It has been a weird week in Saudi. The reason I have picked a picture of the hospital bus stop for this entry is because buses go places, like out of Saudi Arabia.

The week has not been all bad, but challenging. After watching a bunch of 'doctors' procrastinate for 5 hours at not becoming responsible for the care of a 3 year old who had her foot 1/3 removed from an accident, to watching an almost a full trauma series on a bloke who was hit in the head with a soccer ball three hours earlier and we were the second hospital he visited because the first did not diagnose him with multiple head trauma, as he requested.

I kid you not, this guy had perfect vital signs, GCS 15, nil signs of injury,...BUT he did not get a sick certificate from the previous hospital. He was rushed to Resus 1 by his friends who hijacked the ambulance trolley at the front door, which the bloke walked to, and told us he was dying and had been unconscious for 2 hours. The bloke during this drama did answer his mobile phone, and roll on his side for more comfort. But he got trauma bloods, monitor, brain CT (I don't think they found anything), full police report as sports injuries are considered 'assaults' here and need to be investigated by the military police. But I had the pleasure of doing one of the two cannulas per trauma care, 16 gauges to left hand, and my colleague got a 16 gauge in the right. He got a neurosurgeon consult, again not sure he found anything, and discharged home.

Next was a left chest pain in a 30 year old for 3 days. Half the cardiac symptoms only requires have the work up. So ECG, CXR, IVC, bloods with trop. But no O2, no monitor, no medications, no fluid and no CKs. But she was a female so only half the value as a person.

So if you are going to get sick in Saudi Arabia for the best care be: MALE, 25, SOLDIER, HEALTHY with friends who complain. Do not present as a: FEMALE, <5, civilian, badly injured.

On a brighter note there have been lots of good things. The biggest being congrats to Jason and Vanessa, fantastic news!!!

Also thank you to all the people that helped Pippa clean out at Macquarie, what a relief she has no permanent address in Canberra anymore. One huge step closer to England.

I am on a night tonight and hopefully, if Trudy's visa comes through, we are off to Bahrain tomorrow or Sunday. I think if the hospital does not come through we will be equally shattered.

Also my birthday present came through and it only took 3 weeks, a new land speed record for Postman Pat Bin Abdullah Ibn Al Saudi.

Anyway for people reading this blog thinking of working here, it is constantly challenging from the day you step off the plane. I guess there are some rewards, but the goals you have need to be huge, and the toleration of the insane and lack of logic equally huge. The days off here are great and the travel potential is good. The shopping is cheap, as are the electronics.

Jason, it is not the place for a honeymoon

Pippa, it is not the place for a tryst

Greg & Faye, it is not the place for either

Calvary, it is not the place to expand your skills

But like Andorra, the shopping is great.