NOTE: this photo is not, I repeat not a postcard, or an Ansel Adams that I scanned into this blog for your benefit. It is a real-time photo taken by Peter Kijac out the cockpit windshield of our mountain flight this morning, looking at the top of the world, Mt. Everest (or Sagarmatha, the Sherpa name), flanked by her two mates, Lhotse on the right and Nuptse on the left. Pete has mad photography skills, as you can see, and we enjoyed a gorgeous view of the entire Himalaya range this morning, which Pete captured on his camera masterfully. I know you will all enjoy seeing the photos when he returns. I will try to put as many of them up here on the blog as I can, stay tuned!(also, I know I skipped a day, I forgot to write about Tuesday. I will do that tonight and post it tomorrow. sorry!)
(2100 Wednesday April 14, 2010) – this is Melissa’s blog!!!!!
It’s the Nepal New Year today! The group was told that today would be like every other day here and nothing special would be taking place. However, we awoke bright and early, minus the bright, at 4AM and took a taxi to the airport over the bumps and potholes that litter the “streets” here. I can’t speak for the rest of the group but after waking up yesterday at about the same time it was challenging to emerge from my slumber. However, I knew my fortitude would be rewarded. We arrived at the airport fully awake, and waited anxiously at the entrance to be allowed in for the rather swift security check. Once inside it was less than 1 hour before we were boarding our flight. Having only 18 passengers it was not long before we were in the airplane with our seatbelts fastened in anticipation of take-off. It was a simple mountain flight operated by Angi Airline which occurs multiple times a day, but to us it was the flight of a lifetime. We ascended into the clouds over Kathmandu and promptly banked to the right, headed towards the Himalayas. It had stormed the night before and we reaped the benefits by a perfectly clear day over the mountains. All the snow-covered peaks were beautiful, but Mt. Everest was by far the highlight. It was truly majestic and an unforgettable site to be so close to the top of the world.
After the journey we returned to our humble hotel rooms and each of us took a well-deserved siesta. Except Sue and Jason, who took a rikshaw to Mike’s Breakfast for “a delicious, fabulous, awesome and mouth-wateringly good” meal. (That’s a direct quote – Mike’s is apparently the best place for breakfast in Kathmandu, it’s mentioned in all the guidebooks, likely because of the sign out front, claiming “our water and ice are SAFE, we wash all vegetables, fruits, and flatware in iodonized water, and our dairy is PASTEURIZED”) That’s what I’m talkin’ about! Ellen, Amanda and Pete were up and walking around town before 10AM and had pizza at Fire and Ice for lunch, it was much talked about the rest of the day. I awoke slightly before lunch, after a quick meal, the females headed over to Helping Hands. While we were at the hospital Jason graciously helped with logistical planning for the conference by uploading Sue’s lecture, making copies of forms that are needed, searching for fabric and a mattress that will be needed for the ultrasound portion of the conference. He has been such a enormous help during this whole trip I know that it could not have been done without him. Pete also assisted with making ECG photocopies for the breakout sessions of the conference. Pete is an invaluable member of the team as well, we are very lucky to have such support from the two of them.
Some exciting events occurred at the hospital today. We were able to give an Ultrasound tutorial to the ED physician there covering E-FAST, gallbladder and aorta. He was very excited about learning how to use this technology daily to help diagnose the treat patients. I was the “patient” for him to learn on. As it turns out my aorta is of normal caliber, my gallbladder has no stones and I have no free fluid in my abdomen (phew, that’s a relief). Once the patients started showing up, they came in droves! My first patient of the day was eventually transferred to the Heart Center, because she was likely having a heart attack. My second patient was a toddler that was hit and pulled by a motorcycle, but thank goodness was okay. Amanda was able to tap an inflammatory knee effusion like a pro. Ellen saw a relatively young gentlemen with dizziness and a headache and saved him from having to get a head CT and/or lumbar puncture by doing a very thorough history and physical examination, and she in tandem treated a gentlemen with COPD expertly. Sue was quite busy during this time supervising all of us and guiding us as to what to do. It is very different here than back home. I usually present to the attending and have them say that either my plan acceptable or it’s in need of slight improvement and discussion occurs. Here the physicians that are running the ED are asking me what to do. I am to them more knowledgeable and the expert on the matter. This both scares and excites me. I know what I know, but I also know that there are things I don’t know yet. That is why I am so thankful Sue is here to lend a helping hand when needed. I don’t think that any of us could have traveled here and participated in as fully and practiced medicine as we are without her being here with us and guiding us.
After we retired from the hospital for the night were driven back to the edge of Thamel for dinner and bed. However, for the New Year there was a concert with stage set up in the middle of the road. We had just reached the edge of the pit section when 50 or so teenagers decided to storm the stage area. We were able to wait off to the side of the street and thankful were not trampled on. We snaked out way through the crowd of people, slowly and were able to emerge close to a pizza place. We were famished by this time and all six of us sat down to a delectable meal. Sue ate a whole 30 cm pizza and I ate all but 2 slices of one. What can I say, work hard/play hard/eat hard. I am saving the two extra slices for breakfast in the morning, that’s how good it was. Now were are in the lobby after going over our conference practical scenarios for the meeting Friday/Saturday and it is 1AM. Time to go bed! Hope everyone back home is doing as wonderfully as we are here.
Namaste!
Melissa Leming
(more medical photos coming later today)
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