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One can never be sure about technology on these trips. It is Thursday here in the states, and the update from Monday has arrived, however the photos did not transmit, so we hope you will check back later to see those. It keeps us on our toes. Here’s what happened:

It began raining early this morning, before we woke up. The rain meant that we had to start late, in order for the hospital staff to have time to fumigate and attempt to dry up the area near the operating rooms. Water was leaking through where the floors and walls meet, and in some other parts of the hospital, it was coming through the roof. During this delay, I was able to tour some more of the hospital. I was able to see the delivery room, several of the wards, and the Special Care Unit for Infants. Some of the babies were so tiny, tinier than any babies I’ve ever seen. One of the nurses mentioned that this state has one of the highest infant mortality rates in India; in 2013, the government census said that it had the fifth highest in the country.

Despite getting a late start, the teams managed to complete 15 cases today, bringing our total up to 46 cases so far this week. While waiting to begin, Dr. Parikh coined a nickname for our group: The 4-H Club. He explained that it was because the four surgeries most of our cases have called for start with H (hemorrhoidectomy, herniorrhaphy, hydrocelectomy, and hysterectomy). However, it also seemed fitting because the day began with livestock wandering through the halls, as you can see in the pictures below (photos delayed due to technical issues – stop back soon to have a look). The rain is supposed to stop well before we wake up tomorrow, so we plan to start on time, and hope to be able to continue our work efficiently and safely.

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