Hunt and Chase!

December 28, Day 11: Second Day of Camp!!

We started off in Mahadevabura, a county in Bangalore for the 2^nd day of camp. We held it this time in a building next to a long dirt road that was semi-rural like the first day. We had a hard time figuring out how we were going to arrange each station, lines, crowd control, and where each person would be stationed at. The building was quite dim inside. My job today was being the middle man between the doctors and Dr. Padma. We had to round up surgery patients so we can get an ambulance to take them to MediHope, Aircity Hospital, or the Lion’s Club hospital. All 9 patients I was able to get to send to the hospitals went to MediHope.

 I got to interact with Dr. Nanda and Dr. Janaki from MediHope to arrange the transportation to MediHope. It would take so long to round up 4 patients, so the patients you do get in the beginning had to wait almost hours because there are 4 patients qualified for surgeries. I was surprisingly comfortable with some of the really serious businessmen of the Lions Club because they were laughing at me for being so paranoid with the patients whereabouts, making sure they don’t leave and worrying when the ambulance was going to come! I even had to walk outside a few times looking for a couple lost patients that just couldn't wait! I tried to hung them down, but it was impossible once they stepped out. There were so many people outside and they all stare at you when you come out too. However, I ended having a total of 9 patients I sent to MediHope that needed neurologist, urologist, surgeon consultations, or surgeries of the varicose veins, papilloma excision, etc. 

During the camp, one of the doctors was using a medical term I didn’t know so I had to ask for clarification. The whole time she thought we were medical students already, but the term was micturition, a urinary condition. Other than those times I was chasing down patients or hunting down the ambulance driver, I was helping direct patients who were mostly very friendly. People were very thankful for the help they received so they stay to receive all the check-ups and stations available to them. 

The happiness of all the doctors and nurses, their eagerness to serve the community, and the fact that they don’t complain or treat patients badly even after 6 hours of tending to endless patients, makes me remember why I want to be a doctor. 

It was amazing to see the doctors and surgeon's ability to diagnose the patients after just a few questions! Their medical knowledge was so spot on,  it gave me motivation to work harder to be able to get to the same level and help others with that knowledge. It was important to be observant, especially today. 

After camp, we had a fresh coconut from the roadside they break for you, and ate the flesh inside that was delicious! Akash, Kim, Arveen, and I squished in the backseat meant for two people and it was so uncomfortable but man we’ve gotten so close this trip! After hours of deciding where to eat and how to order, we finally were able to get pizza hut at 9pm! We ended the day with Dr. Shah telling us all his passport visa horror stories for almost an hour so he and his fiancée saw me slowly falling asleep...oops, way too exhausted from camp!