lachlanhannan

Just time for a quick catch up before escaping to New York New York New York. On wednesday we skipped hospital and we took off to Plainsburg National Park. Lots of driving and a fair few animals, but I'm not the biggest lover of safariing. Thursday is what turned out to be our last day working at the hospital. Finished up quickly and got the hell outbid there. The next day weerrrr able to pass off our overnight shift and head to Durban. 7 hours driving was worth seeing the ocean. Had some spicy curry and got very excited over frozen yogurt. So now we are back in joburg and I'm sooooo ready to go. I will be trying to use my goat as handluggage.... read more

On christmas day we walked into a packed full trauma casualty. Instead of going to morning rounds, and without discussion between us, we began to see patients who were waiting. It was a crap morning but at least it seemed that some things were in our favor, like the suturing kits that usualy are in short supply, meaning patients have to sit arround with their faces hanging open, were in steady supply. My mistake occured while suturing a man who had deep lacerations across his face, after re-anethetising the last layer of the wound i turned to put the needle back on my tray and pricked myself in the finger. At this point we had been working strait for 9 hours. I told an intern who I was working with and she asked if the man ... read more

highlights of the latest 24hr shift: - watching a young boy come out of ketamine sedation and be high as a kite - wresteling an unconcious person out of a wheen chair and onto a bed, then stopping their arterial bleed - giving a 50yo lady 32 sutures while chatting about life and having her be so comfortable that she fell asleep pitfalls of the latest 24hr shift: - not placing a urinary catheter in an unconcious patient in time and suffering the devastating consiquences of getting pissed on - eventualy finding my delerious patient in another ward eating a plate of food he stole from another patient and then getting told off by the nurses of that ward for "telling my patient he could come and eat there" and that "he couldnt go and have ... read more

Over the first few days in south africa, we were consistantly warned about the guy who runs the trauma unit at bara. He was always described using advoident words like interesting. On wednesday morning rounds finished up in the boad room with everyone sitting in rank when the guy who calls himself prof arrived. He is a balding, small, feirce looking person who from the outsed did his best to not only intimidate but it seemed to embarass and hurt most anyone arround him. When there was laughter allong with one of the senior doctors misfortune in a case he mirthlessly yelled, "no! shutup stupid students! why are you smiling! dont smile, ok!" He went on making sure each person was identified to him by race, apparently using this to judge their character. Hy heart sunk ... read more

The accomodation in mondeor is great. There is a great variety of places to lounge, the pool is a pool and the bedroom is bright and large. I am living with Andrew, the owners daughter Gemma and a student from victoria who is also Andrew. We make a good little group. Last night we sat drinking wine and talking until it was about 6am australia time and i began to fall asleep in my rocking chair. Wine tastes better without so much tax in it. Thismorning we headed up the highway over the city to Johanesburg hospital and the medical school therein. Dawn Francis, the lady organising the elective was full of good advice and generaly lovely and talkative. I had to pay for some university fees I thaught mum and dad had paid for and ... read more