Writing this over breakfast on Monday. The Haitian porridge is almost worth the trip alone, sweet and spicy, just the thing to get us started on today's casualties!
Finally got into the OR yesterday for more routine stuff. While Kim, Karen and Katy sorted through a mountain of supplies I went to look after a breast reconstruction with the departing plastics team from LA. I was able to relieve one of the local staff to go and do a cleft palate case on a 15 day old, figured it wasn't the time for me to start having a go at neonatal anaesthesia.
Lunch was a welcome feast of local Creole cuisine before we got into the OR to get a couple of cases done. First up was a little old lady, 61 but she looked about 100, with a flexion contracture after a fall and a femur fracture. Got it straightened out so she will be a lot more mobile.
Next was an elbow fracture, young guy had a rock thrown at him which given the current political climate is not surprising. Thought it all went very smoothly but as is the way with these things it wasn't! Decided to stop breathing in recovery. Not ideal as the cubicles are tiny, dominated by a big oxygen tank and the suction only worked if you held the tubing in one hand and used the suction in the other! He came round but preferred coughing to breathing and unfortunately developed negative pressure pulmonary oedema! Needed diuresed and an overnight stay. Just goes to show there is no such thing as routine anaesthesia!
Just as we all got ready for supper the heavens opened and there was a torrential tropical downpour. Nearly caused an international incident at the Travotel restaurant as they didn't have many tables and a lot of patrons looked on jealously as they set up a big banquet table for our second group. Then it was back to the quarters for Cards against Humanity where the surprisingly filthy mind of Katy Van Vulpen triumphed - and she looks so sweet and innocent too!!
Air conditioning broke down during the night and all hell was breaking out in ICU and Paeds ICU with cardiac arrests and neonatal deaths. Lot of tired faces at breakfast this morning but the Ortho OR team and I are relatively refreshed and ready to go!
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