And then there was one

Black Mamba? The jury is out.

Mollie left this morning and it was pretty sad. We were great support systems for each other and it was nice to have someone my age around. Now it is just me and Dr. Dillon at meals (one of the surgeons), and he is leaving next weekend. They are desperate for doctors here right now, there is one family medicine doctor which is basically consulting on all the wards, as well as running the peds ward over the past week when I was away because that is the ward the residents are most afraid of. The poor internal medicine residents have to cover the peds ward a couple months per year, so there is a lot of learning on the go. I am trying to mentally prepare for plowing through the next two weeks and taking all things in stride.

I can’t believe I left New York over a month ago. I never would have thought I would see the things I’ve seen or been in the role that I am now. They said that sometimes there are as many as 3 or 4 pediatricians here, but somehow I arrived in a time when there was none. I had mixed feelings about mission trips before I came, recognizing that what we do here might not be sustainable and, in the end, we end up getting more out of the trip than anyone else. This may definitely be true, but this experience seems different in that it is integrated into a Cameroonian residency program. The concept is fairly new in Cameroon and still has a long way to go, but is miles ahead of where it used to be. The residents here read up on their patients, do almost every procedure imaginable, attend lectures, and make the big decisions on a daily basis. There are so many cultural differences between residency here and in the US, but the general concept is the same. They don’t have the luxury of smartphones, but they do have textbooks and libraries and experience. When we round in the mornings and evenings, they can teach me procedures and endemic disease presentations and I can remind them how the physiology of a child is more than just a little adult. It is a symbiotic relationship that I do feel is sustainable, as they will carry it with them into the Cameroonian realm of public health. At the very least, perhaps they will face the peds ward with a little less trepidation.

So today I will adjust to some solitude and check under the beds for snakes. Maybe I will look for a job, maybe I will go on a solo hike, maybe I will start a new book. I will enjoy the calm before the storm, again. I appreciate the massive amount of support I’ve received from back home, I am so flattered and humbled by the newspaper article. I am happy that the story can be shared as a window into a world that we are not used to, perhaps not even aware of. It is not about a single experience of someone who comes here for a short time; it is a medium for recognizing and giving a moment’s thought to our brothers and sisters overseas. It is not about guilt, it is about compassion and awareness. It is about perspective and a common humanity. It is a shared sadness for Cedrik and a cheering squad for Rudolf, a reminder that we are all in this together.