I went through some of Tony's pictures and found this one of us at lunch. This is before all the food's been laid out...we do not starve here :)
This gives you a better idea of just how much rain we received a week ago!

The girl in white had been at the hospital since we arrived, to have her fingers separated (notice she only has two on each hand). The pigtails say it all...this kid had character! She would give these huge waves with a big smile, then hide behind her mother. She was discharged the day this photo was taken.
Speaking of character....meet Dr. Ngiep! This was right before we started to release a burn contracture that was ten years old.
Adding the finishing touches. This was our first ridiculously cool surgery of the week. We decided to use pins to keep the fingers straight, which involved driving them into the girls fingertips. You could literally hear the bone creak as the pins were pushed through them. I sewed up this girls inguinal area after we removed skin for the skin graft. Dr. Ngiep thinks I need practice since the last time I did it in front of him, my hands shook. I did 22 for this girl, probably a bit excessive, but good practice! The pins were left uncut because then they can be used again for another patient. But they're going to be in her hand for 3 weeks, so the corks were put on to keep her from hurting herself, or anyone else! Kind of horror-movie-like, hunh?
K, wicked surgery number two! This is the beginning of a below-the-knee amputation that I assisted with. I now know for sure that blood and I are aok. The patient was given an epidural, so he was actually awake while we sawed off his leg, which was a bit weird. Also weird to have him hold up his thigh for us, while we were cutting out nerves and tying off arteries. When it was off, another doctor walked by and told me I should disect the lower limb, when the patient left, which would have been excellent practice, but unfortunately the surgery ran late, and we had a party to throw...so no disection for this girl! The only time I felt slightly nauseous was when I was chatting with Dr. Ngiep while we removed some of the patient's lymph nodes and he made some comment about bbqing them for our party...then got really concerned that I would pass out...only because one of the other students here DID pass out, about a week ago. But fortunately I was able to catch her before she fell (this involved me running around the operating table, not tripping on any wires and getting her down to the floor.) Good times in the OR!
Beer fridge before the party...
Party at our place!
Some of the hospital staff enjoying some good food, good company and a nice view!
My last beer of the evening.
There was one thing missing from the apartment...well two, but there isn't much I can do about the bbq. But a hammock I could locate and bargain for! 3$ later and a little humming and hahhing, and look! Life is amazing! How can I set this up for Toronto as well....