Today we go home and so here is my reflection :D

I have to say I have learnt an awful lot in Ghana. More so than my trip to Africa last year.

First of all, I have always loved the degree i am studying but after this trip I have a completely 100% new found love for it. The importance of all of the disciplines we are learning has really impacted how I have experienced Ghana. I find myself looking at the entire patient. There entire life. This is what my issue with the leprosy village was (see previous leprosy post). They did not see the patient as an entire person; simply a wound. No matter how much i convince myself i was a good candidate for a professional course, i know that i was nowehere near as aware, as qualified and as passionate about patient care than i am now.

Alot of people think mesh is a pointless degree but i now know i will argue until i am blue in the face about the importance of it and really, really believe what i am saying. I realise now it has taught me way more than many degrees do. Way more than how to reference and speak clearly in presentations. But i've learnt about people. People from years ago and people now. Subtly this degree changes the way you view people and ultimately will change your view of a patient for the better if you embrace it. So yes, i love mesh, it was the best last minute panic through clearing because i wasn't sure on my firmed course. It was one thing I can say was not a waste of time and not a mistake. How glad I am there was still a place! I wouldn't be the healthcare professional I one day will be if it wasn't for this course. I feel privileged I have and still have access to the knowledge and learning we are being given (if only i made more use of it).

I am really sad and I was really quite scared and upset when Christian was ill. I was so thankful when he got home but reflecting upon that I learnt alot. I saw what fear can do to a person. Someone so calm and relaxed can become a completely different person and sadly the etiquette of the healthcare profession in Ghana isn't the most developed and understanding of professions. A course in compassion and empathy I would love to run. I also learnt that under all the worry and stress because it really was not nice to see someone you know scared and ill that i can stay calm and keep everyone else calm and reassured. Not only that but i can argue with an insurance company until i win!!

I've also lived and worked with people from all years of mesh. Some understanding and embracing the importance of mesh more than others. The ones that do understand it's importance and understand that medicine is not just about your biological sciences will quite clearly become better doctors, nurses and people in the future.

All in all, everyone is lovely and really do mean well. Alot of it i feel is simply a matter of growing up a little more. You really do grow up between year 1 and 2 and 3 of uni. That is clear. A few childlish comments about things were really starting to grunt me and i struggled to keep my mouth closed. Hometime i needed!

Getting home was a relief. I absolutely loved the trip but I couldn't help feeling very responsible. After all, i was the person who dragged them out here! I felt very privileged and i enjoyed the experience of organising a trip.

I definitely built up my confidence, made a few new meshling friends along the way, learnt to reason nicely (childline training pays off!) and overall i had a really wonderful trip.

Being in the hospital has made me appeciate the NHS even more than i did. Don't get me wrong I was a great advocate of the NHS beforehand but right now I have to say. BEVAN - you are my hero.

I've attatched a photo of us all at an outreach donating the money Mesh alone raised. Not only that but we took over £500 of supplies. Wonderful! I feel incredibly proud of everyone and it wouldn't have been the trip it was if we wern't all there! Mesh does harbor those unique, wonderful people all in one place!