Hello! I'm now in my final week in Cambodia...in the last couple of weeks I've been at the hospital as well as doing a trip to the south-west corner of Cambodia. At the hospital I've seen a few babies being born (without any pain relief), and several operations (under general anaesthetic without an anaesthetist!). There were also some student midwives on the ward this week - I taught one of them how to find a pulse! It was difficult this week as my tra...

Hello everyone! I haven't written an update for a while mainly because I've been stuck in the back of beyond at my hospital placement with no internet access. I'm writing this on an antiquated and very slow computer at the hospital, and when I get to an internet café (at the weekend) I'll upload it. I've done a week and a bit at the hospital now. I've been assigned to the maternity ward which also includes gynecology. To imagine a hospital ward in Cam...

Hello all, David and I are back in Battambang for a few days, staying with Chris. After leaving Phnom Penh we took a 2 hour taxi ride to a town called Kampot. Whenever you try and get a taxi or a moto over here there is always a big squable with all the drivers trying to get your custom - but when trying to get this taxi two drivers actually started fighting over us - punching each other and using their keys as weapons and pushing each other into the busy ro...

Battambang Hospital Thursday 10th August This afternoon I went along to have a look around Battambang hospital. The hospital is really basic. The beds are made of rusty metal and there are no sheets on the beds, just plastic covered mattresses. There are hardly any nurses and patients are looked after by members of their families. The families also have to provide food for their relatives and so come and build fires in the grounds of the hospital to coo...

Wednesday 9th August 2006 I am now in Cambodia, in Chris's house in Battambang. Chris has just gone back to work for the afternoon, having been home for lunch, and I am here with his Khmer (Cambodian) housekeeper/maid! Quite strange having what is effectively a maid - she cooks delicious Khmer meals - with lots of rice, vegetables, chicken, pork and fish which she buys from the local market. She also does all the cleaning and the laundry - and the wash...