Friday October 17

Well I have 7 sleeps left on the ship. Time really does pass by so quickly and I feel like I've only just arrived. Today we said goodbye to several of the team as they travel home, two ladies from NI, a guy from the States and two surgeons, both from Oz. Next week will be strange without them but we have new staff and surgeons coming onboard. I did a quick count today and at our morning meet around the board in the OR department There were 11 different nationalities represented.

Our meet around the board in the mornings is at the start of the day but after any meetings for in the international lounge, this morning being programz reporting. i.e. different departments talking about what they are doing. Any changes to the lists are discussed and there is freedom to bring up any issues about equipment. The doctors are present too so that they have an input . After the morning, someone will pray for the day. This morning one of our translators prayed. Earlier this week our swedish nurse prayed - in Swedish as as she felt more comfortable praying in her own language. And there is absolutely no problem with this.

I started my morning down at the dockside watching the YAG laser being used on eye patients. As the patients who have cataracts frequently develop secondary cataracts after their surgery they come back 6weeks post op to have the laser treatment. It takes literally seconds. In the UK this would only be done if there was definite signs of a cataract but we will be leaving Liberia in about 6 weeks so they are done as a routine part of post op care.

Afterwards I had chance to work with one of the Aussie surgeons removing quite a substantial thyroid. Then spent some time trying to sort out a minature set of plate and screws. They are used in facial reconstruction work. Some of the screws are just 3mm long. So a busy and varied day.

Tonight I watched one of four films about the history of Liberia. Tonight's film looked at the 50's through to the early nineties and included the early part of the civil war. There were some graphic scenes in it and sometimes one can only wonder at just how inhuman man can be to his fellow man.

But on a rather more cheerful note, tomorrow is Saturday and we have the games which I have been warned could be wet. Not such a problem outside the ship as it will be warm but more of a problem inside with the air con running!! - Happy days