As to be expected, we completed another first today...watching surgeries in the main operating theater. We decided to get there a little early to be sure we didn't miss anything. Still not sure if that was a good or bad decision. The first procedure we saw was what he called an evacuation after a partial abortion. The woman was rolled into the theater, placed on a table completely naked and the procedure was performed. There was a lot of blood that went everywhere. Again, it didn't seem like there was much respect for her as a patient. The surgeon also seemed a little brash. He had one of the more abrasive personalities. Guess that's just something I'll learn to deal with.
Afterwards we saw him do a hernia repair which we correctly determined to be an indirect hernia! That glorious moment was immediately crushed when he asked us to name the boundaries of the inguinal canal and we couldn't get them all. Better brush up on my anatomy ASAP!
Because there was a break in the major surgeries, we all headed to the minor theater. There we saw a few catheters being placed as well as some wound care. Then we got word that Dr. Waiswa had a few C-sections to perform so we made our way back to the main theater. The first two seemed to go smoothly but the last one was a still born. Based on the smells and the way people reacted, the fetus had been deceased inside the mother for a while. It was a lot for me to handle so I called it quits for the rest of the day. Maybe as I get further along, I'll get better at dealing with the emotional stuff.
That night, we got a little treat. Cari and her boo decided to go into town for some yogurt. Jordan and I tagged along for this little love fest, partially crashing the "date." We went to the market and the first thing we noticed was how big it was. They had just about everything. Jordan and I bought a chocolate bar,a huge lemon cake, and soda all for less than 10,000 Uganda shillings which is about 4 dollars.
On the way home, Jordan pointed out all of the stars we could see in the night sky. It was so much clearer here than anyplace I've ever been. It's one of those sights that you wish you could find a way to capture and show everyone. Once we finally got back home, we packed and got ready for our weekend getaway.
So proud of you, Porshia! It sounds like you're doing great :) I'm most nervous about dealing with the emotional side once I (eventually) get into nursing...you'll have to let me know how you handle it!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to hear all about it when you get back!