Script and Scalpel

I’ve been meaning to get this post up for over a month now but haven’t been able to get around to it.  What follows is a collection of photos from one Monday at the hospital.  This was a busy day that included forty-nine patients in the clinic, three minor procedures and two major surgeries.  Thanks to our amazing staff and my doctor colleagues I still made it home in time to play with my boys.

After morning report I head for the pediatric and medical wards to see consults and then to the surgery ward to round.  As I’m starting rounds we find out there is a cesarean section that needs to be done before I start seeing clinic patients.

Shift change at the nurses station with the nurses and nursing students preparing for the day.

Mr. Pia, one of the senior staff.

Bruce, senior nursing student and Sr. Edna humored me as we raced through rounds.

Our semi-private rooms.

Sr. Alice, the wound care Boss.

The operating theatre staff (yes, the British colonial influence lives on) had the patient ready and mother and baby were soon headed back to labour and delivery safe and sound.  I couldn’t do what I do without such committed, caring and compassionate co-workers.

“Auntie” Margreth, supervisor of the Theatre staff, has given her life to make surgery a Kudjip a success.

Mr. David, senior anesthesia nursing officer

Sr. Miriam, scrub nurse.

The crew, getting organized for the rest of the day.

With the case done we all head for the surgery clinic to get started, a little late but all the patients are still there waiting.  Walking through the ER on the way I find Dr. Bill and Dr. Erin  stopping the bleeding from a patients arm who had been assaulted with a machete.  Looks like I have another case for a little later.

Bill and Erin stop the bleeding and stabilize the patient in the ER.

Surgery clinic waiting room.

Sr. Roselyn taking care of tropical ulcer in the clinic.

Sr. Veronica, makes sure I don’t forget to check and see if Pathology results are back online. Thanks to IPS we have reliable path that doesn’t take a year to come back.

Central supply staff. They work hard helping us make the most of what we have. We reuse and repurpose a lot. Disposable things do eventually become disposable unfortunately 🙂

Sr. Melvin, surgery ward supervisor and Mr. Lash, anesthesia nursing officer, make sure the inpatients who need procedures are ready in the minor procedure room.

The rest of the morning and early afternoon are spent bouncing between the clinic and the minor procedure room.  Later in the afternoon we head to the Operating Theatre to finish patching up the man from the ER.  During the case the skies open up with a downpour, it’s finally raining in PNG again!!.  The afternoon rains also serve another purpose, they cool of the OR.

A view of the ER from the turn for home.

The old hospital sign just steps from the house I grew up in.

Nice views on the walk home.

The rains returned it’s green again.

Plumeria/Frangipani tree.

Bananas, just about ready to cut.

Aunt Lydia, Simeon and Matthias. If this sight doesn’t make a dad’s day I don’t know what would.

I take one last look at the ER door through the trees as I make the turn for home, hoping I don’t get called tonight. On the walk home I enjoy the views and the smell of a rainy PNG highlands afternoon. I’m almost home when I hear, “Daddy!” and see Simeon sprinting up the road towards me. It’s now a very good day. I’m grateful that we are here.