Wow, I can’t believe three weeks have flown by! The whole experience at the CMC has been incredible. I’m so excited for the next batch of uthscsa students to come down, I think if anything to really appreciate how fortunate we are in the US to have access to health care and adequate supplies. It’s humbling and inspiring to know that the docs here can all easily practice in other countries if they wanted to, but choose to stay in India to help people knowing their resources are limited.
Quick description of my last week: CHAD consists of a clinic for the villagers to attend, hospital ward to take care of villagers who need to be admitted, and nurse and doctor runs out into over 80 villages around the area to refill prescriptions and see sick patients. The story behind CHAD and the CMC hospital is a really good one, e-mail me if you want it. (I don’t want to give it away for the ones about to come here! Plus, it’s really long and I want to do it justice.)
CODES and SHARES are different groups that each act to serve the community. CODES stands for “community development service” and it employs women to build and make things for the hospital. So, they can make scrubs, c-collars, and also anything metal that needs welding together! Go women! They also have a counseling service for married couples, which seems to really work. SHARES is similar (I’ve forgotten what it stands for) which employs women to make baskets and other handicrafts that are exported. CODES is government funded, and SHARES is independent. Both groups also serve as support for women, and encourage confidence and independence.
I love how faith is universal here. I love how people of the Christian, Hindu and Muslim faiths can pray together in the same room, like in the small building dedicated to worship at SHARES. I also love the respect and patience people have with one another here in the hospital and at CHAD. Today I saw a c-section delivery in a woman whose labor wasn’t progressing quickly enough. At first I was a little apprehensive about the cloth facemasks, surgeons’ caps, and feet covers (we took our sandals off and wore canvas booties.) I was even more apprehensive about the manual BP being taken intermittently during surgery, and man did I wish she had an epidural and not just spinal anesthesia. But the surgery itself was amazing… they used the same sterile techniques as we do, and the actual procedure looked the same with almost the same instruments. Just missing the sleepy med student holding the bladder flap back with a retractor as her arm slowly falls asleep...
The little one came out with the most confused expression on his face, then a healthy cry! I always wonder what babies are thinking. :-) I hope that by the time he’s older, his world will be a better place for him. I’ve had my eyes opened to the problems India faces as a developing nation, and it’s almost overwhelming. Pollution, suicides due to stigmas placed on seeking psychiatric help, alcoholism, overcrowded hospitals, overworked doctors, treatment denied because of inability to pay, and the quickly growing HIV population. Also, because sex outside of marriage is not discussed, nor homosexuality, doctors are not able to help patients prevent transmission of STD’s or HIV.
Some of these are similar to our own problems, but the US is a wealthy nation. I’d have to say though, India is working with what it’s got. It was impressive how explicit one ob/gyn doctor was in counseling her patients about contraception and their relationships with their husbands. She even lectured the male residents on how they should treat their wives! These docs are all here for a reason—for the hope that this will all change. And one day patients will be more educated and able to prevent many of the diseases that they are now being treated for.
I’m so grateful for this experience. Thank you all for your emails and support from the other side of the world—it’s been so fun being able to share this with all of you! Now, I’m heading off to Bangalore to spend some time with my extended family for a month (It’ll be so weird without you brother!! I’ll miss you!), hit up my cousin’s wedding and do a bit of traveling. Oh yeah, and I find out where I go for residency tomorrow. Wish me luck!
I thought that I’d stick in some more pics of the hospital (as if this isn’t long enough…) :-)
Old school dryers! (this is how they dry bedsheets and scrubs after they're washed)
Quick description of my last week: CHAD consists of a clinic for the villagers to attend, hospital ward to take care of villagers who need to be admitted, and nurse and doctor runs out into over 80 villages around the area to refill prescriptions and see sick patients. The story behind CHAD and the CMC hospital is a really good one, e-mail me if you want it. (I don’t want to give it away for the ones about to come here! Plus, it’s really long and I want to do it justice.)
CODES and SHARES are different groups that each act to serve the community. CODES stands for “community development service” and it employs women to build and make things for the hospital. So, they can make scrubs, c-collars, and also anything metal that needs welding together! Go women! They also have a counseling service for married couples, which seems to really work. SHARES is similar (I’ve forgotten what it stands for) which employs women to make baskets and other handicrafts that are exported. CODES is government funded, and SHARES is independent. Both groups also serve as support for women, and encourage confidence and independence.
I love how faith is universal here. I love how people of the Christian, Hindu and Muslim faiths can pray together in the same room, like in the small building dedicated to worship at SHARES. I also love the respect and patience people have with one another here in the hospital and at CHAD. Today I saw a c-section delivery in a woman whose labor wasn’t progressing quickly enough. At first I was a little apprehensive about the cloth facemasks, surgeons’ caps, and feet covers (we took our sandals off and wore canvas booties.) I was even more apprehensive about the manual BP being taken intermittently during surgery, and man did I wish she had an epidural and not just spinal anesthesia. But the surgery itself was amazing… they used the same sterile techniques as we do, and the actual procedure looked the same with almost the same instruments. Just missing the sleepy med student holding the bladder flap back with a retractor as her arm slowly falls asleep...
The little one came out with the most confused expression on his face, then a healthy cry! I always wonder what babies are thinking. :-) I hope that by the time he’s older, his world will be a better place for him. I’ve had my eyes opened to the problems India faces as a developing nation, and it’s almost overwhelming. Pollution, suicides due to stigmas placed on seeking psychiatric help, alcoholism, overcrowded hospitals, overworked doctors, treatment denied because of inability to pay, and the quickly growing HIV population. Also, because sex outside of marriage is not discussed, nor homosexuality, doctors are not able to help patients prevent transmission of STD’s or HIV.
Some of these are similar to our own problems, but the US is a wealthy nation. I’d have to say though, India is working with what it’s got. It was impressive how explicit one ob/gyn doctor was in counseling her patients about contraception and their relationships with their husbands. She even lectured the male residents on how they should treat their wives! These docs are all here for a reason—for the hope that this will all change. And one day patients will be more educated and able to prevent many of the diseases that they are now being treated for.
I’m so grateful for this experience. Thank you all for your emails and support from the other side of the world—it’s been so fun being able to share this with all of you! Now, I’m heading off to Bangalore to spend some time with my extended family for a month (It’ll be so weird without you brother!! I’ll miss you!), hit up my cousin’s wedding and do a bit of traveling. Oh yeah, and I find out where I go for residency tomorrow. Wish me luck!
I thought that I’d stick in some more pics of the hospital (as if this isn’t long enough…) :-)
Old school dryers! (this is how they dry bedsheets and scrubs after they're washed)
Really nice view of the garden by the chapel in the middle of the hospital.
1 comment:
Hi Rohini,
I just happened to be doing research on neurocystercercosis. Last June i got diagnosed with it. It all happened here in the US, not in a third world country.
I'm wondering if i can ask you so questions about this. My Dr's a bit of a jackass, i'm already looking into a second opinion for treatment. Anyway, in case you ever get this comment, would you consider contacting me via email at gomz22@hotmail.com I'm really desperate to communicate with other experts. Please email. thanks. BTW, loved your blog. best, mg
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