Just how many days can I go without sleep?

With Dr. Jain of St. Stephens Hospital

Well in the past 5 days that we've been here I've had a total 7 hours sleep on Monday night only and this thanks to an Ambien Farah gave me. I'm exhausted, my brain is fried and I really need some sleep.
Today we had rotations again with Dr. Jain at St. Stephens in the morning and spent the afternoon in Dr. Jain's HIV clinic located in the hospital. He is so incredibly nice, humble, and dedicated. He took his time explaining each patient's medical history, diagnosis, prognosis and course of treatment to us and was open to our questions.
The HIV clinic was really eye opening. We observed Dr. Jain's visit with each patient. One particular case which was especially striking. A young young woman about 18 years of age came in to have her preliminary test results confirmed and Dr. Jain confirmed her that she was HIV+ right there in front of us. She didn't even flinch, I think she had prepared herself, I probably would have fainted, but that's just me.

She thinks that she was infected by a dirty needle used by her local health practitioner when she was given injections for TB with reusable syringes when she was younger. Although the government has banned the practice, it is still practiced by unlicensed quacks who set up shops in remote villages, gain the trust of the local community, bribe the local politicians and through unsanitary practices transmit the virus from patient to patient. Dr. Jain mentioned that the governmetn lacks political will to stop these poeople from taking advantage of innocent people and any awareness campaigns undertaken by the government fall on deaf ears since most of the rural population is incredibly poor and illiterate.


Upon our return to our room we found a mouse running around which scared me to no end, last night Farah was terrified by a giant cockroach who possibly had wings (cockroaches have wings here, ew)and our first night here Sejal ran screaming from our room because there was a lizard resting on the wall. I am really creeped out by all the wildlife here, but I guess that's real public health for you.
I'd write more but my brain hurts.