I'm currently writing this snuggled up in my bed in the 63 degree weather (very cold to me) while Dad and Jess are taking a post-travel snooze on my couch. I can't tell you how strange it is to see them here, especially right in my apartment! I'm deliriously excited to see them and I can't wait to see what the next couple weeks have in store!
I figured while they're recharging I'd do some blogging to kill time. The rest of my week at the hospital was pretty much the usual; Thursday's cases involved a neurosurgery on a day-old baby and a brain biopsy on a fourteen-year-old girl with a thalamic tumor. The operation on the newborn was a closure of a myelomeningocele, which is a type of spina bifida where the two sides of the backbone don't close together so that the spinal cord and the tissues covering it (meninges) are sticking out of the baby's back. The anesthetist explained to me that this deformity occurs during pregnancy and it is incredibly unfortunate because the child will never grow to be completely normal and this birth defect is entirely preventable. It is caused by very low levels of folic acid in the mother's diet during pregnancy. Not only is folic acid found in many vegetables, but there are also supplements that women can take during their pregnancy (folic acid is very important for brain and spinal cord development). The problem with the South African population isn't the issue of money; the doctor told me his wife bought a six-month supply of supplements for only 12 rand (about $1.50). Rather, the problem lies in lack of simple education and a poor diet. Similar to back home, a lot of South Africans eat unhealthy, fast food over more nourishing options because it's easily available and cheaper.
Not only am I taking in endless knowledge of medicine during my internship, but I'm also learning about how the culture of South Africa is intertwined with the health care system and the prevalence of certain diseases that are rarer in the States. I mentioned to the anesthetist that I'm currently interested in obstetrics and gynecology, and he told me how that's one of the worst specialties in Africa. Not only are the hours long and busy, with up to twelve or fifteen C-sections a night, but it's incredibly under-resourced and many pregnant women don't actually want their babies. Put on top of that the fact that many people are uneducated with poor diets and a 30% prevalence of HIV-positive pregnant women and it's easy to see that these doctors must face difficulties quite a lot.
On a lighter note, I spent my "last night before vacation" with great friends, yummy liquor and a short marathon of Will & Grace (my stories of meeting both Megan Mullally and Sean Hayes went over well). I'll miss them when I'm away on my adventures, but I'm sure we'll all have great stories to exchange when I return to my life as a quasi-Capetonian.
Two of the doctors I work for are a woman named Dr. Gray and a man named Dr. Wilson, both of which are names of main characters on House and Grey's Anatomy. I guess those shows do give accurate portrayals of medicine. ;)
I'll take good care of the daddy-o and sister, don't you worry. We'll be updating you soon!
xo Em
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