I have had VERY limited internet and now Brian took away my phone internet, after my day stranded yesterday extreme bordem led to an overage in my plan allowance already!
So let me see this week...
Monday, Brian did his first spine case and it went really well considering all the challenges here. He also had several traumas come in, including a six year old who's arm got caught in an auger. It was very hard for him to put him back together. One of those cases that he came home sad and frustrated. He had a lady who with broken leg and broken arm hobbled across the room and put herself on the exam table! We are seeing and learning in amazement that the people here are TOUGH as can be. They walk around this hospital with all sorts of broken limbs and ailments and just carry on without a word. Would NEVER happen in the US!!! As for the rest of us it poured all day, which meant more soccer (or football) in the rain! Joe and I are catching up on the Star Wars Series, Grandma Roxy has been cleaning away and doing laundry, Grace has made several girl friends (no surprise there), and Tobs still just wants to go home.
Tuesday was an intersting day for me. I went to observe in the dental clinic. They put me to work the first patient in the door. A cleaning, I said sure if it would help you out. They only had one chair. I cleaned and the "dental technician" and two "assistance" sat and watched me. It was the worst cleaning I have done since hygiene school! And dull, broken hand instruments was all they had to work with. After about fifteen minutes I asked how they do it? Their reply was, "You are too nice. Our people tough people. You just have to do it!" Alrighty then. I scaled like I would never scale anyone in private practice in US without anesthetic. After an hour I gave up and handed it over. The assistant sat down and told patient, "She did not want to hurt you, now open we have to get it off, do not move." I thought he was going to pull her teeth out!!! Moral of story...get teeth cleaned in US! They also so extractions and root canals if you are interested! After that, I thought I'd just watch a bit. And then a baby peed on me! But, in Africa when a baby pees on you you are blessed so it was all good! Brian had couple cases that went well Tues, but also had a sad case. Monday evening a two day old baby had a tourniquet left on all night after an IV was started. Due to lack of staffing that evening it was not found until morning. The baby had compartment syndrom of him entire arm. Brian was really upset. He is holding on the the hope that kids are like salimanders and if you "cut of a limb it will grow back". It wasn't looking good, but is still hopeful. To cheer him up that evening we went to our new friends the Sparks' house again for homade donuts and coffee after dinner. It was a nice ending to a hard day. Oh and I have to tell you funn story our cook for the evening, Mercy, made burritos. She forgot the beans! We got to the table and had tortillas, guac, tomatos, and onions. We sat for a while waiting and then she said that is it, just put it in tortillas. Very strange we thought, ok. Then Mercy reallized she forgot the beans! Made us laugh, we've ate some strange things but that would have been the winner so far.
Wednesday, as you know Grace and I went to Bamenda to do a little shopping. We got stuck waiting all day. Boys played with Grandma at house. And Brian did more cases. He actually has a good day till about 4:00 when a trauma came in. It was a three year old boy who's grandparents brought him in, he had been beaten so badly that his arm had been broken. Brian fixed his arm then had to send him back with his grandparents. No DFS in Cameroon. He said they did give repeated instruction on child abuse. We are trying to learn some of the native language of "pigeon". Brian is picking up some at the hospital. Dr. Palmer taught me some on our drive to Bamenda. Interesting, the people do not have an expectation for a long live due to high death rate. Their tenses in verbage is all present. If that makes sense. It is all what is happening now. They don't talk about the future or the past, very weird. We are playing lots of games and cards and farkle. Last night we all were thinking ice cream sounded really good. So if you have a bowl, think of us!
Now it's Thursday. It's a holiday today, Ascension. The kids are out of school and the clinics are all closed. Brian is doing cases but will be done early. He has already run out of spine instrumentation. He has a call in to his reps to fed ex more supplies to a student that is flying out on Sunday to bring them with them. Crazy! It is early, not much more has happened today so I will post later. Will try to not go four days this time.
Love to you all. You can still call on our cells, just remember we are six hours ahead!
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