Milly's Thursday in the Female Surgery Department

Today, I was in the female surgery department. There are thirty-something beds located in one giant room, which can separated by a curtain. There is no air conditioning, so the windows are all opened, but luckily there are chairs nearby so the families may come visit. 

In the morning, one of the nurses showed me how to dress closed and open wounds. To practice sterile technique, she first wiped the cart surfaces with a cloth doused with a couple squirts of hand sanitizer, and then used a different, unopened wound-dressing kit for each patient. Each kit contained five cotton balls, two shallow metal bowls, two pairs of tweezers, and a small metal tray. The nurse first soaked two of the cotton balls in 70% alcohol, to be used later to clean the areas surrounding the wound, and filled the other small dish with antiseptic. After wiping around the wound, she dipped another cotton ball into the antiseptic and dabbed the cotton ball on the wounds. Next, she put glauze over top and tape to hold them in place. It seemed like most of the patients in this department had breast cancer or appendicitis. Afterwards, I got to help check the patients' temperatures and blood pressures. Once that was done, they let me put stickers on documents and prepare medications for the patients to take at 11 o' clock (grounded into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle). 

At twelve, we met P' Aor, P' Mick, and Miyoubg at the cafeteria. They came to visit us again and took us to a local restaurant to eat Pad Thai for lunch! 

It was delicious! We also had dried mangoes and rice cakes. So good to see them again! 😊😃

In the afternoon, people came to film the nurses caring after their patients in the hospital. Going home soon. My host mom said today if it is not raining she'll take us to the swimming pool. 

Before dinner, we went to the local market again to buy food.  

Sautéed crickets and worms anyone? 

Also stopped to pet the cute puppies and kitten.