Hiking Mt Mbingo, Take 2...no 3

So another good day in the OR, Another spinal fracture. L1 burst fracture, again.  I let Dr Nana do it mostly himself this time as long as I could,then stepped in and polished it up for him.  I let the general surgery resident put most of the screws on my side today, which he was pretty surprised I would let him.  All and all a good start.  Got pictures back of Susan's results, better than I was expecting, got her into the high forty degrees (half the amount of curve she had pre-op), which is very acceptable given the situation.  She is doing well, she wanted to get up and walk today, but they are pretty set in the way that no one walks day one after big surgery.

As I was coming home today, I was pleased to see them using a real lawn mower.  They sent the grounds crew to the big city nearby for a day long course in how to use a lawn mower...It would be a big adjustment if you were use to swinging a machete all day I guess.

I was done by 2:30 today and the boys were up for another hike...Toby suggested the big hill behind our house, Joey was just concerned if it would be classified as hiking a hill or hiking a mountain...he preferred the latter.  So this was our second time up Mt Mbingo, the big bump that looms over the whole hospital compound.  We went up last year the three of us, at 3 years of age, the grass was way over Toby's head and almost over Joey's.  But this year was better, they both did awesome, for what is really a pretty strenuous hike, I only had to carry Toby across the top where the grass was way above his head, he did all the rest himself.  I told the boys they got extra credit for doing it by themselves, Joey asked if I would pay that to him in Dollars or African Money???

Yes, it is that steep!!!

This year instead of just going up we went across the whole top of the range and tried to go down the other side, half way down, we reached an impasse and couldn't go any further , too steep, hence the 3rd trip up Mt Mbingo.  My boys took it in stride, I was so proud of them today.  We used the walkie talkies to call Mom who came out and took our pictures from down at the hospital and you can see us waving up top.

Toby's photo skills

Unless you have seen this place in person (Roxy), its hard to describe the ironic dichotomy of absolutely stunning surroundings intertwined with waves and waves of inhumanity/poverty and needless suffering.  I think its GOD's way of making sure you don't miss the message.....


Tonight we went to dinner at some friends house, Dr Keith and Kay (Anesthesiologist from Australia) which was superb.  I got invited to hike with he and Dr Sparks (Missionary Vascular Surgeon from San Diego) to the highest peak in the region in the morning.  Supposedly about 7400 ft and we are at 4500ft now.  Leaving at 6:30 in the morning which is 12:30 am there...So I best be off to bed sounds like I have a hill to climb tomorrow.


BI