Holy Cross 4EVA

  

One last Holy Cross sunset



The Craver Clan

Well, it is all over. I finished my job at Holy Cross over three weeks ago now. Since then my family have been over for an awesome holiday, I have had a couple of leaving parties and the slow process of packing my life up after almost two years of living in South Africa has begun. The hospital has seen the arrival of a new doctor all the way from the UK: Dr Rob. He’s taking over my job, house and even Mitch: he’s basically taking over my life. I know he is going to have a swell time; just like I wrote in my first ever post: “It’s going to be an amazing experience.” Well, I certainly have had that and would whole heartedly recommend this to anyone looking for a change or new adventure.





Myself rocking my new attire trying to
 keep up with my main man Soby.

There have been ups and downs; times where the work was exceptionally demanding; points where I felt a little lonely. However, never have I experienced the job satisfaction that I felt here, despite what can sometimes feel like a constant head banging affair. I leave knowing that I have met some wonderful people and made some new friends for life; so many happy memories; even a good bit of ring worm on my shoulder, just so I don’t forget all the children that crawled over me on a daily basis; and, best of all, I leave having fallen in love. I have been nothing but glowing for the past four months, hence, I am incredibly excited to return home. However, I really am going to miss this place and the prospect of starting emergency medicine training back in London does fill me with a little bit of fear and apprehension.

The Holy Cross website is soon to have a new address (www.holycrosshospital.co.za rather than www.holycrosshospitalza.org ) and my colleagues here are going to keep it updated, once they have a spare moment. Things are looking up for the hospital, despite having the usual staff shortage. Dingerman and Femke, the Dutch couple, are taking over the medical management and are planning to stay for a few more years. Even more exciting is that Femke is pregnant, now in her second trimester. Holy Cross is a magical place where people fall in love and babies are made. I’m not even kidding, my boss told me that since he started working here 15 years ago there have been ten babies, two weddings and one love story.  There must be something in the muddy water that comes out of the taps here.



Turns out I'm not leaving, I'm for sale.

In addition to sprucing up the website, Femke and I have been shooting a movie to promote Holy Cross as a fun and lively place to work, which it most certainly is.  The first screening was held in my last week during an impromptu leaving, welcoming and birthday 

doo for myself, Rob and Dingerman, respectively. I had my only pair of jeans pimped up in the traditional Xhosa way and danced for an 80 strong crowd of nurses and other staff with one of the porters, who happens to be an excellent tribal dancer. I didn’t have much say in the matter, but nor was I anti it; in fact, I loved it. As I was en route to the party, I got cornered by a nurse who instructed me to get changed and prepare to dance. Anything goes here. The video of the hospital should be uploaded onto the website soon.

I've never seen such a big cake.



I want to write one more piece about my time at Holy Cross, but, if I don’t get around to it this could be my last ever post on my first, and most likely last, ever blog. It has been great fun to write, exceptionally cathartic and, I hope, spurred a few people on to have similar adventures.

Right now I have one last Holy Cross braai to host and a two week road trip with my good friends from the UK (Ben, George, Andy and Amar) where I’ll be taking them to Afrika Burn festival and some of my favourite spots on the Wild Coast. After that, I’ll be homeward bound, but not without stopping off in Kenya to ascend Mount Kenya and see a few friends there. Life really is wonderful

Spoilt by the nurses on medical ward.

Man sells us a massive fish he just caught. Why not make sashimi out of it. Now, that was a damn fine idea.

A lonely patient.