Fourteen is the number, folks! Not only are we 14 hours ahead, which makes sharing our journey feel far away, but we also put in a 14 hour clinical day on Wednesday! This was the longest clinical day I've had in my career thus far, and boy are we all exhausted. We had 44 folks waiting when we arrived, with 100+ waiting by midday for dental care, including the orphans that came for us to finish up from Monday and Tuesday.
When we came, we planned for chaos, and we've received chaos times ten! Equipment breaks down every other patient, but somehow it gets fixed and off we go! From broken LED doctor headlamps (our only light source as we're working) to broken suction lines (no replacement available) to mosquitos everywhere, we're experiencing it all! Hey, and when I say mosquitos everywhere, I mean EVERYWHERE…in equipment, bags, scrubs, food… But, at the end of the day, there is better health and well being here in Cambodia.
We've really fallen in love with the Khmer (Ka-mi) people. Cambodia is a web of people, customs, politics, religion, and tragedy. You can see it in the people's eyes. They are the most patient, long-suffering people I've ever experienced. They are also all so appreciative with their hands at heart center and sandals off to greet us.
Oh, and don't forget about the blooms! Still catching blooms way over here in Cambodia!