A sad day. A happy evening.
My mentor and comrade during my first week at the hospital departed for Kenya this afternoon, leaving me the single representative of the Western Hemisphere at the hospital. I can't help but to feel even more separated and isolated. I also feel cheated. Knowing how much he's pushed me, how much I've grown, how he's inspired me to want to be so much more in just 4 days, but not getting the chance to know what I could have become after an entire affiliation under his guidance. Why'd you have to go and fire him, CCBRT? You don't realize how great of a hospital you were with him being there. But then again we learn by making mistakes...
In honor of his departure, I'd like to take the opportunity to share a few memorable quotes with you of words that Dr. Warren shared with me. Please pardon the profanity.
"The other doctors here do shitty work. If you ask me this is butchering patients. And this is supposed to be the good hospital in Tanzania."
"Kevin, look at this. This is disgusting. It's criminal. Nothing more than slashing. It's absolute bullshit." - said after examining a child under the care of another physician there. Child was post-op, physician notes said it was a successful plantigrade correction of clubfoot. Child's foot showed numerous scars but was nowhere near plantigrade.
"That asshole that sits behind that desk in there tells me that all these kids’ feet were fine until I got here and that I'm responsible for all of this."
"Africa is a complete 180 degrees from the rest of the world. Tanzania is completely backwards yet on top of that."
When describing the surgical staff at the hospital, he describes them as "fat, lazy slobs. The whole lot of them".
He's been known to say a lot more colorful things, but this is all I dare write. Did I ever mention that he was Canadian? Not French. Just Canadian. He was a pushy man who had high standards, but he was an excellent surgeon that was passionate about providing top-notch care for children. "I try to think of each and every kid that I see as a child of God." Of all the things that Dr. Warren has said, that last quote will stick with me above all else. You see, Dr. Warren was also a very devote Christian; in everything he did, he did it unto the Lord. He honored God with the gifts given unto him. When he treated those children it was as if he was treating his Lord and king. He served God through serving those kids. And although he may not have always been the most patient, kind-hearted, gentlest of men, he was one of the most grounded, passionate, vibrant, intelligent men filled with integrity that I could ever hope to work with. I'm glad I had the opportunity to cross paths with him. Even though I never properly got to say goodbye to him in his rush to catch his flight to Kenya after performing one last surgery on one last needy child at CCBRT fortunate to have him as his doctor, the lack of closure leaves me hopeful that one day I will run across his path again. There goes my hero. There goes my mentor.
And as I sat in my dark, warm room at the day’s end (result of the ever so frequent power cuts) mourning his leaving my day completely turned around as my cell phone erupted in its annoying Indian-themed ringtone (no offense Fareena). I quickly dashed to the table at the front entrance where my cell phone sat charging to see who would be calling. The screen read Anonymous. Normally, state-side, when a call comes up Unavailable I screen it as it is usually a telemarketer. But since I'm feeling so deprived of communication with other human beings I decided to take the risk and answer it anyway. I hit the jackpot! A bazillion times better than a telemarketer. It was Daire! I spun around, jumped up and down a couple of times, and ran back and forth through my shack in excitement to hear her voice. I couldn't believe that I got a call from someone in the states! It meant the world to me in that moment, and after just five minutes on the phone with her my entire day was revolutionized. Daire, you are so much more than a mother to all of us in the PT program at the U. You're an angel. Thanks for taking the time to call. Thanks for everything you've provided throughout the years. Simply, thank you. You single handedly, through one phone call, turned a sad day into a happy evening.
More to come. Stay Posted.
In honor of his departure, I'd like to take the opportunity to share a few memorable quotes with you of words that Dr. Warren shared with me. Please pardon the profanity.
"The other doctors here do shitty work. If you ask me this is butchering patients. And this is supposed to be the good hospital in Tanzania."
"Kevin, look at this. This is disgusting. It's criminal. Nothing more than slashing. It's absolute bullshit." - said after examining a child under the care of another physician there. Child was post-op, physician notes said it was a successful plantigrade correction of clubfoot. Child's foot showed numerous scars but was nowhere near plantigrade.
"That asshole that sits behind that desk in there tells me that all these kids’ feet were fine until I got here and that I'm responsible for all of this."
"Africa is a complete 180 degrees from the rest of the world. Tanzania is completely backwards yet on top of that."
When describing the surgical staff at the hospital, he describes them as "fat, lazy slobs. The whole lot of them".
He's been known to say a lot more colorful things, but this is all I dare write. Did I ever mention that he was Canadian? Not French. Just Canadian. He was a pushy man who had high standards, but he was an excellent surgeon that was passionate about providing top-notch care for children. "I try to think of each and every kid that I see as a child of God." Of all the things that Dr. Warren has said, that last quote will stick with me above all else. You see, Dr. Warren was also a very devote Christian; in everything he did, he did it unto the Lord. He honored God with the gifts given unto him. When he treated those children it was as if he was treating his Lord and king. He served God through serving those kids. And although he may not have always been the most patient, kind-hearted, gentlest of men, he was one of the most grounded, passionate, vibrant, intelligent men filled with integrity that I could ever hope to work with. I'm glad I had the opportunity to cross paths with him. Even though I never properly got to say goodbye to him in his rush to catch his flight to Kenya after performing one last surgery on one last needy child at CCBRT fortunate to have him as his doctor, the lack of closure leaves me hopeful that one day I will run across his path again. There goes my hero. There goes my mentor.
And as I sat in my dark, warm room at the day’s end (result of the ever so frequent power cuts) mourning his leaving my day completely turned around as my cell phone erupted in its annoying Indian-themed ringtone (no offense Fareena). I quickly dashed to the table at the front entrance where my cell phone sat charging to see who would be calling. The screen read Anonymous. Normally, state-side, when a call comes up Unavailable I screen it as it is usually a telemarketer. But since I'm feeling so deprived of communication with other human beings I decided to take the risk and answer it anyway. I hit the jackpot! A bazillion times better than a telemarketer. It was Daire! I spun around, jumped up and down a couple of times, and ran back and forth through my shack in excitement to hear her voice. I couldn't believe that I got a call from someone in the states! It meant the world to me in that moment, and after just five minutes on the phone with her my entire day was revolutionized. Daire, you are so much more than a mother to all of us in the PT program at the U. You're an angel. Thanks for taking the time to call. Thanks for everything you've provided throughout the years. Simply, thank you. You single handedly, through one phone call, turned a sad day into a happy evening.
More to come. Stay Posted.
posted by The Great Gatsby at 9:52:00 PM
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