Australia Update #7: Wednesday-Thursday, January 24-25, 2007

The final countdown has begun as we are closing in on the end of our last week here. My projects at the Medical Center are coming to completion. One of the RN's, Sharon was off today on a bus for a 2 hour drive to "The Gold Coast" with 30 children to spend two days visiting a dental clinic. She asked if I would like to come along – I politely declined!! My overnight fieldtrip days are over! Anne, the other RN, and I spent most of the day revising the newly created Emergency Cart inventory and began to reorganize her "ER" area. She is thrilled with the information and plans to present a proposal to the Center's Board for funding approval to purchase the needed items.

We are planning a big final celebration with the Community Thursday evening – in the ground roast pig and all! I wonder if it will be as exotic as my "eel meal" in The Cook Islands? Similar to the Polynesians, the diet here seems to be full of carbs and starches, with added cold processed meats. However, we are being served lots of fresh fruit and veggies so my waist line is not expanding!

I spent some time yesterday with one of the Nigerian physicians – "Dr. Alex". Very pleasant. He and his wife, Dr. Janet, have been here for three years. When not here during the weekdays, they are "on-call" for the hospital over the weekends. There is no surgery available here. The hospital admits approx. 900-1000 patients per year. Complications from diabetes, alcohol intoxication, seizures and cellulitis (over 59yo) are included in the listed top 10 diagnoses. The nearest referring hospital with surgical services is 30 miles away.



My next update will probably be from Brisbane where I will be spending the weekend. Since it is not too far away, I hope to make a day visit to The Great Barrier Reef (Lady Elliot Island) on Sunday - photos. Then off to San Francisco via Sydney on Monday morning and get back the day I lost on the way here!




PHOTOS: A dinner guest, Steven playing the Didgeridoo – river cruise and lunch! in Brisbane – shots of Lady Elliot Island