Just had to write a short note about what i did today. My reputation in the hospital (and perhaps because of my skin colour) is such that i was told i was needed on an interview panel today. It was for a number of senior nursing positions, and i was clearly out of my depth! The whole process was incredibly tedious and my opinion of who was a good candidate seemed to be totally different to the other nurses on the panel, but i couldn't begrudge the free food and time away from the Out-Patients Department!
Bizarre
Tuesday 30 October 2007
Sleeping in a Cave
Had a week off to go hiking in the Drakensberg Mountains. It came at just the right time as i needed to recharge my batteries and what better way than to go hiking for 8 hours a day!! On the first night, myself and 2 other docs hiked to a cave on the side of a mountain and then set up camp. With our fire going well and having swum in the 'Marble Baths' we were ready for anything and then witnessed an amazing electrical storm which passed through the valley. Thunder and lightning whilst sitting in a cave is definately a one-off experience for me! After an early morning swim we hiked back to the cabins with a troop of baboons eyeing us suspiciously on the way. Erstein is a Norweigan doc about to go to the Antarctic for 3 months, who has a fascination with bird-watching. I learnt loads from him over the week but it reiterated to me that i am not that interested in the feathered type of birds (...and have been very disappointed with South African women so far!).
For the second half of the week, we went to the 'Ampitheatre' - a section of the mountain range which separates South Africa from Lesotho. If you ever get the chance i would highly recommend this as one of the most stunning views in the world! Each night as i supped a Hansa beer and tended to the braai i was in awe....a drop of Amarula made it even more amazing!!
The weekend before i'd got drunk round a logfire at a backpackers we stayed at and observed some racist Afrikaner kids until 4 in the morning. It took some restraint not to tell them what racist pigs they were...but they were much bigger than me. The obvious thing to do the next day on 4 hours sleep and a hangover was to run a 10K race through a game park!! Having seen a rhino, giraffe and wildebeest from the start line i was a little nervous, fortunately none of them appeared out of the bush whilst i was running. By that evening i was so tired that i didn't care that England lost the Rugby World Cup final....
For the second half of the week, we went to the 'Ampitheatre' - a section of the mountain range which separates South Africa from Lesotho. If you ever get the chance i would highly recommend this as one of the most stunning views in the world! Each night as i supped a Hansa beer and tended to the braai i was in awe....a drop of Amarula made it even more amazing!!
The weekend before i'd got drunk round a logfire at a backpackers we stayed at and observed some racist Afrikaner kids until 4 in the morning. It took some restraint not to tell them what racist pigs they were...but they were much bigger than me. The obvious thing to do the next day on 4 hours sleep and a hangover was to run a 10K race through a game park!! Having seen a rhino, giraffe and wildebeest from the start line i was a little nervous, fortunately none of them appeared out of the bush whilst i was running. By that evening i was so tired that i didn't care that England lost the Rugby World Cup final....
Tuesday 16 October 2007
Sodwana Bay
Sodwana Bay is a beautiful area in Northern KwaZulu Natal near the Mozambique border. I learnt to dive there in 2002 with Andy and Yvonne, and it was a real pleasure to go back. I did loads of reminiscing and was sick on the boat again (just like 2002!). The dives were great and i saw a turtle, white tip shark (briefly), boxfish, honeycomb moray eel chasing a potato bass, aswell as amazing coral everywhere. After one of the dives a few of us went quadbiking through the forest on dirt roads. So much fun, caning it as fast as the instructor would let us. She said there were loads of snakes, hyenas and even leopards in the area...but all i saw were monkeys and a dead jackal!!
Watching the rugby was fun too, although the Saffas already think they've won the tournament so most of them went home at half-time in the England game.. I would love it if we turn them over on Saturday (although clearly i can't see it happening, and thus will be keeping my head down).
Saw my first gunshot victim last Thursday night. The poor 49 year old had multiple entry wounds and her husband had been killed in the robbery. I managed to resuscitate her and organised for her to be transported to the bigger hospital for surgery. Whilst i was waiting i Xrayed her and to my complete surprise i found she was pregnant!!! She made it to the operating table but unfortunately died post-op. I was pretty choked when i heard that as i'd put in a lot of effort at 3 in the morning.
I've tried to upload some pics but it just takes way too long... i'll post some soon though
Watching the rugby was fun too, although the Saffas already think they've won the tournament so most of them went home at half-time in the England game.. I would love it if we turn them over on Saturday (although clearly i can't see it happening, and thus will be keeping my head down).
Saw my first gunshot victim last Thursday night. The poor 49 year old had multiple entry wounds and her husband had been killed in the robbery. I managed to resuscitate her and organised for her to be transported to the bigger hospital for surgery. Whilst i was waiting i Xrayed her and to my complete surprise i found she was pregnant!!! She made it to the operating table but unfortunately died post-op. I was pretty choked when i heard that as i'd put in a lot of effort at 3 in the morning.
I've tried to upload some pics but it just takes way too long... i'll post some soon though
Thursday 11 October 2007
Tigers
According to the locals there are Tigers in the nearby Nkandla Forest. Mmm I'm not convinced but i'm also not going to argue with the Zulus as what do i know about their habitat. On Saturday night we drove back through the Forest as i'd been at a course in Pietermaritzburg during the day. We were in a hospital 4x4 truck with a driver and he didn't hold back on the dirt roads! If there are Tigers there we were going far too fast to see one..
At one point it was pitch black, the sky was full of beautiful stars and we were caning it at 100kph, then this lady started running towards the vehicle. The driver managed to crank on the brakes before we hit her. I think she may have been drunk or psychotic but the driver didn't let us get out to check on her and drove off at full speed!
To be fair i was getting stuck in to my 3rd beer in the car after a long day at the course and having just heard the rugby result against the Aussies!! So i wouldn't have been much use anyway. As we all know - drinking on a long journey is never a great idea as the bladder starts to cry out for relief. My colleague wanted to see where Jacob Zuma (Vice President of South Africa) lived as we passed his residence on the way back. I promptly used the opportunity to relieve myself, thus pissing outside the home of the second most important man in SA. Can you imagine doing that at no.11 Downing Street?!!
I'm off to Sodwana to go diving this weekend, hoping to see a few whale sharks and turtles. Can't wait! Been a bit boring at work this week as it has been hosing it down with rain and so very few patients have come, so i'm looking forward to escaping to the beach. Laterz
At one point it was pitch black, the sky was full of beautiful stars and we were caning it at 100kph, then this lady started running towards the vehicle. The driver managed to crank on the brakes before we hit her. I think she may have been drunk or psychotic but the driver didn't let us get out to check on her and drove off at full speed!
To be fair i was getting stuck in to my 3rd beer in the car after a long day at the course and having just heard the rugby result against the Aussies!! So i wouldn't have been much use anyway. As we all know - drinking on a long journey is never a great idea as the bladder starts to cry out for relief. My colleague wanted to see where Jacob Zuma (Vice President of South Africa) lived as we passed his residence on the way back. I promptly used the opportunity to relieve myself, thus pissing outside the home of the second most important man in SA. Can you imagine doing that at no.11 Downing Street?!!
I'm off to Sodwana to go diving this weekend, hoping to see a few whale sharks and turtles. Can't wait! Been a bit boring at work this week as it has been hosing it down with rain and so very few patients have come, so i'm looking forward to escaping to the beach. Laterz
Tuesday 2 October 2007
Testdrive with Toyota
I don't think i've said before but i work with 2 Congolese, 2 Nigerian, 1 Cameroonian, 1 Burmese and 1 South African doctor. Max is a Congolese guy who i live with and has become a good friend. I took him to a Toyota dealership on Saturday as he wanted to buy a new Auris. He was signing all the paperwork without trying out the car so i suggested a testdrive.... bad idea! He is a great guy but the worst driver i've ever been in a car with. The car salesmen and i basically had to tell him how to drive and i had to change the gears for him!! He is still set on forking out for a brand new car despite me suggesting it would be better spent on lessons. A car is a real status symbol here, but i'm more than happy with my little Corsa.
I also put my foot in it when talking to a colleague and i suggested that another colleague didn't need to work extra shifts as he had nothing to spend the money on (i am worried some of my colleagues will burn out very soon). It was pointed out to me that in Africa when someone works they have to send money to support spouses, children, aunts, uncles, nephews, grandparents etc etc for education, travel, food and life in general. It was another reminder at how good we have it in the UK. I won't be doing the extra shifts as i am already worried about burn-out and don't need the money as my salary goes a long way here!
My final bit of news was that i went to a game in the South African Premier League on Sunday. Mamalodi Sundowns vs Inkatha Royal Zulu FC (great names!). Despite a small crowd the atmosphere was lively, but the standard poor - i reckon Conference level. Comedy moment though was when i realised that it was Sven-Goran Eriksson's son who was the coach of the Zulus! He won't be the next England boss after McLaren i can assure you of that!
By the way i've been selected to play for the Uthungulu Health District Representative Football team...nice!
I also put my foot in it when talking to a colleague and i suggested that another colleague didn't need to work extra shifts as he had nothing to spend the money on (i am worried some of my colleagues will burn out very soon). It was pointed out to me that in Africa when someone works they have to send money to support spouses, children, aunts, uncles, nephews, grandparents etc etc for education, travel, food and life in general. It was another reminder at how good we have it in the UK. I won't be doing the extra shifts as i am already worried about burn-out and don't need the money as my salary goes a long way here!
My final bit of news was that i went to a game in the South African Premier League on Sunday. Mamalodi Sundowns vs Inkatha Royal Zulu FC (great names!). Despite a small crowd the atmosphere was lively, but the standard poor - i reckon Conference level. Comedy moment though was when i realised that it was Sven-Goran Eriksson's son who was the coach of the Zulus! He won't be the next England boss after McLaren i can assure you of that!
By the way i've been selected to play for the Uthungulu Health District Representative Football team...nice!
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