10/01/2011

SURGERY DAY 5-TEAM CAMAZINE

Today we started the day with a traditional chief coming to the OR and lobbying for surgery for his relative with a goiter. We have so many goiters that we operate on them based on their day of arrival. The chief was trying to get me to jump the queue. I told him to take a hike. Nepotism is alive and well in Nigeria.

The team is growing. We now have Uche (general surgeon), Professor (urologist), Dabs (resident in cardiothoracic), Wilson (nurse anesthetist), Eric (nurse anesthetist), Smart (scrub tech), Amaka (nurse anethetist student, Chimobe (surgical technician), Eunice (OR nurse), Katherine (OR technician), Ebere (OR nurse), Kelechi (administrator) and Samuel (OBGYN resident).


We have done 38 surgeries and there are 21 patients waiting. Monday there will be a big influx of patients. Tomorrow we have a thoracotomy, prostatectomy, jaw tumor and others.