Fumbling in the Dark

Today I got some pretty crazy experience again. as usual...trying to deal with a motor vehicle accident with no electricity/light.  Everyone had their phone lights on.  It was pretty crazy.  The guy was the third person on a motorcycle and they had crashed into a truck.  The first two people died instantaneously, but this guy was lucky and fell and hit his head but with no loss of consciousness.  Of course, we're concerned for brain injury, etc., but based on assessment, looks like he just had a large laceration on his forehead and maybe a bruise.  Needless to say, he is really lucky.  But still, trying to assess him and help him when there was no electricity and at 7pm at night was really quite a hassle.  To top it off, surprise surprise, the doctor wasn't reachable by phone at first.  

Also did my first paracentesis on my own.  Initially the doctor wanted me to do it myself, but then I pretty much begged him to watch me do it.  And then I probably aspirated 500ml of dirty, green, pussy fluid from this girl's abdomen with a 10ml syringe.  It was pretty epic...in a unpleasant, I-can't-believe-she-has-this-in-her-belly sort of way.  And then I continued to do another one from this other guy.  Pretty sure the technique was not the safest way ever, but it had to be done.  Also something funny happened then.  While the nurse was watching me, at one point I told her she should pray for the patient.  She asked, "Really? Now?" and I said, "Yes!"  But all she did was get up and walk away.  Then after 5 minutes, a group of maybe 10 people showed up singing a praises and prayers while clapping.  Even the patient joined in!  All the while, I was still sitting there holding the syringe attached to the cannulla in her abdomen.  Haha, that was a nice surprise!

Despite how I'm talking about death all the time these days, my friends were talking about how it's also an opportunity to make the hospital better.  I'm already seeing a few improvements.  I'm really glad the one UK doctor came, so I could talk to him about my frustrations, and he actually has the authority to make things different.  Yay!!  And I've been able to kindly cajole them to make a few changes, like actually have the bag mask ventilators in the wards and not locked up, or to actually use the oxygen machine every once in a while.  Still a hassle to get electricity when I need it.  And the other day, I was definitely switching the oxygen mask between kids because I couldn't decide which kid needed it more.  Sadly, the one that had the oxygen mask still died. :(  Man, I feel bad talking to you guys about these sad things.  I feel like all I talk about is death these days.  So happy thoughts...the one kid where I was holding its head for a large portion of the night looks sooooooo good now!  He is super active and playing and getting discharged!!!  Yay! Praise God!