Hello All,
A quick note on how we have been getting on since the last post...
Lucky for us the monsoon has still not started, although it is even more imminent than last time. We are very grateful for this delay as popping out for a coffee, a quick shop, or wander round a market in the evening would not be the same in the pouring rain!
Unlike in the UK you do not need a doctors prescription to buy drugs in India - you simply request the drug at a pharmacy and most things are available for less than a pound. Lucky for me as last week I was the first to get an upset stomach with 2 days of D&V. But with a course of self-prescribed antibiotics all is now well. Since then Simon and Will (another student from UEA) have both been on antibiotics too!
We are now over halfway through our placement at KEM with mixed experiences. I started well Obstetrics and Gynaecology with one registar taking her under my wing. The contrast to th NNUH in Norwich is obviously massive, and not easy to convey in words (photos to follow). Overall I am very glad I will never be in labour at KEM as despite excellent medical knowlege facilities are non existant. Giving birth in one large room with up to 15 other women in labour, on a metal bed with no pillow or covering, with your grubby nightie hitched up to your chest and no pain relief cannot be pleasant. I didn't need to speak Hindi to establish that. A huge difference from the individual rooms, with your choice of music, one-to-one midwife care with your partner next to you as in the NNUH.
Labour ward at KEM:
But there is a very different attitude to pregnancy and labour here - with most women being un-educated and in an arranged marriage with their role in life being housework and child birth. To them, I am told, it is a more mechanical process with much less emotional involvement. A sad state of affairs.
Emma in theatre scrubs at KEM:
Unfortuntely for my registar, and me, she was suddenly admitted to ITU with cerebral malaria!!! She will hopefully be fine ands make a full recovery but in her abscence I got very little practical experience or attention at all. Hence I joined the boys and am now in general medicine. My first day was today with a morning in a neurology clinic and afternoon in paediatrics. We received excellent teaching and although not so good for the patients there are some amazing pathologies. And it seems the norm to present to a doctor at a very late stage so the presentations are from a textbook as so advanced - perfect for medical students!
General medicine ward at KEM:
But don't worry - its not all work and no play! Despite us doing a 6 day week we are not struggling to eat some delicious and very cheap food, visit excellent shops (even Simon bought clothes and shoes!) and trips to the cinema; where a few sweets cost more than the ticket and it is the only place I have worn a jumper since leaving the UK!
Anyway time to go - the Rocky films are shown every monday evening - its number 3 tonight!!!!
Fingers crossed for it being Simon to write next time.
Emma
28 °C
