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DSCN0997 copy, originally uploaded by Photo2217.

March 30th, 2010
Midnight (really march 31st)

This was almost a full complete day without being in the ward area since I have been in Lome. But we did take a tour of the entire facility for the arrival of our special guest tomorrow. I didn’t go into any of the actual wards though, and tonight I sit in my bed and feel a bit guilty. Tomorrow is going o be a potentially long day, and at the end of the day, I will have the opportunity to see the patients anew. I will be doing the pre-op photos.

Tomorrow, we may have our usual 5 minute morning meeting. Then we will prepare for the arrival of the President of Togo. He should arrive sometime mid-morning. I got to move some items around in the International Lounge and I got so many flashbacks of the late nights we’d spent decorating Vintage Faith. We could re-purpose anything around that church and make it look so very cool and new again. We basically moved a few of the flags and instruments around and made it all look a bit brighter. But I wish we could give it a Vintage Faith like overhaul.

We did this after I spent the whole day, sweating in the ever intense humid heat of Lome. I went to the anesthetic conference at a nearby hospital and nearly fainted from the heat. The room had over 90 people in it and we heard the different lecturers explain the importance of anesthetics in Lome. I followed Dr. Keith around and was able to even photograph some of the workshops.

Then I came back to the ship to have a protocol meeting/tour of the President’s arrival tomorrow. At first I thought it was a prep incase he decided to arrive, but actually he confirmed his arrival. Which lead to the rearranging of space in the International Lounge. I will hopefully be able to photograph the President and the key political leaders that are invited to view the ship. Yahoo! I’ll write sometime tomorrow on how that portion of the day goes.

Tonight, I’m sitting in my cabin, in the belly of this whale, ready for bed! Thankful for a great busy day. Doing what I feel I was always created to do. Loving friends, and receiving the love back. Giggling all the way to the mango smoothie night galley. Taking photographs of life changing moments. I saw West African medical students learn how to care for the breathing/passage way of a new born, and their eagerness to learn was impressive. It made me want to go back to school. I spoke with several new friends throughout this evening, and heard all the fun/frustrating details of their day, and had a chance to share mine too.

Tomorrow holds for it even greater adventures. Tonight…there is sleep.