I have performed my seventh laparotomy case in Teme in this morning. It’s another case of gun shot wound at the back, on right side of spine. The bullet stayed at left side of abdominal wall, just beneath the skin. Judging from the course of the bullet, it might hit some of the important organs in the body. He could move his legs. There was no spinal injury. The urine was clear, probably no kidney injury. We found there were tears on inferior vena cava (major venous return from lower part of our body), pancreas, duodenum and stomach. I repaired all of them. He was lucky. The bleeding from IVC bled into back of abdomen and back muscles, and the bleeding was controlled. If it bled into the abdomen, the patient would not be able to come to our hospital. It was too much blood shed. Let me tell you some cheerful stories. If you can remember, there was a 7 years old boy admitted around two weeks ago, fell from a tree, with fracture of left arm and compartment syndrome of forearm. We had to divide the skin and muscle fascia of his forearm to release the pressure inside. I finally closed most of his wounds, leaving a large surface of muscle exposed on front of forearm for skin graft tomorrow. We have to close his skin as soon as possible. As we cannot fix up his fracture if there is still large exposed area. His 15 years old sister stays with him all days. She is a beautiful, quiet, year two secondary school student. She brings along her school works to the hospital and looks after her brother. I ask her to teach him some homework. She says yes. I look at her home work. They are all very tidily written. She says she wants to be a lawyer. I like both of them. I give them candies everyday. In last week, it rained everyday. There are much more mosquitoes in these two days. It is the first time in my missions I sleep inside the mosquito net at night. I have to take medicine daily to prevent malaria. Besides, I had my vaccination updated before coming here, including yellow fever, typhoid fever, rabies, meningitis and hepatitis. We have to protect ourselves in order to help others. (By the way, It’s very encouraging to see lots of feedback from friends. )
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Comments (2)

  • anon

    Add oil! Praying for your work from HK.

    Jun 14, 2011
  • anon

    Au Kai, Ern Ern will make more moon cakes when you back.

    Jun 14, 2011

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