Seventh Godchild

June 18, 2015

            Today I witnessed the birth of my seventh godchild. The mother, who came in yesterday, decided to give birth early, as her child was smaller than average and lacking in fluids. For a premature baby, the baby boy seemed healthy and there weren’t any complications during the surgery. Dr. Jeremiah surprised me when she suddenly stuck her finger into the baby’s rectum. I wasn’t sure what to make of that, I have never seen another doctor do that before. I guess it was to get the baby to defecate or to start crying, I’m not sure, but it was very shocking. Afterwards, the mother underwent the process of sterilization. Of course, after the operation there was tea, juice, and snacks for everyone. I have officially decided that once I become a doctor, I will require tea and snacks after every surgery. Another woman came in because she was experiencing abdominal pain. After examining the patient, Dr. Jeremiah concluded that it was an abdominal wall hernia. Apparently, she had had a hysterectomy completed a couple years ago, but the stitches weren’t completed correctly, so now there are multiple holes opening up in her abdomen. As a result, some of the contents within the abdominal cavity, like the intestines, are protruding out. To me, it sounds painful, but the lady didn’t look like she was in pain. In terms of treatment, she will need to undergo surgery to patch up the holes. I am glad that Dr. Jeremiah explains the medical conditions we see so well. Not only have I learned a lot about the female reproductive system in these past 3 weeks, but I have also learned the qualities that it takes to become a successful doctor.

Day 19 in Trichy and I’m grateful for this wonderful opportunity.