Drill Bits and Screaming Kids

Whew. I need to start going to bed earlier. First, a big thank you to Gabe who makes sure I am up to date on all of the NBA news. Appreciate it! Here's a recap of the past two days.

Yesterday was yet another work day, our third in a row! I was exhausted, and the autoclave machine I was in charge of had drained out my energy. Fortunately, Doug, a kind team member, offered to switch with me for the day. I would be assisting the three Vietnamese dentists as they did their work for the day. I was mixing amalgam, getting instruments and drill bits, comforting kids, and just talking to the dentists during their free time. It was much more interesting than just sitting at the machine waiting for the finish timer to ding. I met several cute kids, but one little girl was my favorite. She skipped to her dental chair and was smiling the whole time, even during her fillings. I gave her a toy and she would rub it into my face to make me laugh as she sat in the chair. So adorable! On another note, there were plenty of other kids I met who were not as well behaved. Thirteen year old boys were scared to death of a little needle and a three second extraction. One patient, a little girl, screamed for 20 minutes before her mom ran in and forced her child down into the chair. At the end of the day, my back hurt, but I was very happy with the way my day had gone. We had served 204 total children dental cases, and I had helped with most, if not all, of those. That's a good feeling. Later that night, we ate at the famous La Vong seafood restaurant in Hanoi. For ten dollars, we had a decent sized meal. Afterwords, I went back to my room and slept.

The next morning, my uncle and I ran 3 miles in the morning around the lake outside our hotel. After, I went up and slept until it was time to go enjoy Hanoi. We shopped and had fun crossing the streets (which is terrifying by the way). We had refreshments on top of a hidden cafe with an amazing view of the city. Although I did not buy anything, we went window shopping and bargained with the owners to see how low the prices would go. We returned to the hotel and got on a bus to go to Ha Long Bay, a three hour drive from Hanoi. Our hotel here is a five star complete with a pool and weight room. I feel bad for my friends on other mission trips who have to stay in hostels! I hear the bay us beautiful so it should be fun!

Tomorrow is another clinic day and I am wiped out. Still having an awesome time! Happy summer!

I am craving a chik-fil-a spicy chicken sandwich. And popcorn.