I have to admit that I've been pretty fortunate in these last three weeks. Literature reviews, clinical observation, minor editing and drafting of reports and such desk work leaves plenty of time for shenanigans such as facebook, random shopping trips and playing many rounds of cards with the clinic's IT guy's. Amidst all of that, I was stressing a bit over how I was running out of time and how national ethics approval hadn't been granted and I hadn't collected a single ounce of data for my own project. But lo and behold as the weeks wind down and I now only have about 2 weeks left, I'm suddenly moving at breakneck speed. Apparently, public health in Cambodia moves from 0 to 100 in a heartbeat. This, I have noted for future endeavors. Just as I was getting comfortable with my routine and beginning to come to terms with the fact that my project would not come to fruition, I get a call yesterday from my boss. I'm in the midst of getting dressed to attend a family dinner banquet and this is roughly the exchange that follows:
"Hi Susan? This is Dr V. Approval has been granted. Are you at the clinic right now?"
"No. I was there this morning but I'm not even in the city anymore. My family is having an event."
"Well, my boss is free this afternoon and wants to meet you at 3:30."
"Ummmm... what time is it now?"
"3."
"Errr....ummm... okay doctor, I'll .....meet you there....." ***click***PANIC***
When I begged my cousin to drive me and told him where it was, he informed me that it was roughly an 45 minute drive from where we were. JOY. So I hustled into the car, promising my cousin we'd be back in time for the banquet and that I'd owe him big time, and gathered my thoughts for my impromptu presentation with my boss's boss. Just to clarify, translating a proposal into Khmer is not easy for me, but I had 45 mins to pull it together. Regardless, I was terrified. Let me provide you with a bit of context. When my boss walks into the clinic, the staff bends over backwards to accommodate him. When he walked into the dinner party the clinic had a few weeks ago, everyone stood up at once and formally greeted him like some dignitary walked into the room. And now, I was going to meet HIS boss. Eep. Needless to say, I was ready to pass out.
It went by in a blur with my cousin sitting and smiling politely next to me, providing emotional support and ready to revive me should I actually lose consciousness. Somehow, I managed to get the guy really excited about it and he quickly decided that we were not going to do 3-4 sites in the capital but rather 9-10 sites and we'd include 2 additional provinces all in a week and a half. He promptly told my boss that he needed to select the sites by tomorrow so that he can write up a formal letter head to send to the sites before the Cambodian new year and that data collection would start immediately after the holiday. Gahhh. First I had no data and now I don't have enough time to collect it all. Don't get me wrong. I'm in no way complaining but now it's crunch time and I have a team of one. Me. Plus one of the IT guys who I duped into helping me by offering to do his literature review for him. He still thinks that we're only doing 3 local sites though. I should probably fill him in...
And so the craziness ensues... *fastens seat belt*
