i am pretty horrible at blogging...

SO the last post was from lago titicaca, isla del sol, and my time in alto miraflores at adolescentes. since then i have been back at hospital del nino. i have been working in the consultorio for the unidad de infectologia and perform physical exams on the children that are coming for either a consult or to be admitted to the hospital. i'd say 1 out of every 4 of my patients is suffering from respiratory problems with possible tuberculosis infection. i had a great day at the hospital last friday too. i spent the morning doing clinical exams (physicals... heart lungs mouth genitals) and the HEAD OF PEDIATRICS commented to my supervisor how i have a great bedside manner with children and i should really go into pediatrics. it's funny because right before that i had been examining a 3 year old boy who smacked me in the face when i was checking his heart. it didn't really hurt but his mother was HORRIFIED. she was all of 19 years old and was apologizing profusely calling me doctora and saying he didn't mean it. i of course was unphased haha i thought it was kind of cute. if i was 3 i wouldn't want someone poking me with a cold instrument all over my body. :) BUT starting monday i do physicals in the morning and then in the afternoon i go back to the hospital and shadow a neurosurgeon!!!!!! the program has decided that my spanish is good enough for me to pursue my own interests and i went and spoke to dr. mamani. there are not a lot of specialists here (one pediatric endocrinologist in ALL of bolivia... ) and once the doctors find out that i want to go into pediatrics and possibly specialize in neurology they are all trying to convince me to come back to bolivia and work once i am a doctor. i can say i am not exactly opposed to the idea. i really fell into sync with bolivian culture and could see myself working at hospital del nino.

i will try to post some pics from the salar de uyuni as well but as jonathan kindly pointed out my blog makes it look like i am only on vacation so i will try to include clinical information as well ;) it's just easier to write about traveling because it is very sad to see children as sick as they are here and i would much rather pleasure all of you with stories of geisers and volcanoes!