I was leafing through the April 2014 edition of The Atlantic when I came across an interview with David Blumenthal by James Fallows on the subject of EMRs (electronic medical records). I perked up because here were two brilliant men (Jim is also a friend) discussing one of my pet peeves. Dr. David Blumenthal, a former […]
As the months roll by, it seems like our gap year is evaporating far too quickly. That is based on the premise that it is one year or 12 months in duration. Not so fast. On a visit with a friend during our recent stopover in London, she reassured us that the Brit version of […]
We have been back for a week. It has been a quiet return. I’ve been catching up on bills and creditors, recovering from jet lag and contracting (and then recovering) from gastroenteritis acquired here in the U.S. Debbie suffered a shorter bout in Uganda. The highlight of the week was a trip to Portland to […]
Hold onto your hats! I have a toe parasite too. Discovered on arrival in the U.S. as I hobbled off our flight from London. I’ll spare you the photos as it’s pretty gross. Suffice it to say that this was one time it was truly advantageous to have Dr. Sam on hand. His first reaction, […]
In response to multiple requests from loyal followers, I have prepared a detailed report on my episode of Tungiasis. Let the squeamish be forewarned. Tungiasis is an infestation caused by the female Chigoe flea. Male and female fleas feed on mammalian blood but when it’s time to reproduce the female burrows into the skin. Limited […]
Uganda to Madagascar, what a mad trip and extraordinary change of atmospherics. A childhood dream adventure to view lemurs in the wild came true when we flew from Entebbe, via Nairobi, to the capital city of Antananarivo (known as Tana). Trading the dusty dry season in Uganda for the lush rain forest of northeast Madagascar […]
Let me make a few notes about the Bududa Learning Center and Bududa Vocational Academy. These are synthesized from the oral histories of several people. I cannot vouch for every veracity. My memory may not be perfect. Bududa District is one of the poorest in Uganda. Years ago the African Great Lakes Initiative started a vocational school […]
[Tapped out on my iPhone. Pls excuse errors. – SPH] How does one describe six days in the poorest district in Uganda? Surrounded by poverty; accompanied by indefatigable do-gooders; enveloped by heat and humidity; denied electricity and running water; surprised by the ignorance; stumped by the cultural and social differences; and without constant inter connectivity, […]
