The "Last Post"... till I am back home

This Week's Pictures

I still can't get that slide show working 

So click on  This Week's Pictures.

I have a Dilemma about Returning Home

This morning when I went to get an egg sandwich for breakfast... I saw to my amazement the "Donut Lady" had returned after a year's absence. Fresh, still warm, large, sugar ones.  And during my last week... Oh the Agony!

The First Year's Turn to visit the Morgue

The 2016 Survivalists of Rev John's Trip to the Morgue

After our visit being cancelled last week because there were too many medical students, we returned on Wednesday.  But when we got there -- more medical students.   When Dr. Singh arrived on his motorcycle he saw me ..... He would take care of everything.  I hoped so, as I wasn't leaving this time.   He was a man of his word and arranged to have one body brought in to an adjoining room where my students were also led.    Here the associate pathologist also a Singh ["Singh" is like "O'Connor" -  dime a dozen name] -- first name Yogeshwar [not a dime a dozen name].  I'll let one of the students tell you about the visit:

"My first experience at the morgue was terrifying.  I have always been afraid of dead bodies, not because they scare me but because of the fact that I know that I am going to die someday.  Seeing them makes me wonder about my life and when it is going to end.  This is the scary part because, I don’t want to die.  I don’t want to leave this world and my family and friends.

But being at the morgue today helped me to appreciate life a whole lot more.  It made me realize how meaningless riches and popularity and material things are.   It was difficult looking at the body just being butchered like an animal or some piece of meat.   I thought about the fact that he had a family and how they must feel knowing that he is gone, but I also felt good that they were not there to witness such a gruesome thing.  

Other than what was going on inside me. I was afraid that the smell would get to me, but it didn’t.   At one point I was afraid to look at the face of the corpse, but thankfully I had my friend to help calm me down and I started to relax and that is when I got curious and wanted to touch.  Even though I knew it was a dead body I kept looking for some sign of life.  Personally, I find it hard to understand what it means to be dead. 

Other than my personal fears, the trip to the Morgue was good.  The pathologist Dr. Yogeshwar Singh was a great teacher.  He took time to explain lots of things to us, even though I can’t remember half of it.  When the organs were being removed from the body, I somehow started to feel a pain in my heart; I thought that I would faint.   I wondered if he was feeling any pain.  Even though I am curious, I don’t think that I ever want to go back to the morgue, much less witness another autopsy.   

I must say thanks to Mercy School of Nursing for giving me such an experience.  It has taught me a lot and I plan to share it with my family and friends.  I want to help someone else to appreciate life and their loved ones a little more than they do right now."

Speaking of Scaredy Cats  Frogs and Rev

Bad Selfie with Gecko

A few weeks ago, one of those salamanders or lizard things dropped down from the ceiling on my head...  and I was just a little jumpy.    These geckos are all over and more a nuisance than anything else.   However, early this morning as I lay sleeping, I felt something walking over my ear and when I went to brush it way - it was pretty big - a frickin' frog.  Now I did scream "a little", but I think that I may have had just cause.   We both lived.  I caught the frog and put him [although I guess it could have been a her] outside.   And I live on the second floor ..... now I have "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Mercy Hospital".  Sorry Mark Twain.

Final Exams - a Time for Massive Prayer

Singing to the End - and a new adventure.

This is the time of year that my freshman class of 2013 finish up and prepare to write their National Final RN exams... three days all together - two written and one practical.  As tradition would dictate, on the day before, the whole school assembles and wishes them well with prayers and advice.. and we send them on their way to do battle!  In some ways it is had to believe that it has been over three years since they first stepped into my classroom.

                                                              Singing every day.

Leave it there for Just Now

I heard it said that in battle, you need to leave everything and everyone where they die... However, Guyana has taken that message to heart even in times of peace. Stuff just stays where it stopped or was left. A few examples:

Storage?

Never know when you may need it.

But Officer, I only went for gas.

I may be next!

And my famous "Guyana 911" ambulance of 2010 - still there!

Great News Finally

The first classes for the Master in Medicine - Psychiatry were held.  I got the honor of teaching in their second class.   Now I hold the title of "The Absolutely Best Foreign Professor". [Remember Raj?] There have been so many people who worked hard to achieve this, especially Drs. Bhiro Harry and Jorge Balsiero... and our Canadian Mental Health Team Members... who are even more excited about participating in the future.  They are already planing their February and September trips in 2017.  Ask about how you can join them.  There are four doctors who have been helping in the Psychiatry Department at Georgetown Public Hospital for a few years and hoping that the residency would finally start... and now they will get credit for all their hard work.

I met with them in a state of the art multimedia centre at Georgetown Public Hospital... equipped by a Canadian company.  I forgot to get the benefactor's name, as I am not above groveling to get a smaller one at Mercy SoN.   It is also equipped with a phone line that kept ringing on the screen... and I couldn't figure out how to answer or stop it!

New Residents: Drs Vanetta, Elizabeth [Head Resident], Stephan, Old Fart, Meena

And before I forget...

I had a good visit with Raymond Jagessar, who is now a Full Professor in Chemistry at UG... and a "good" Lutheran.   We shared a drink [Ray's was coconut water; mine wasn't] with good memories of Pastor Dick Young who has vanished into the Oregon hinterlands.

And when I was in New Amsterdam I had a quick visit with the  Lutheran Music Academy there.  I had a lively and enthusiastic conversation with the three new volunteer music instructors, Lauren, Sandor and Kirsten.   They conduct music lessons for the surrounding community and at all different levels of ability.  The founders of the school are Eric Sayre and St Olaf's College in Minnesota - along with the support of "Good Ol' Dr Erv."  Click on their link if you are into music.

Lauren, Sandor, Kirsten the 2016-7 Music Teachers

Several weeks ago, I had the privilege of presenting Dr. Tony Carr's and my programme of Problem Based Learning to Director Tabitha Mallampati's class on teaching theories.   It also gave me the chance to reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of how the Mercy programme has been evolving.  These insights are for another time.

There were some Mercy Grads who showed up to hear me again.

And yes, Sister Barbara McLean, I did get to visit with Malinda and make sure she was eating... And I forgot my camera ..... I also forgot my camera [well, actually I did have my camera, but I forgot that I had it] when the Mercy Corps Volunteers had me over for a wonderful team-cooked meal in their nice, but wireless, wireless home...  I am sure I am forgetting stuff, but this will have to do for a few weeks while I finish here and travel to Florida to see some family and then to my Canadian home and my wonderful wife and children and grands.   Till then, thanks for reading.  John