Trip Three: Week Two! June 29-July 5

This second week onboard the AFM flew by! It was another busyyyy week in the OR, but I still managed to get off the ship after work many evenings! 

Every Monday starts with a mandatory all-hands meeting at 7:45am before work. After attending the meeting, our busy workday began. On Monday after work, I went on a walk with my friend Gabriella (also from Raleigh!) into town for ice cream. Even though the ice cream shop we planned to go to ended up being closed, we found a nice treat at a restaurant nearby. 

After work on Tuesday, I spent another evening off the ship at a local restaurant and tried some classic Malagasy food. I enjoyed the fish and rice the best! 

The anesthesia in-service on Wednesday morning was a good one! My anesthetist friend Maggie creatively taught us about the past "180 Years of Anesthesia." She structured the presentation as a "quiz" and had some of us read a brief description of someone who has helped make anesthesia what it is today before revealing who that person was. Some examples of people we learned about included Robert Macintosh and Ivan Magill. It was a clever, interactive, and interesting presentation! I learned a lot about the history of tools and practices we use almost every day. 

The medical in-service on Wednesday evening was on "The Science of Teamwork," presented by one of the MaxFax surgeons, Dr. Manjit Dhillon from Scotland. She touched on various aspects of teamwork, both what is healthy and what to avoid. One point that stuck out to me is how when members of a team feel psychologically safe, they are more likely to speak up if they notice something is off and patient outcomes are actually improved. This was definitely a good reminder and challenge as a team leader to create an environment where each member feels valued and empowered to share their thoughts. 

After the in-service, I went for another walk around the port and FaceTimed family back home... Reid waves and says hi! 

Thursday morning brought a beautiful sunrise run! This is "winter" for Madagascar, so the temperatures range from mid 60s to high 70s and not as humid, so it has been perfect walking/running weather. 

Many members of the team are leaving this weekend, so some of us went out for dinner on Thursday evening to Le'Affiche restaurant in town. It was an enjoyable evening filled with lots of laughter, insightful conversations, and yummy food! 

OR 1 team! Christine (OR nurse, USA), Dr. Tony (India) and Sarah (Anes. Asst, UK)

Another Funky Friday in the OR! I had to say goodbye to the surgeon I've been working with the past two weeks. Dr. Tony has been wonderful to work with, always bringing lots of energy and laughter to OR 1. He will be missed! Because the incinerators on the ship are very small, we have to separate the bloody bits of surgical drapes and gowns from the "clean" areas. I got a little creative with my cutting a couple times :) 

On Friday evening, a group of us went to a place in town that has Latin dancing every Friday! Even though I love to dance, I was not sure what to expect since I don't really have experience with Latin style dancing... but it was SO much fun! A couple of my Malagasy friends were also there and patiently taught me some steps. I learned a few different styles, but I think Bachata was my favorite. I am hoping to return in future weeks and continue to improve! 

I spent Saturday morning and afternoon at the beach and had some unexpected company at one point! 

The USA crew onboard went all out for an Independence Day celebration! We had Chick-fil-a inspired fried chicken for dinner, complete with a variety of Chick-fil-a sauces. For dessert, crew baked numerous different pies and treats - it was quite the feast! We played an American-inspired trivia game and then finished the evening with a little celebration on the dock! There were USA crew t-shirts for sale and a lot of red, white & blue decorations! Sometimes it can be hard being away from family and friends on holidays and the usual traditions, but the crew really try and make it special still... and I still had a quick FaceTime with my family back home! 

 

 

I was on call on Sunday, but honestly had looked forward to a forced day of rest around the ship. I had a nice devotional time watching last week's sermon from home, then cleaned my cabin and did some laundry. I spent a bit of time at the pool (working on this blog haha) and then went for a short walk before going to the dock to say goodbye to the departing crew! In the evening, I attended the church service onboard and was blessed by wonderful worship and sharing in communion with other crew. Overall, it was a pretty good Sunday! 

Surgery On Board

It was a veryyy busy time in general surgery this week. The AFM is still running two general surgery ORs. There were 21 scheduled surgeries in my OR for Monday-Friday, with one add-on emergency case on Friday evening. In total, my OR team operated on 22 patients across five days. 

This was also the last week of the ophthalmic surgery block! The eye team and operating room is 

I feel like even though the days are busy and exhausting, I love the work I'm doing. It is rewarding and meaningful work and I am constantly reminded of God's faithfulness and grace towards me as I strive to rely on Him.