I am now attached to the surgical team spending a decent chunk of my time helping to patch up the consequences of road traffic accidents (RTA’s) which have left parts of the anatomy sticking in all directions they shouldn’t be. I guess the unfortunate part is now every time I hop in to a packed matatu I spend my trip day dreaming about the sort of injuries I would likely sustain if we crashed in the various contorted positions I find myself. On the brighter side, I have also been involved in some amazing cases and have really been able to get my hands dirty so to speak. › Continue reading…

In two weeks I have gone from feeling completely out of my element in Vila Central Hospital to instantly feeling at home at Grey Base. I was greeted warmly with “Welcome back!”, “You obviously couldn’t get enough of us” and “Did I see you in the paper?”. › Continue reading…

Jambo from Siaya, Kenya! The new ‘mzungu’ (white person) has arrived in town. My first discovery about the Kenyan people is that they are very friendly and have super human seeing capacity. They can spot a mzungu from literally miles away. All I hear is a faint “mzungu, mzungu!!” and someone will be waving furiously in the distance. Or maybe I stick out more than I realized, given I haven’t seen a fellow mzungu since I arrived. After only a few days, passing taxi drivers started yelling “to Ulamba?” (the orphanage where I am staying) before I could even open my mouth…very convenient really. › Continue reading…

The snow has rapidly crept its way down the Annapurna range this week, and there is a definite chill in the air to indicate winter is on it’s way. I’m not sure where the last one and a half months went, it is a little bit sad to be leaving, but onwards it is for the next experience. › Continue reading…

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Vanuatu! I hope everyone had a fantastic day with friends and family. I spent my Christmas with my colleague Jess, on Iririki Island – the staff there put on an amazing lunch which we then followed with some of the best snorkelling I have seen in my time here. › Continue reading…

Spinal cord injuries are not all that uncommon here in Nepal. Falls and, perhaps not surprisingly, motor vehicle accidents are a common causes. This week Green Pastures Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre (GPHRC) opened a brand new ward for spinal rehab patients, a project supported by the Finland Christian Medical Society and the Finish Government. It will be a step up from the current dark and tired ward to a much brighter place for spinal cord injury patients undergoing their rehabilitation. › Continue reading…

I have now been in a number of surgeries with Dr Kamal during my time at Green Pastures. No fewer than 99% of patients were requiring debridement and amputation of toes or fingers as a consequence of leprosy patients’ nemesis – pressure ulcers. The last 1% were requiring biopsies to rule out a chronic ulcer from a squamous cell carcinoma, which was well on it’s was if that was the case. Before I launch in, I apologize in advance to those who are prone to becoming a wee bit squeamish as this blog does get a little gruesome. › Continue reading…

Despite the overwhelming heat (yes, I’m bragging, but only a little) and incredibly long days, my time here is flying by! Halfway through my stay here I find I’ve settled into somewhat of a routine and am feeling very much at home in this beautiful country. › Continue reading…

This week I have been getting into the ‘routine’ of Green Pastures. I start my morning with a 20 minute cycle from my B&B to the hospital…or 30 minutes depending on how many times I have to stop to put John’s bike chain back on or how many buffalo, cows, dogs, chickens and crazy drivers I have to navigate en-route. It is really just like navigating a set of moving roundabouts. The free range cows are the ones you really want to miss, hitting one of those can land you a life time jail sentence. Humans on the other hand…well they are apparently dispensable, so that does really matter. › Continue reading…

Having done very little travel, I was amazed to find out that culture shock is not the myth I believed it to be. No amount of planning or research could have prepared me for just how out of depth I would feel when I arrived here in Vanuatu. Most everything I’ve seen and heard since I got here has been so different to my version of ‘the norm’ that I couldn’t help but miss home like crazy at first. Thankfully, after a week of sunshine and friendly locals, I feel more at home here and am looking forward to the next five weeks. › Continue reading…