June 25th
Hi everyone!
Today the medical team of Gayle, Dr. Johnson, Drew, Katelyn, Maggie, and I went to Bugando Hospital for another day of surgeries. When we got there in the morning we met with the neurology department and were also introduced to the new director of the hospital, Sister Massenga. After discussing the cases we had today, Dr. James stated we had to finish by 5 so they could all go watch the national finals fútbol (soccer) game. Dr. James was cheering for the green team while Dr. Gerald was cheering for the red team, so after the green team won, we know who will be talking tomorrow…
The team watching the soccer game at the hotel, so we would know who won, and which doctors would be happy. The room was packed.
Dr. Johnson’s case for the day was resection of a pineal tumor. This surgery was very lengthy, but the outcome was very successful. The group enjoyed being able to watch the surgery on a screen from the microscope that Dr. Johnson was using. The surgery team didn’t know how long this surgery would take so it was the only one on the schedule, but Katelyn was able to scrub in with Dr. Chobo for a shunt placement as well.
Maggie was most impacted today by the amount of teamwork that the neurology department displays. She had the chance to talk to one of the nurses about her own experiences in Tanzania. The nurse mentioned that everyone works well as a team, and notices no hierarchy. Maggie also mentioned that the nurse talked highly about the relationships she built through her work at the hospital, and will miss it greatly when her studies take her elsewhere.
Katelyn really enjoyed being able to scrub in for a shunt surgery with Dr. Chobo. She mentioned the surgery team’s willingness to help her learn and teach as they worked through the surgery. Katelyn was very appreciative of the patience they displayed as they took extra time to help her understand the procedure. She also enjoyed getting to know the names of different instruments with the help of Gayle and the scrub nurse.
Drew was excited to see the clinical side of neuro today as he followed along Dr. James for a little bit. He was able to see a wide variety of diagnoses, ranging from spinal TB, pituitary tumor, hydrocephalus,and spondylolithesis. He said it was very cool and interesting to see how each patient presented and enjoyed reviewing the imaging with Dr. James.
Foster was most impacted by the second half of Dr. Johnson’s surgery. She noticed the surgeons expertise in navigating through the anatomy even through difficult conditions. She appreciated the focus the team displayed through the whole duration of the surgery, even through lots of bleeding. Foster also mentioned how impressed she was with the outcome of the surgery.
I was most impacted by the patience that the doctors expressed. The surgeries they performed were very serious, but they were calm and collected, which allowed them to have very positive outcomes. The doctors were all very patient with us as students, and were more than wiling to teach us as they went along through their major surgeries. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for us as students to be able to see serious surgeries in neurology, so I really appreciated the doctor’s willingness to let us learn.
-Karly
Hello!
Today was my turn to go to Fonelisco orphanage. When I arrived I was welcomed by the team that supports the 45 children that live there. After some introductions, I was given a tour of the facility. Then it was time to give my lecture to the children. I taught the kids the basics of the flu, malaria and diarrhea. I taught the importance of alerting an adult when you are sick and making sure to wash your hands and wea bug spray! I then spoke with the orphanage nurse to know more about their medical record keeping. I prepared a template medical record form for them to implement so we discussed that for a bit. Then I joined the fun of the kids free time by playing soccer and giving them gifts that included candy, stickers, balloons and bracelets.
I was most impacted by the care the kids gave to a handicapped individual. The kid could not walk and her friends were always there to share the gifts they received and keep her happy. Whenever it looked like she could be left out someone would run over to make her feel welcomed. It was cool how these kids really treat each other and love each like siblings!
Michael