Bhutan Adventure: Week one is done...

Ahhhh, I have so much to say and I don't know where to begin. We will start with the hospital life, really it is the outpatient center and we see everyone. There are no schedules, people just show up whenever and we treat them for an hour or so. We are also able to give them equipment. I am working on an initial evaluation form for them as well as a progress note. They try to follow the same patients and the patient's sometimes set up specific times with the therapist. The system is great but there are flaws, partly from the system and then the patients. There is a significant amount of infection and even a bigger part of delayed treatment with incomplete repairs of structures. The physicians do not always repair fractures and the patients think that they will get all movement beck, but that is not the case. We discuss a lot about function and this is not a concept in which the physiotherapist here are used too, they want the patient to bee 100%. This is impossible, especially when repairs are delayed for 15 days or 2 months… so we hope for function. I have 3 patients that have a set time with me and trying to convince me to see them on Saturday! Here we work 9-3 M-F and Saturday 9-1, but volunteers are not required to work on the weekends. :)
So, here is how my weekend went… I started off at the vegetable farmer's market which was incredible!! Then hiked up to Buddha point which is about a 5 K straight up complete with switch backs… just when I think I have gotten over the altitude, there is always somewhere to go higher!! I then went to a party with all the PT's for a housewarming… so much fun, they are a great group and we had a great time. Sunday was an early start and we drove to Paro, about an hour away and hiked up to Tiger's Nest. A monastery built on the edge of a cliff! It was absolutely breathtaking and AMAZING!!! Again, hello dizziness !!! But who cares… it was amazing. Once you reach the monastery, they have you leave all cameras and phones outside and they pat you down. It is one of the most sacred monasteries… Buddha was reincarnated and he took the shape of a tiger and built this monastery. It really is a wonder, because it is straight up and hanging on the edge of the cliff (see photos below! :) ) Needless to say I slept like a rock.
And here we are on Monday and I don't even care. There is so much more to say, see and do!