Murmuring in Samoa!

Talofa my friends
going to a beach resort for the wknd so just thought id write a quick update before we go. Though i always forget what has hpnd this wk when i try and write!..so ill waffle anyway!
cant remember where i got to last time...hmm
well went into the hospital quite a lot this wk.....doing general medicine
did 3 clinics and 4 ward rounds. Everything is done at Samoan pace which is very slow and chilled..but hopefully learning stuff even though mostly v.passive as not that much practical stuff to do.
I did my first ABG this wk! I was excited anyway! It is an arterial blood gas sample...and it is trickier than taking blood etc. The doctor who is from NZ did one on a v.ill pt who had a septic abortion causing septicaemia. She then needed to do another one later and asked if i wanted to do it. I told ehr i had never done one before..but she explained it and said to have a go and if i couldnt do it, she would do it. It was quite fortunate (for me but not the pt!) that this lady had a GCS of 10.....which means she wasnt fully awake...but not fully unconcious either...
however when i went to put the needle in..she jerked..and i jumped as well with the needle. luckily just avoiding getting a needle stick injury. The doctor hadnt expected the pt to move..but when i started again..the doctor firmly held the ladies hand. The family were all watching..but hopefully my hands werent shaking too much..as had to try and hit the artery in the hand which is not superficial so not like taking blood where you can see the vein.
after getting into the artery..i managed to get the sample..which was then analysed in a machine.
So i was really pleased that now i have done one.....so in the future if asked..i can give it a go....though everyone has their own techniques..and it is v.painful for the pt.
apart from that medically wise....listened to more heart murmurs...now i can hear the murmurs most of the time..which is a start..even if i cant necessarily pinpoint what murmur it is!
saw an interesting case yesterday in clinic of a 16 yr old boy..who has alrady had his aortic valve replaced with a human one. However he came in yesterday and the Drs think the valve is leaking and tearing off. He had lots of the clinical signs of aortic regurgitation.....and you wouldn;t see these signs in UK very often as something is done before that..and especially in a 16 yr old boy...and this is because rheumatic fever is so prevalent here that lots of people have had valve replacements!
we went to the cinema here on Tuesday night
popcorn was as good as England. Saw Babylon. Not sure if its a film at in the UK at the moment. Luckily they showed the film..as the note on the cinema door says that if the management decide there arent enough people in the cinema to make it economical to run the film..they wont run it
and they will then cancel the showing!
but luckily there wre about 20 pple..so it was shown. Was random but actually a good film!
OIn the way back...a security guard shouted out Sarah.as she recog me off the tv..still so embarassed about it!
hopefully my bit of sunburn is hiding my blushing lol!
we went to a Fia Fia and buffet dinner at Aggie Greys on Wedneday night. It is a lovely hotel. Probably the best in Samoa..unfortunately we cant afford to stay there for 6 wks lol..but nice to see how the rich live here!
our waitress there..as she came to serve us..was like..'hey..your the one off tv. I liked your Samoan dance!'
i took that as a compliment lol......and just said thank you..before she went into any more detail and made the embarassement worse lol!
we went to a waterfall on wed morning and also to the Bahai House. It is one of only 7 Bahai houses in the world. It was very interesting to learn a bit about the Bahai religion and it is an interesting structure. It has 9 entrances and is 9 sided..so can be approached from people in all directions!
We are off to Lalomanu this wknd..which is in the south east of Upolu. Should take just over an hour to get there. Hopefully weather will hold up. Seems to rain here a fair bit..but mainly just short showers..which is fine as long as the sun then comes out
Hopefully will stop at a waterfall or two on the way there!
staying in a fale..which is pronounced faleh..and is Samoan for an open hut..so think we are going to sleep right on the beach in an open fale. Might not slee much if the sea is noisy..but will be lovely lying on beach in hut..looking at the stars...
that reminded me that i learnt a few Samoan words this wk!
it was useful sitting in clinic with a NZ doctor..as she knows a few words of Samoan. Pain is Kinga.......and 'nunu' means dizzy
so i could ask if they had pain or were dizzy
its a start lol!
thanks everyone for facebooking etc
keep it up..as i do read it all...and try and reply..but otherwise will try and keep everyone updated here!
hope everyone is good..missing u all
if neone wants to text my Samoan number is
+685 7246805
not sure how much it will cost you
only costs me 4p to text UK
so will text back!
the network here charges the same amount for me to text a Samoan number as it does to text UK so suits me!
sending much love from 17094km away
saw a sign pointing to London today..which said that was how far away it was!
doesnt seem that far when i write it..but seemed millions of miles while we were flying to get here!
toodleloo for now!
xxxx