A quiet Saturday night ...

May 28^th, 2016

Good evening friends,

I thought that I would jot down a few words before I go to bed.  My husband is out watching the “Something cup” soccer game Madrid vs Madrid at Prosper’s house– so I am enjoying an hour of quiet time.

I wanted to share a few things for which I am very grateful.  We shared a few lovely meals today… one at our guesthouse – homemade pizza for ~ 18 people that we hosted; children, friends, housemates and neighbors and again this evening – a quiet dinner at Dr Thistle’s house.  I was really nice to exchange views, talk openly about the challenges of health care delivery in Zimbabwe and elsewhere, about the past, present and future role of Missionaries in Karanda. about our children and our families.   We share many things in common- despite the kms that separate us.  It was nice to take time to really share in our otherwise busy busy lives.  We got called about an incarcerated inguinal hernia during dessert (the second this week).  I’ll do it tomorrow at 8am before the day gets too busy.  Walking home, with Mathieu in PJs, snuggled in JFs arms – the stars completely lit up the sky.  Again, something we don’t take the time or the drive out of the city to appreciate enough.

The end of the week has been busy – operating until 5pm both Thursday and Friday.  You never really know what the day has in hold for you.  I performed a below knee amputation for a gangrenous foot in a 60 y.o. gentleman who has been diabetic for 20+ years on Thursday.  The case was listed on the white board – so I reviewed the patient and as his spinal was being inserted I was reading up on the procedure.  I thought that the young nursing student from the US was going to pass out.  That day we did a skin graft for a burn, a liver biopsy for massive nodular hepatomegaly (I hate this semi-blind procedure!!) and an open cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal), something I haven’t done since my first month in practice in Winchester.  It went pretty well considering.

Today, I have said goodbye to many of my patients.  We are heading to Harare tomorrow to visit an orphanage and to do a few errands.  My patient with the BKA was so relieved to not be in pain – he was very thankful.  My stoma lady (with perforated obstruction) is doing very well; smiling, walking and has received her 1^st of 3 pre-ART (Anti-Retroviral Treatment) counseling sessions.  I am hoping for discharge this week with reversal of her ostomy in a few months when her immune system is stronger.  Her pathology came back as a benign uterine fibroid with adhesions.

So I guess that’s all that I have to say.  I am grateful for the tangible results of my surgical profession.  I am grateful for friendships; here and back home and for the time to enjoy them.  I am grateful for nature and I am grateful that Mathieu is no longer vomiting.  Oops – I forgot to mention that.  He had a brief (3-4 hrs) bout of sickness during our pizza party after eating something off the ground - ? ant food? The local boys told him that it was a good idea to eat it.  Ah! Boys !  He’s better now – that’s what counts – maybe he’ll listen to Papa a bit better.

Enjoy your Sunday my friends.  I hope it is restful.

Xo

Michelle