Monday June 16

Just when I thought I could stop learning, I was thrown a new challenge today. Eye surgery! I've only ever scrubbed for a couple of eye operations in 20 years of theatre nursing. There is somewhere photographic evidence of me scrubbing for cataract surgery. A cataract is when the lens loses its elasticity and becomes opaque and the person can not then see properly. The surgery removes that opacity and a new lens is put in. There are different ways of doing this and in the UK this is done using a special machine since the lens is still soft but in Liberia and in many parts of the world where the helthcare system is very different the lens can become like a rock and the machine is unable to work. so we use a different technique, one which the surgeon I was working with today can perform in under 10 minutes. So it's all pretty quick. after completing 9 of this type of surgery I was beginning to get the hang of it all.
Just goes to show that you never stop learning. My US surgeon had to learn to put his own gown and gloves on unlike my US colleague who automatically helped him with this!
The banana cake and supper laof were appreciated although unlike my workplace, where they would have disappeared in about 2 hours. they had to be reminded to try them out. the maple flavoured syrup in the supper laof seemed to work and having raisins instead of sultanas didn't detract any from the loaf. (Recipes available if requested)
Dinner lasted for an hour as I chatted to a guy from Holland and we were comparing notes. I've not been to his home village but I have at least travelled to Utrecht which is close by, just goeds to prove it's a small world. He's working on the ship as a plumber (Doctor of toilets!) To the locals any man who comes from the ship is a doctor
As I began writing this tonight there was a graduation celebration going on across the hallway since the academy onboard use the US education system, the football had just finished on the big screen (Germany won) and there were conversations from at least 6 different countries recognisable by either accent or language bashing my ears. And I'm trying to write in English.It takes some concentration, trust me.
So Rangers, where are you? I had hoped you might leave a comment on the blog. How did it go tonight? I might be several thousand miles away but it hasn't stopped me wondering how you are getting on! So let me know.....
Tomorrow is the Holland game. Last time they played, the dutch staff onboard decked out the area around the screen with flags and sat wearing orange shirts and hats. Wonder what they'll do tomorrow night?