Day 13)

                Well…we did it.  Successful elective surgery done at Samfya District Hospital.  Everyone showed up on time (including the 2 new nurses to staff the OR), and there was no middle of the night c-sections leaving the OR in disarray.  We started by orienting the new nurses to the OR layout and protocols that Holly and I put in place.  The first patient was an inguinal hernia repair on an 18 y/o male. We utilized all the new protocols as well as the new post-op recovery area.  We then proceeded to do 2 circumcisions (Dr. Lushiku performed alone), a condyloma excision, a sebaceous cyst excision on the back of the head, and finally drainage of a perirectal abscess.  Mike actually was the one who referred the cyst patient through SCCP.  We had a small procedure room open for the small cases so we had 2 rooms going at the same time.  The day was icing on the cake for the time spent here. There’s lots of work still to do from getting reliable sterilization, to expanding anesthesia to include regional blocks/spinals and general, and providing formalized training for the nurses.  I was quite sad leaving the hospital at the end of the day, but I know that with God’s help, we were able to establish a starting point for improving surgical care for the people of Samfya. 

                Between cases, we had a goodbye/thank you traditional Zambian lunch with SCCP.  The staple of the traditional diet is something called Nshima, a polenta like cooked corn meal that you roll into little balls and scoop up other sides.  Right before dinner, we were invited to one of the SCCP volunteer’s house for tea, biscuits and the best roasted peanuts I’ve ever had.  I wish there was a way to get them in Chicago.  Dinner at Mark and Carmen’s was nice, a time to reflect on all the work over the past 2 weeks.  Lily and Nala were sad when we left.  They are really great kids who are extremely imaginative and content with what they have.  It must be boring often, but I feel they’re so lucky though for not having to deal with all the materialism and peer pressure that comes with living in the US. 

                Tomorrow we catch a small charter from Mansa to Lusaka (should be bumpy and exciting) and then take an overnight flight direct to Amsterdam (mini pancakes here I come) and then Chicago.  We’ll have some time during the afternoon to visit the main Lusaka market to pick up some souvenirs. 

Thanks for reading……until next time!