KENYA Friday 2/15/13

I finally have reliable Internet and a little uninterrupted time to write. We've had quite the trip and quite the day. There are so many new things every time I turn around. This is not for the faint of heart. 

The week of surgery was full of ups and downs. It was a little frustrating because most of what I found to do was tonsils which is a slick and easy thing to do for the most part.......  Unless the electricity and equipment doesn't work and then it's a nightmare!  Dr. Stice had it right when she brought what she calls her entire OR with her including her scrub nurse and a supersonic electrical transformer. I think I wore out Kristy, Wendy, Megan and Kevin, who took turns scrubbing for me. They were all enthusiastic and quick learners (thank goodness) and helped each other out as they switched back and forth but I'm sure they all have a new respect for an experienced scrub nurse just as we've all come to respect the areas we've gotten to participate in that are outside our usual comfort zone!

The weird ear tumor I found the first day in clinic popped out like a marble. He's got terrible ear disease deep inside his head still though he said the pain was much better and now he can sleep. Patients like this tend to bury their heads in the sand about the ear as long as it doesn't bother them but it will come back to haunt him some day so I told him he will need to go into Nairobi to see someone who has the ear equipment that Naivasha doesn't have. I got a lead on an ear microscope from an ear group in Michigan that they might donate. We (mainly Dr. Stice) are sending a large container of medical equipment when we get the $10,000 cost to ship it so we might get the microscope to send along. A new microscope will cost $20,000 so it's a bargain if it gets donated. The new hospital isn't open yet for lack of the proper electricity. Surprised?  We saw a huge electric station on our drive today. They get electricity from thermal power from nearby volcanoes. 

The drive to the Maasai region today was littered with goat and cattle herds grazing along the roadside. You couldn't drive a half mile without seeing them. There are scattered donkeys in the mix. In Naivasha there are donkeys pulling cards with water barrels. They buy water at the Catholic Church, which has a well. Then they drive along the road selling it to households and businesses. 

John has been befriended by everyone around the hospital with something to fix and that's about everybody. The maintenance guy is eyeing his tools so John will give an in service on how everything works next week and leave the tools with them. 

I wish I could post some more pictures but I'm using Johns iPad and most of the pictures are on my good camera so I can't easily transfer them. Please read The links to Kevin, Wendy and Megan's blogs. I think you have to join to read Megan's but the others you can just click on. Also Molly and Erin are posting lots on their FB pages and I'm putting others on FB Columbus Medical Mission Team - Africa. You can look at it even if you are not on FB since its a public page I think. 

Well, I'd better head to bed. We have a wake up call at 5:30 am. We leave for the safari into the Maasai Mara game preserve at 6 which they say is prime rhino time. We get tea and coffee before leaving and eat breakfast and lunch in the "bush". NN