The Rochester team had a very long day yesterday. They finally got to the hotel at 2 am. Breakfast was a buffet with an array of choices that were tolerable. We left for the hospital around 8:40 arriving in about 40 minutes. It took some wandering around before we found a room to meet for introductions and ground rules. As always, people come from many places in the United States. There are new recruits and very experienced people so it’s a fun group.
Quito is at 9,226 ft elevation. We were advised to hydrate vigorously and eat more salt than usual. There is no room for illness in our group. We have just enough people to do what needs to be done. Altitude sickness can be a problem for some. So far, I feel fine.
We visited the operating rooms so that the nurse anesthetists could get started checking out the anesthesia equipment and set up all the supplies that had been brought from Rochester. Nancy (who is in charge of anesthesia) and I then left to see patients. As we walked past the patients who were waiting to be seen, they began to applaud us. That never happens in the US!
We had a busy day evaluating each patient who had been first seen by the surgeons and deemed to be operable. We see many more patients than we can actually schedule but we need some wait list patients in case there are problems with a patient becoming ill or deciding against surgery.
We had a lunch break where food was served in the cafeteria. I think I am going to learn to love potatoes. At least they are identifiable and tasty with hot sauce. My college days of mystery meat have returned!
When our day of seeing patients ended, one of the local surgical fellows gave 4 of us a ride back to the hotel. We did a quick turn around and ran out for dinner.
We ate at Casa Grande which is in a beautiful old hotel right next to the presidential residence. The goat dish I ordered was very tasty.
Back at the hotel early for our 7 am bus ride to the hospital. I know we will be very busy. That’s why we are here.
The Adventures of Anne 
Way to go Anne, I was in Quito about 3 weeks ago going to and from the Galapagos, had a great time with family and friends. Been in Malaysia and Singapore, now in Bangkok. This is nice group but not a fun as Morocco so far.
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As always, your compassion practiced in action rather than in sentiment is both laudable and rare.
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