I am not going to talk about driving today; the solution is for me to face backwards and then I am fine. I hope I don’t get lost. I would have to walk backwards to find anything. Most of the staff is female; it is interesting to watch the women talk in the van, they are always laughing. I don’t understand Mongolian. I don’t understand women. I don’t understand Mongolian driving rules. So when I am driving in Mongolia with laughing women, I just look out the window. And pray.
Today at the animal hospital I did a cruciate ligament surgery. The client wanted the foreign vet to do it. When I met the client I was surprised. He was from Westminster. I knew his family. I was their veterinarian. How ironic is that; I go halfway round the world and my first veterinary surgery is on a client. I hope the dog does well. If it does not, now I will have to fix it.
The veterinary team is very open to learning. It is enjoyable to help them. They usually don’t do many orthopedic surgeries. They have not seen a cranial cruciate rupture in over 3 years. Today We had 2 more cruciate ruptures, and a hit by car dog with a broken leg that needs pinning. I guess it is just coincidence but it does seem a bit unusual. I hope all the dogs do well. If not, I hope they are not clients.
We ate dinner at the home of one of the veterinarians named Boloro. We ate yak; dried yogurt made from yak milk, yak cheese, and stir fry yak with rice. It was very good. I like yak. It tastes better than it sounds. It is not yacky. It tastes like chicken. No, actually it tastes like beef with an attitude. I suppose that is because yaks have an attitude; they are quite mean so I am told. I hope yak’s don’t rupture their knee ligaments. And I hope they are not clients.
We went to a concert tonight. It was traditional Mongolian instruments, folk dancing, and music and singing. It was really fascinating to see an entirely new culture expressing itself through music and dancing. It really was wonderful. They were very talented and entertaining. I especially liked the Mongolian throat singing. You should google it and listen; I cannot explain it. There was a contortionist, but I did not like it; it hurt to watch. The poor girl must have been in pain but she did not show it. she bent her body in ways a body was not built for. I think she must have dislocated her spine. I hope she doesn’t hurt her knee. If she does, I hope she is not a client.
They say the weather is nice here. It is sunny but cold, with lows in the single digits. That would not be so bad except when you hear it is 80 at home. But I am not jealous. I love being here. And I can eat yak. I like yak.

Until tomorrow. God Bless
Dr Mike

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