First day in the OR (almost)

Today was the first day in the operating rooms at CHUK.  Unfortunately I never made it past the ICU.  We walked to work with all of the children going to school.    Kids are kids regardless of where they liveJ Now that we know how to get into the hospital we can make it there in about 23 minutes.  Not bad considering the hills. 

On our way to the hospital I got a phone call from an anesthesia colleague who is working  in Butaro at the PIH hospital for the year.  She had been up all night caring for a child with organophosphate poisoning and was on her way  with the patient to Kigali to transfer the patient to CHUK.  Traveling in the back of an ambulance 3 hours is no easy task.   Christian (one of the Rwandan anesthesia residents who is currently on an ICU rotation) and I met her at the Emergency room and helped to get the patient into the ICU.   I had never seen a patient on atropine drip before.  The patient seemed to have stabilized and hopefully will recovery fully.  

Michael went off to the operating room to work with the residents.  Per his report, it was a productive day.  Two orthopedic patients with fractures from car accidents from the weekend before. 

I ended up in the ICU helping on rounds.  One of the patients was a small 7 yo child who had a nephroblastoma removed a week before.  On review of her xray, it looked like she may have a pneumonia vs. a fluid accumulation.  We took the xray to the radiologist and I discovered that CHUK has a beautiful new CT scanner that is only 6 months old.  I am sure it was donated by someone???  There are only two in the entire country.  We spoke with one of the radiologists who was incredible.  He recommended we ultrasound the patient.  Antoine, the ICU attending, said no problem, we have an US machine in the ICU.   He then informed me that he wasn’t so good with US, but would I be willing to do it.  I told him I wasn’t an expert but I would try.  So off we went….the machine in the closet was not exactly what I had in mind but we made it work.  (I was surprised when it turned on) The child did have a small amount of fluid but nothing that needed to be drained.    It made me realize how helpful a small portable US machine would be even in Rwanda.  I am going put that on the list of something to work on when I return home!

it looks much newer in the picture

The real highlight of the day was in the afternoon.  We brought over all of the supplies that we had donated including laryngoscope blades (pediatric and adult), handles, nerve stimulator needles, endo-tracheal tubes, circuits, pulse oximeters, neonatal blood pressure cuffs and much more. Everyone was so excited and incredibly appreciative. They couldn’t believe how generous the various donors were.  Then we had to go through the very tedious task of taking inventory on the entire donation.  I did not see that one coming….

Antoine and Bonna saying thank you!

table full of supplies (and there were more)

I headed home late in the afternoon to find Michael orchestrating  Chrisoph’s  repair of the bathroom window that had taken 3 months to replace.   I never imagined how excited we would get about a bathroom window but I never usually worry about mosquito invasions at home.

We had a relaxing late afternoon at the Serena…I finally got a chance to run (which was much needed)  and then met some friends who I hadn’t seen in a while at a great restaurant called Heaven which is actually owned by an American.  It was great to catch up. 

our new window!

 

That is all for now…off to Butare tomorrow…..