Surgeons...Here They Come

Another week in and we're now into the second stage of our project here. On Monday the surgery begins. We spent last week making sure each patient was upto speed with their toothbrushing and medical checks. Betty, a second dental student from Addis spent the week with me helping scale all the patient's largely grotty teeth in order to make them ready for the weekend. On friday, the first of our team mates arrived, Anthea and Mick. We met them in the evening and enjoyed a meal at Serenade along with Roos, a dutch doctor who has been on many previous Noma projects in Ethiopia and will be a great source of advice and help to us over the coming weeks. And finally the day they'd all been waiting for.......Saturday which brought the arrival of the surgeons, Larry, Dominique and Brigitte. As a punishment for them being upgraded to business class, they were only allowed to drop of their luggage before being driven up the hilly road to the Cheshire where they were greeted by all the excited and eager patients. After a brief introduction and a traditional ethiopian lunch, the long and tiring afternoon began where each patient was seen by the surgeons and a decision made whether surgery would be done or not. This process was further slowed by a 3 hour powercut, which was eventually resolved but still meant we finished after the sun was long gone. Having sent the surgeons back on their way, the pain-staking process of breaking bad news began, having to tell some of the patients that they would not be having any surgery. Having spent 2 weeks feeding, entertaining, playing and bonding with some of the most lovely people ever, this was a truly heartbreaking thing to have to do. Having said goodbye to Abiot and Dawit, 2 of the safest guys ever, who did so much translating and rounding up and handing out milkshake for us, the tears were impossible to hold back. We were exhausted and decided to leave this for a day, they already had an idea from their talk with the surgeons and saying goodbye to so many was too much for anyone after a long day like that.