So yesterday, after waking up frustrated by my computer I decided to run off my anxiety in the morning. Now I was pretty upset (my whole med school career is on this computer) so I had to fake a few smiles and happiness as I made my way through the small town. Even so it was hard to really do that. The people are so genuine that they actually made me feel better, and again they put life in a little more perspective. I mean I was the one upset over a computer problem. I'm not perfect by any means though. After the run I ate breakfast and headed to clinic. It was going to be on hell of a day given the number of people already lined up as I passed on my way back to the dorms. I was put in the student room today with Daniella and Dave. Woohoo!! Represent FAU! Dave is a fourth year from Tulane who watched over us. I haven't been paired with him thus far till today. Dave arrived to the Philippines with the most impressive mustache I have ever seen. He is also a member of the med frat at Tulane. We have 5 of their 13 members on our trip, all of which are equally entertaining. Daniella and I switched off on who did the H&P and who scribed and a good amount of our cases were quite complicated. We had a back pain come in first that bad multiple other complaints that were possibly due to a cancer or uterine cysts/fibroids, who we prescribes medications for and recommended come back if they didn't help her pain. Best case scenario being a muscle strain alleviated by the medications. Our other patient this morning was my absolute favorite. She came in with the complaint of rectal bleeding which we did a full H&P on, including Daniella getting the honors of performing her first rectal exam. Most likely cause was hemorrhoids, with a possibility of cancer, ulcerative colitis or diverticulosis. She was my favorite however because of how sweet she was. She sat there in such awe and amazement of us, telling us that we were so beautiful and it made her the happiest person just because she got to meet us. She said we looked like the movie stars on TV and just flattered us constantly. When she left her appreciation for the time we spent with her was evident as she embraced us both in the biggest bug with kisses on the cheek. That lady made my day.
After lunch we cranked through more patients. Some basic coughs and colds, a fungal infection, and a cyst that needed surgical removal to name a few. Dave was a fantastic mentor. He gave great tips along the way and i felt like I really learned a lot working with him. We hit a record for how many people came today. It was a zoo. Clearly the word is out and people are flooding to our clinic. I definitely would love to do this again and come back at the next chance I can get. One of the ENT surgeons, Dr. Nachlas was removing a pre-auricular cyst that was amazing to see. Facial surgery is incredible. Another patient came in with swelling of this right leg that looked almost like elephantitis. He wasn't my patient however so I didn't get to see how his case went. Daniella and I killed it in the student room. We were a pretty great team. Clinic ran late and it was nice to finally head back to the dorms after an exhausting day....not like every day isn't exhausting. But so worth it.
I did my inanity workout with a timer and list of exercises. It was less then exciting without Sean T yelling at me but it has to be done. Computer or not, no excuses. Dinner was phenomenal, and we had the ENT's give a talk on their experiences and surgeries. They were saying how medicine here is so wildly different. The OR's are questionably sterile, as the staff soaks and keeps tools and gauze in cleaned out peanut butter jars and mason jars. The patients aren't told not to eat so they have to reschedule, or by the time they come in they are knocked out so the ENT doesn't even have time to consult them. The windows are cracked as cars fly by outside, and the room is boiling hot. Gives you an appreciation for healthcare in the US. In an ENT office in the US, you can go in, get a CT in the office and have it read with a diagnosis in 15 minutes. Here CT's are barely available for the people. Everyone complains so much about it but it could be so much worse. Poverty is a whole other thing. In the US poverty still means you have a cell phone and TV in most cases with food stamps. If you show up sick to an ER, you are still cared for and treated. In the Philippines poverty means you have nothing. Food is scarce and if you can't pay up front at the hospital when you're sick, you are left to die. It's a whole different world.
Anyway, we all hung out for a while after dinner laughing and being silly as per usual. We got ice cream tonight which was the greatest thing ever and which we all thoroughly enjoyed. One of the ENT's daughters, Courtney came on the trip. She's a journalism major going into her second year at UF, and is doing an article for the magazine she works for, Blindfold, on our clinic. Ill be interviewed tomorrow.
I didn't get to bed until 11 which is just crazy. No morning run tomorrow for me.
NIce job without computer! Guess you get use to being creative about everything there. Love reading this. Incredible experiences. Sounds like its easy to be jealous of these people. Such beautiful outlook on life.
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