Today we were in the ORs at CHUK (the public hospital). There was only one resident around so he got all our attention - lucky him :) The time in the OR is a little bit of a roller coaster ride in terms of our feeling like we make a difference. Sometimes we feel like we are starting to make an impact(getting the residents to do an airway checklist, perform a machine check etc) and then other time it feels as if they have heard nothing we have said for the past 2 weeks. There are also frustrations with the general organization of the ORs that I think we will never understand. Why do the put all the patients on the OR table at 7 am when no staff even enter the ORs until 7:45? I feel for the patients laying naked under a sheet on the oR table in an empty room. Wouldn't they be better off in the holding area with their familes? It is also frustrating when there is a lack of supplies, in partiular, opioids. It is hard seeing patients in pain when you know that if you had some morphine or fentanyl they would be comfortable. Sometimes I think the OR staff are oblivious to the pain the patients are in. However, I suspect that they cope with their lack of supplies but ignoring the situation. They try to do the best they can with what they have.

Tonight, Anita made her long promised curry (with bug free rice) and it was delicious. The power was out for the last few hours and there has been a very heavy downpour. We really felt like we were camping as we sat by candle light, listening to the rain and playing name games.

Not much else to say for now. We are off to Virunga National Park tomorrow and will hike to see the gorillas on Sat morning. Hopefully we will have many more pictures to post for you Sat night or Sunday.

Janice and Anita