Monkey Brain Musings

Next Stop...Uganda! It's official, I'll be travelling to Uganda in November!! I will be gone 4-6 weeks, traveling all over the country, to the numerous clinics where ITW is currently providing training. I will also go to the Nursing school in Bwindi, to assess the integrated Ultrasound program that has been in place. I will be providing some training, looking at the current training program, talking with the Ultrasound students, and gathering valuable information to help me develop a new curriculum. The long term plan is that I will be able to return for 3 months, strictly for training. I'm so excited that I can barely keep from screaming with joy! This is, truly what I have dreamed of. The chance to build a curriculum and resource that will pass on a skill that I am so passionate about, a skill that can help so many people, and genuinely save lives. And don't even get me started on the actual opportunity to travel to Africa. My sister and I have always talked about go...

Hellooooo!! Remember me?? :) As usual, I've been living life in high gear, constantly telling myself "You need to write about this! Why aren't you writing about this?!". As I sit here, after spending a good 10 minutes trying to recover my password, I cannot believe it has been almost 10 months since I have shared my Monkey Brain with the outside world. I will try to hit the high points and catch everyone up... I returned from Honduras in July, and promptly hit the road for my contract in Vermont. What a fantastic contract, for many reasons, snagging a New England contract in the Fall was like winning the traveler lottery! My coworkers were wonderful and the scenery was breathtaking. Shortly after starting my contract, I found out that I would not be able to return to Haiti in March, as planned, which was very upsetting for me. There were multiple volunteers on the trip that I had been communicating with, in anticipation of seeing and working with each other again, and...

Friday 7/21 11:15pm Wow...what a busy couple of days! The hardest part about writing this blog is remembering everything and not being too tired to write about it. There is also the challenge of going on this trip with a friend whom you keep in touch with, but haven't seen in person for years! By the time Robin and I head to our rooms at the end of the day, it's usually time to hit the sack. Yesterday was another day of lectures in the morning and hands on training in the afternoon. Robin was feeling much better (thanks to the magic of Cipro!) and took most of the group to an exam room to scan a pregnant patient after lunch. One of the Dr's had arrived late, so I took some extra time to cover the morning's lectures with him. On the very first day of training, I always have the trainees take a Pre Test about Ultrasound. On the last day, they retake the quiz, and I compare the two. This is a great way for me to be sure that my teaching methods are working and also ensure...

Wednesday afternoon 7/19 I had a long day yesterday, and was just too tired to write last night. Sorry! As is often the case on these trips, the plan and schedule that was designed after many phone conferences and emails, changes on a daily basis once I arrive. Every trip I am more prepared with my lecture material, but every trip there are requests for more information! It is such a relief having Robin here to assist with lectures, so I have a bit of a break. We meet in the conference room at 8am, Robin and I give lectures in the morning, then we divide into two groups for hands on training. I take half of the group to another Predisan clinic location, and Robin stays with the other half at the Central Predisan clinic. We originally planned on only one lecture in the morning, because the hands on experience is so important in Ultrasound, but they have all requested more lecture material. So, after a long day in the clinic, I met Robin back at the hotel, then Peter (one of ou...