June 4
Left: The checkpoint mentioned below; this picture was taken in the evening on the way back from the opening of the wedding hall in Fawwar.
On the way to work today the Israelis had set the checkpoint up at the base of the hill. Usually they set this checkpoint up in the afternoon and evening. Zero cars passed through in the five minutes I waited for a service into Hebron.
I was so pissed when I got to the hospital today. Our histology course was taught by a great and enthusiastic professor, but instead of using a textbook he made us use his “syllabus” as the official text for the class. The syllabus was a collection of utter nonsense, often just “[a word] = [another word]” and only had references to an atlas which was out of print. It was awful. I assumed nobody would write their own class “text” were a peer-reviewed, professionally edited, color textbook available; thus, I assumed no such textbook existed. When I walked into the hospital administrator’s office today I saw Human Histology, 3rd edition, by Alan Stevens and James Lowe, published by Elsevier Mosby. I want the $100 I was forced to pay for that worthless syllabus back.
I tried in put a canula into an old obese man with a possible MI. Like that blood draw, I got it then lost it. When I watched the nurse put hers in I realized what I did wrong: once you’re in, remove the needle so you don’t puncture the floor of the vein. It makes so much sense now…
I saw Jehad again, this time in the surgical ward; he's awake (he’s the 15-year-old boy who was shot in the head a day or two after I got here). He has a right-side brain injury causing total paralysis and anesthesia to everything but deep pain sensation on the left side of his body. I guess prom won’t be as fun for him as it was for me.
On the way home I met Faris and Ali and Ali's dentist cousin again. They suggested I speak to someone named Nabil Said if I want to volunteer at al-Alia Hospital (Hebron’s government hospital). I’ll do that ASAP.
