April 14

 Today was another slow day for us, tho there was plenty of activity in the OR by other specialties. Until recently we have often been fixated on the number of cases done as a marker for success; with the development and evolution of general surgery at JFK, we are no longer the only ones working during these 2 week visits. We now measure success by the level of collaboration with Liberian attending staff and residents; in that respect I think this trip has been more successful than I anticipated. Our cases today involved some large hernias, and an interesting lipoma on the side of a foot extending in dumbbell fashion halfway across the sole. Santiago and I wrestled it out with encouragement from Sam; it was quite the struggle! We came back to the hotel in the afternoon, and in the evening we had a delicious dinner on the rooftop terrace courtesy of the owners of the Murex Plaza in thanks for our work in Liberia. There was an amazing amount of food and drink consumed, and we brought leftover food to JFK the next day for us and the staff.