Couldn't get into theatre first thing as planned because there was a caesarian going on so we did some more repairs and verifications. It is amazing some of the junk that has been donated to this hospital. In Mackay I would throw it in the bin. I am pleased to say that the stuff we have sent to other countries was all functioning well and in a state of repair. We can all be proud that it would be immediately useful at its destination.
Lunchtime was a welcome distraction because two volunteers here (one is a doctor and one is a nurse) are leaving tomorrow to return to USA. They have both been here about a year but need to go back for family reasons. Anyway, there was a bit of a nosh up and all very yummy with a barbie, avocado, tortillas, frijoles and some sort of drink made from boiling hibiscus flowers for a couple of hours. All very tasty.
After lunch Henry and I managed to get into theatres (the are two) and checked another two ESUs and both anaesthetic machines. Everyone here calls ESUs 'Bovies' but no one can tell me why. When they asked me what ESU stands for I told them 'electronic scalpel unit' to which most said 'como?' For those who don't know, it is actually 'electro surgical unit' but the former gives a closer description. The two anaesthetic machines they have are different, one of which is familiar from years ago. However, the other is some Japanese thing I have never seen before and it was a bugger to work out how to drive. Anyway, we got there in the end and fortunately it passed all tests.
So, that is day three finished and two to go. The days have been long and full-on but really satisfying. Once again I have to say how glad I am to have Henry with me, he is such a quick learner and a lot of fun despite the fact he refuses to smile in my photos. Normally his face is lit up like a lightbulb. Things are still looking very viable for completion before the weekend but there is no guarantee things will remain the same. Watch this space.
Henry and me after working on the old Excel 210 anaesthetic machine with a 7900 ventilator in theatre one. I had managed to score a couple of old Wrights spirometers in OZ so we used them to verify flow with a stopwatch.
This is all they have in theatre two.
This is an oxygen outlet on the wall in theatre two next to a hole in the
wall labelled 'scavenge waste gas'. It is literally just a hole into the wall cavity.
This is recovery.
And, especially for you, Tina, this is CSSD. I thought the steriliser was a coffee roaster.
Location:Hospitalito Atitlán
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