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There will be other days.

Posted by on March 27, 2015 — No Comments ↓

As we waited to board the plane in Boston, I thought to myself that Americans just do not appreciate the luxury of travel these days. Others were waiting at the gate and appeared “dressed up.” We were not. We flew to JFK without trouble, then

The Senate President

Posted by on March 31, 2014 — No Comments ↓

We started with Mass at 0700. Many of us are not religious, but that’s not why you attend Mass here. Father Rick Frechete, one of the founders of St. Luke’s, holds Mass each morning to honor the dead appropriately. The Mass, unfortunately, is a daily funeral.

rollercoaster

Posted by on June 29, 2013 — No Comments ↓

After completing 10 surgeries that day, candlelight mass was a nice moment of relaxation and thought.  The busy operative day …

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Of course, but maybe.

Posted by on May 7, 2013 — No Comments ↓

We arrived at the hospital at 0700 on Saturday. It was our last day and we didn’t have a plan. We went over to the hospital and rounded with the doctors. We were leaving our clean scrubs, hand sanitizer, and gloves behind. The head doctor

Two Ends of the Spectrum

Posted by on May 7, 2013 — No Comments ↓

This morning, we went back to St.Luke’s and assisted again in the clinic and the ED. During the night, a 26-year-old female presented with altered level of consciousness and hypotension. Hx of a stroke with a right-side deficit, post-partum. The doctor interpreted well; I could

6 Steps Towards the Skinny Cow

Posted by on May 3, 2013 — No Comments ↓

We finally made progress. About 350 patients started lining up this morning at 0400. They have a number system here to decide how many patients are seen. Chief complaint determines whether a person is seen by a doctor or not. The patients are smart enough

The Art of Debrief

Posted by on May 1, 2013 — No Comments ↓

Another code. A different country. Wow. How do you teach and train when the staff you’re working with doesn’t see the value in that life? In the states, we wouldn’t have needed to resuscitate that patient because he wouldn’t have been allowed to get that