March 5, 2008 – Day 13
As we wind down the last full day in Jos, I’m realizing a couple of things, one of which I will miss the breakfasts in the morning (French toast again this morning). Another epiphany was the fact that I have really grown comfortable here in Jos. It was a seamless transition from anxiety about going to and performing surgery in Nigeria, to now comfort in a new location/OR. It is amazing to see what these surgeons can do with very little in the way of instrumentation and equipment. The term general surgeon definitely means something here. It really tests what a new grad like me has learned about urology. I have learned much from the more senior urologists on the trip and from the local surgeons as well.
We set off to finish up the remaining cases. A couple of PV Slings, 2 more injections for bulking agents and we managed to fit in a couple of last minute cystos. As usual a lot of pathology was around. 2 obliterated bladder necks and a couple of bad strictures were seen on the cystos. But a failed catheterization from another hospital resulted in the worst urethral perforations Tom has seen in 32 years in practice(fat all around the membranous and bulbar urethra). Throughout the day in the OR a plethora of interesting cases rolled through the door – a fungating axillary carcinoma, myelomeningocele, open tibial fracture, flexor tendon repair, all in one day. Wow!
As we winding off the trip, the paperwork has really picked up and last minute consults have really come up today. We do the best we can in the short time that we have remaining. We returned to the guesthouse for a quick Sloppy Joe dinner and more paperwork. We were bid adieu with another sing along from the other group staying with us which thankfully stopped just before 10pm. We gratefully fell asleep in silence….
Tim’s Fact of the Day:
The city of Jos is actually the initials for “Jesus our Savior”
Tim “Blogman” Davies
~Catherine deVries
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