Almost over...

Feb 26
Kalinga Eye Hospital, Dhenkanal (2nd last day)

I had a cool afternoon in surgery today (figuratively and literally – OT is the only air-conditioned place in the vicinity). After a boring and hence tiring morning doing post-op bandaging, I got the word that I could be in OT in the afternoon shift if I made it in time after lunch. Wolfing down my rice/dal/cauliflower curry/chutney in about 4 minutes flat, I arrived in time and scrubbed up to find that I was actually the one in CHARGE of all the non-sterile work. Very cool. My assistant was the new pharmacist who has no experience or training in nursing, and is also quite stupid. When I first met him he had asked for a handshake and then a kiss, so he wasn’t one of my favourite people to begin with (that being the only instance of vague sexual harassment I’ve experienced in India). In OT he was only good for the Oriya section of the paperwork, and breaking open one vial of adrenaline which I didn’t know how to do. Other than that it was all me, doing the work of two regular nurses – hooray, finally some responsibility! Granted, it was the slow surgeon so two experienced nurses would be bored to tears during his shift, but I was happy getting to do some jobs I haven’t been allowed yet (handling patients, moving the microscope, resupplying all the drugs and tools) as well as teaching the new guy – as in, showing him several times and then taking over when he proved incompetent. After OT was finished and I was helping with cleanup (after ignoring protests and getting down on hands and knees to scrub the floor – honestly, they treat guests like royalty here and won’t let you do anything), they seemed impressed and affectionately called me their Senior Sister (the term for respected and elder nurse). They all want me to stay here forever. I personally think the novelty of my foreignness would wear off after a while, but it’s heart-warming nevertheless. They’re a great bunch.