That is Mt. Mahavura, the dormant volcano always watching over Kisoro. It makes for great scenery and pictures. Of course if it every erupted we would all perish. The next picture is the compound we are staying in. The third picture is the hospital. I have been around town and already seen so many people who recognize me and I recognize. This is the first time I am here when it is not the rainy season. So it is basically 70’s to 80 and very dusty.
Here is part of a blog post that I wrote on March 4, 2008:
Today was my first day in the hospital on the wards. I am on the male ward. I had 25 new patients to meet and learn about. Ages 12-75. Some have malaria, some have pneumonia, some have had trauma. One 13 year old boy has burns all over his body. At around 12 pm they brought in a new patient. 24 yr old boy breathing very fast. His family said he was too weak to get out of bed and hadn’t eaten or drinken for days. I couldn’t get a blood pressure or feel a pulse. He was very cold. I could tell he was in shock. His eyes were yellow and by his finger tips and eyelids I could tell he was in shock and severely anemic. He was difficult to arouse and couldn’t answer any questions. The nurse couldn’t put an IV in and so I put one in his neck and we sent off a blood sample for hemoglobin and type and screen. I instructed them to keep giving him lots of fluids.
Two hours later he was still breathing fast and cold but was more arousable and I thought he might be getting better but I still couldn’t get a blood pressure or feel his pulse. A very very bad sign. Basically he stopped breathing and died and there was nothing I could do. I would have had a lot more medications, equipment, and tests at my disposal if I were in the US and could have probably saved him.
