With less than a week to go before we leave our hospital, we’ve got a busy few days ahead of us. Tomorrow we’re throwing a farewell party/garage sale where we will be trying to get rid of some of the clutter we’ve accumulated over the last 10 months. Not that we’ve been living a decadent consumerist lifestyle out here, but there are a few things we’ve acquired that we can’t take back with us – most notably the rowing machine!! We thought Benny would be the only person interested, seeing as he’s the only one who’s used it other than us, but there has been a huge amount of interest in it. An admin officer with a BMI of about 50 came to try it out during lunch today, and I thought for a minute that we were going to have to resuscitate him on our living room floor! He wanted to buy it there and then, but we’ve had so many offers we’re going to auction it off tomorrow.
The reality of us actually leaving has really hit us this week. I was happily discharging a patient today after starting her on anti-retroviral (HIV) treatment, and I said to her mum, ‘We’ll see you again next week for a review’ – but then realised I won’t be here next week, and it is likely that there will be no regular doctor in Paeds from next week.
But I do have things to celebrate. For example, these kids below are recent graduates of the Paeds ward’s malnutrition recovery programme who came in for their check-up today. I’m sure you’d find it hard to believe, but just a few months ago, those twins had a combined weight that was still below what one child’s weight should have been. As for the little girl on the right, she could barely sit up when she was first admitted – and today she was cheeky enough to steal my stethoscope!
Amazing things that you are doing, Shiv and James. Look at the little girls – one smile from them and it makes it all worth while!
All the best with the auction and safe journey home. I’ll be thinking of you while in the desert.
xx