Brij Lal Hospital and Research Centre, Haldwani, Uttarakhand Day Five

Nathalie is intent on going home.....regardless of the medical implications that the journey of probably more than 24 will incur.  She is not able to walk, other than a stagger to the loo and shower.   It seems that only after the Doctor provides a fitness to travel letter, do the insurers work out the transport plan....so it may take longer than we planned to get home,   We will see.  It is pretty much confirmed now that Nathalie will be discharged from Haldwani on the 19th, with a stop for some time in Delhi, waiting the first suitable flight home.

That's our room, to the right immediately above the 'emergency ' sign.

There are many people who come and go from the room, from the 0600 barge in with the fresh bedding and new pjyamas,with the fully expectation that one is out of bed and the bed is made in the time the shower is taken.   Then there is the procession of cleaners, one for the floors one for the sinks, etc, and the roles do not change, or cross over.   The security guard bringing in the cold water this morning was unusual.   I think we have been assigned one attendant, who seems to be around all the time.  

Had some difficulty convincing the staff that the doctor had required another bold test for WVC, but eventually the poor resident was called up and signed off on the test, and the result of the to indicates that the infection is at a stage that will permit oral ab, short term.

ABC went out across the road from the hospital to the fruit vendor, and paid nearly $2.50 for three apples and five bananas.   Thought had been scammed, until looking at the apples, were surprised to find apples here are imported from the USA.  Highly curious. 

Product of USA in far North India.

The staff here are mostly very happy, competent within the limited scope of their training but very little initiative beyond teyond the doctors' instructions.  Storage, administration and disposal of drugs  and sharps is not what we understand as standard.  Infection control on the handling of sharps and IV instruments etc, are not quite what we are used to.   I do, however doubt that their is much golden staph, VRE etc. as this seems to be a condition of 'very clean' hospitals.

Sister Priti

It is really sad, that these lovely ladies lament the fact that their skin is not lighter, and they feel that they   have horrible skin and hair..  Very self deprecating, which is a shame.    They always feel that the grass is greener on the other side of the wall....from them.    

We are having some very frank conversations with the insurer, and we have pretty much organised the hospital placement once back in Melbourne. 

Visited again by our favourite students, who are really keen for Natahlie to have her hands hennaed.

 

Ever the teacher- a lesson on the unconscious patient, to student Manpreet.

The students love visiting ma'mm.  It is so they have a foreign FB friend, but demonstrating a deep desire to find out how we live our lives,  and especially how the nursing is done.  They have very low computer literacy so much of their information is still from off line books, and lectures.   To see the information on an IPad, immediately at hand is very confronting.  

But then it happened two operations at the same time

Most importantly the henna...left hand right for

And the surgical bit

At the same time

Hopefully the next blog will be from Melbourne, as after a lot of fanarkling, a. The insurance company has paid the hospital ..we hope and b. There is a flight booked on the 20th getting home on the 21st.

On the 19th we will somehow be got from Haldwani to ' a hospital in Dehli,where we  will stay overnight, have wound re dressed and then final assessment for Fitness to Fly.....