only one more day at muhimbili...

it's thursday night.  tomorrow is our final day at the hospital.  we will give one more lecture this morning- we decided to end with fever and neutropenia instead of palliative care... it seemed better that way.  what's a better way to say goodbye than a little lecture on fever and neutropenia? 

we spent the morning in clinic and rounding (clinic included a fairly exciting spinal tap with wriggly little one... i was just the assistant, thank goodness).  then, this afternoon, we got to go see the hostel (the tanzania ronald mcdonald house equivalent sort of).  the parents and patients who live too far from the city stay here when they aren't inpatient.  there are nice rooms, toilets, classrooms, and a room where the mammas make jewelery and bags to sell to raise money.  it was nice to see the place that they are so eager to get to when they are on the inpatient ward.  and, we all picked up some great jewelery. 

we took a lot of pictures of the kids this afternoon- and, they love it!  they love to get a picture taken, look at the picture, get another picture, look at that one- over and over and over again.  i still can't quite get them posted but when i get home, i will put them up here...

we completed our lecture blitz yesterday- we talked to the pediatric residents about leukemia, lymphoma, wilm's tumor, rhabdomyosarcoma, osteosarcoma, ewing's sarcoma, neuroblastoma.  and, it was kind of entertaining- we got really stuck on the staging of hodgkins.  they all had out their textbook making sure we were saying the right stuff.  and, they had lots of great questions.  it was a little exhausting for all involved, but i think overall it was helpful.  between sue's lecture and ours, we have drummed up some business.  one of the residents has sent over 5 or so new patients...

i don't think i ever blogged about the fun island we went to last weekend... we took a little dinghy to a bigger boat which took us to an island off the coast of dar - bongoyo island.  there was a lovely beach and several little umbrella things to sit under.  we ordered fresh bbq'd prawns and sat in the shade.  we swam in the ocean and met someone from orcas island!  it was a great way to spend the afternoon.

tonight, we are waiting for the fundi to come back to see how our dresses are coming along... we'll see...

tomorrow, we will round and go to clinic, say goodbye to all the staff and kids.  i think it will be a little hard to say goodbye to all these wonderful little ones.  and, it will be hard not to know what will happen next for them. 

saturday, we plan to eat and shop until it's time to head home!  we have to fill up our suitcases that were filled with supplies on our way here- so shopping is a necessity!