Hearts, Sharks, and Game Meat

Hearts: At the RXH on Monday, I watched heart surgery for two hours. It was amazing. There is so much to learn about the human body and what is truly incredible is how it can withstand the demands of such invasiveness. This patient was a two and a half year-old boy whose heart was basically cut open and closed back up right in front of my eyes. He was on cardio-pulmonary bypass for an hour and a half; his heart was actually not beating during that whole time. I had no idea that was possible. I also can’t imagine being a cardiothoracic surgeon and standing for that long while being so focused.

Sharks: Yesterday, I went shark cage diving in Gansbaai. It’s the thing to do here and when else would I have had the change to get in the water with Great White Sharks? Three misconceptions I had before leaving, however, were (1) the boat would be quite large, (2) I would be able to handle being out at sea for most of a day, and (3) the wetsuits would actually keep me warm. To clarify – the boat was very small, I was seasick the entire time, and the wetsuits definitely allowed the cold water in. This may seem miserable, and in fact it was, but underwater I did get to see one Great White (after missing two somehow), and the trip was therefore worthwhile.


Game Meat: On Friday night, I went with the majority of my group to a restaurant called Marco’s African Place. I ordered the Pan African Platter, which was composed of ostrich, springbok, and kudu as well as a traditional Xhosa dish of beans and crushed corn that I couldn’t pronounce. I actually liked the game meat and I’m glad I tried something I normally wouldn’t eat; the springbok was my favorite.