Last Day in OPD

6/6/14
For our last day, Dr. Lyapa took us to the room within OPD where they do circumcisions.  We of course helped with the patients for several hours and then watched the circumcision of at a 28 year old male.  The forceps procedure was relatively simple and straightforward, though it was initially very painful for the man before the local anesthesia was put in (obviously).  My friend and I were able to make it through most of the procedure before feeling faint and having to sit down.  Surprisingly, the wound only takes about 1-2 weeks to heal, which is much faster than anticipated.

I also asked Dr. Lyapa about drug resistance because so many antibiotics are frequently prescribed to patients.  Many patients and also misdiagnosed or given antibiotics just in case, which further promotes immunity to the drugs because so many people are using them when they don't necessarily need them.  Oftentimes many doctors assume the worst case scenario and I have heard from other students that even when tests come back negative for malaria, etc., the doctors assume it is a false negative and treat the patient for the disease anyway.  I'm not sure how this compares to drug resistance in the U.S., but I want to assume that it is greater in Tanzania because of how common antibiotics are prescribed.

For the rest of the afternoon, we all came back and a group of the first week students went on a safari that will be lasting the weekend, while the rest of us stayed at the house and napped (I won't miss out on the safari though because I am  going on a day safari with 3 other students).

The night shift initially started out boring because there was nothing happening in obs and gyney.  We spent some time chatting and laughing with two doctors who were there, and then while we were waiting, a women in one of the beds started to give birth, so we were finally able to observe and assist with a natural birth.  I then got to bring the baby (girl) to the scale and weigh her and wrap her back up in the blankets.  The doctors always wrap the babies in 2 or 3 thin, brightly colored blankets, which appears easy, but when you try to wrap a baby yourself it's pretty challenging.  Anyway, that's it for today, we would have stayed later because there were 2 C-sections that for scheduled, but we had to get out to catch the taxi and we are off early on safari tomorrow.