Tuesday 12^th day 2

 We are now not just the only European women in our hotel but also the only non-uniformed persons as the Peace Academy is in this town and appears to train forces for all neighbouring military and clearly camouflage uniform is compulsory dining room attire!

Fear not though, 47 participants reappeared for day 2, even Mr Grumpy! We excelled ourselves today with our props and acting skills. Sponges soaking up the water of pain ( bucket borrowed from inside of hotel bathroom bin ) , Julie’s coffee game had everyone up on their feet and as Victoria ran from the room to the loo to suggest diarrhoea side effect of opioid withdrawal there were concerned faces all round !

There have already been flashes of success, question from the floor ‘ I have a patient with melanoma I would like to prescribe morphine , what about the cost? ‘;  A good discussion around the use of ibuprofen for chronic and not just acute pain as current government policy is 5 day maximum prescribing and very good answers to the case discussion group work. They presented figures of current morphine prescribing and it is almost entirely restricted to 3 places one being the military hospital , there is much still to do.

This is a truly beautiful area as we nestle under the volcanoes . We have lunched at the hotel where Diane Fosse would stay when she came down from the gorilla camp , as you see a stone gorilla is the nearest we will get to one !!

We have had another intense long day and had  hoped for a quiet evening but Jean Claude and Dr E are returning to our hotel to take us out for African beers ?? (beer?) hence us blogging now we may be in no state later!

Julie & VIctoria