Wednesday March 14

    It seems that the daily report I wrote last night didn't post until just now. These things happen.
    Today was a National holiday in Liberia: Decoration Day, upon which occasion families decorate the graves of their ancestors. As it turns out, tomorrow is another National holiday celebrating the birth of Liberia's first President, J.J. Roberts. Decoration Day is the second Wednesday in March, and J.J. Roberts Birthday is March 15; it just happens that this year it means there are 2 holidays on successive days in the middle of the week. Kind of unusual, but this is Liberia :-)
     In any case, we worked despite the holiday and had another good day of interesting cases including an emergency laparotomy for a perforated gastric ulcer as well as some scheduled cases. Among the cases today, Professor Ikpi did an inguinal hernia with Sandeep, David Aughton did an epigastric hernia with one of the Liberian interns, Dr. Weh, and I did the perforated ulcer with Dr. Cassel, one of the Liberian Chief residents. It was a really good day of teaching !
     In addition to the surgery, we saw several new patients who have conditions requiring surgery, and hopefully we can get them done while we are here. Already I can see the logjam approaching, in that we won't have enough time to take care of all of the patients hoping for our services. Two weeks turns out to be not very much time.
     The patient who took so long to wake up last night apparently was finally transferred to the ward at 2 am, and was doing well when we saw her this morning. She has a very devoted family who hovered last night during her surgery and afterwards, worrying about the surgery and the aftermath, hanging on every word of hope. They asked to meet me prior to her surgery, and invoked my name and my hands in praying that God would guide us to a good outcome. It was definitely an interestingly experience to be the subject of prayers for a successful outcome when I had serious doubts myself. So far so good anyway.
      After dinner, we have come o bed. To sleep and then see what tomorrow brings.