Today is Wednesday. Last evening was very windy and rainy. By wind I mean like 50-60 mph gusts that shake the whole house! Weather patterns are crazy here. In the span of 5 minutes, the sun shined bright, then you’re hit by a gust of wind, then it starts raining.
Today I attended medicine rounds again. Some things:
- If you are wondering what is going on with the lymph or immune system, just FNAB it! (Fine needle aspiration biopsty). It is as routine as a blood draw here. I’m used to the whole u/s guided… usually with breast lumps. They do them with neck, axillary, and breasts… find the node, squeeze it, and stab it. Gets the job done, and no waiting!
- We had an older male patient, chronic alcoholic. Pt has a dilated cardiomyopathy, but its still functioning well. The attending asked the patient what kind of alcohol he drank… turns out, he drinks xhosa beer. This is a bootleg beer brewed in old iron barrels. So patients can develop hemosiderosis (iron overload)! Not thinking this is that, but he had a unique scaly skin pattern on his legs… pellagra? The differential diagnosis are so different here!
- I wandered into the orthopaedic ward for a bit. In there was an 83 yo elderly male laying still with a full metal neck immobilizer. The intern told me he had a C1/C2 spine fracture. Of course, I assumed this was a car accident or something. Turns out he was assaulted…, robbers broke into his house, then stepped on his neck. How absolutely horrible. I wonder if they found the criminals… if it made the local news… Hopefully he recovers. No surgery for now, likely would need a transfer to tygerberg.
The rest of the afternoon I hung out in casualty. At times it feels like good old United Hospital in Saint Paul. Patients with diabetes complications, minor injuries, syncope. I think I’m just getting used to the flow of things, so the differences are becoming more common.
I’m off to Stellenbosch tonight for dinner and then to meet up with Silvan and some other international medical students. The days are flying by so quickly it is almost scary. Luckily my cold/flu/whatever managed to infect me is improving, thanks to some help from my good old friend augmentin =).
1 comment:
Hi! Very interesting to read how you experienced things - I think we do need someone elses observation now and again to regain some perspective. Hope you are enjoying cape town and your trip down the coast. Sanet
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