Yesterday was day 5 and we started the day with chapel and rounds on the patients in the hospital. After that, about midmorning, we settled into the outpatient clinic, shadowing the doctors. It can be difficult to follow due to the language barrier, but the doctors are kind enough to translate most for us. The pathology we see is usually much more dramatic here than in the US because people don't seek treatment until much later stages.
One interesting case is of a woman who had labored for many hours at home, finally delivered the baby, but was in an enormous amount of pain and developed a decreased level of consciousness after the birth. On arrival to the hospital, she was found to have a separation of the pubic symphysis (a type of pelvic fracture) and a ruptured bladder. She was taken to surgery, both injuries repaired and patient did well and was discharged from the hospital after about 2 weeks. She had come back to the clinic for a follow-up visit yesterday. She clearly walked with some significant pain, but reported that she was doing better and her baby is great.
Here's the x-ray of her repaired pelvis.
We've also been taking care of a 1 year old patient who has a disorder known as congenital hydrocephalus, which essentially means that the normal circulation of the fluid around the brain is blocked so that it cannot drain and builds up over time. This pushes brain material against the skull and in young children causes the flat bones of the head to, instead of coming together and sealing, be pushed apart. The patient underwent surgery last week to have a shunt placed that drains fluid from the brain to his abdominal cavity where it is absorbed by the body. He has been improving, becoming more alert and interactive, but it is unclear what kind of long-term damage his brain has sustained.
Here's his CT (there should be much more gray stuff where the black stuff is)
And a picture of the sweet guy.
One interesting case is of a woman who had labored for many hours at home, finally delivered the baby, but was in an enormous amount of pain and developed a decreased level of consciousness after the birth. On arrival to the hospital, she was found to have a separation of the pubic symphysis (a type of pelvic fracture) and a ruptured bladder. She was taken to surgery, both injuries repaired and patient did well and was discharged from the hospital after about 2 weeks. She had come back to the clinic for a follow-up visit yesterday. She clearly walked with some significant pain, but reported that she was doing better and her baby is great.
Here's the x-ray of her repaired pelvis.
We've also been taking care of a 1 year old patient who has a disorder known as congenital hydrocephalus, which essentially means that the normal circulation of the fluid around the brain is blocked so that it cannot drain and builds up over time. This pushes brain material against the skull and in young children causes the flat bones of the head to, instead of coming together and sealing, be pushed apart. The patient underwent surgery last week to have a shunt placed that drains fluid from the brain to his abdominal cavity where it is absorbed by the body. He has been improving, becoming more alert and interactive, but it is unclear what kind of long-term damage his brain has sustained.
Here's his CT (there should be much more gray stuff where the black stuff is)
And a picture of the sweet guy.
For the remainder of the day, we relaxed, made plans for our trip wandering about India after the rotation is over, and welcomed some new guests to the hospital.
Today, we again started our day with morning chapel and then rounds with Dr. Henry. After rounds we left for an outreach visit to a local village. The hospital sets up clinics in small rural villages in the area for a day at a time all over the region. In doing so, they are able to see people who are not necessarily able or motivated to come all the way to the hospital, while promoting CHM and the kind of facilities available here.
It was a lovely bright, warm day to be out in a peaceful part of the country. The nursing students set up the clinic, and then walk around the village letting the locals know the team has arrived. Today, we went with two doctors and a dentist and the nursing students ran the intake and pharmacy and coordinated all the moving parts.
Before the patients began to arrive...
The nurse wear beautiful pink saris and white coats to village clinics. We went on a walk around to let the village people know we had arrived.
There are very few things I love more than blowing bubbles for kids. The girl in the green was a bubble freakkkkk. She screamed every single time I blew some bubbles for at least 30 minutes. It's difficult taking pictures of kids losing their minds over bubbles while doing it... Gotta work on that one. Here they are helping each other blow some.
A little boy with impetigo (a bacterial skin infection, usually staph or strep)
Today, we again started our day with morning chapel and then rounds with Dr. Henry. After rounds we left for an outreach visit to a local village. The hospital sets up clinics in small rural villages in the area for a day at a time all over the region. In doing so, they are able to see people who are not necessarily able or motivated to come all the way to the hospital, while promoting CHM and the kind of facilities available here.
It was a lovely bright, warm day to be out in a peaceful part of the country. The nursing students set up the clinic, and then walk around the village letting the locals know the team has arrived. Today, we went with two doctors and a dentist and the nursing students ran the intake and pharmacy and coordinated all the moving parts.
Before the patients began to arrive...
The nurse wear beautiful pink saris and white coats to village clinics. We went on a walk around to let the village people know we had arrived.
There are very few things I love more than blowing bubbles for kids. The girl in the green was a bubble freakkkkk. She screamed every single time I blew some bubbles for at least 30 minutes. It's difficult taking pictures of kids losing their minds over bubbles while doing it... Gotta work on that one. Here they are helping each other blow some.
A little boy with impetigo (a bacterial skin infection, usually staph or strep)
Megan and Lindsey entertaining the children:
Tomorrow we leave for a safari!
xoxo,
xoxo,
Lily
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