I WAS CARRYING A BAG IN THE MIRROR!

The streets of Kampala are quite assorted with a number of commercial commodities despite a public ban. These commodities come in different categories but notably are bags, shoes and clothes and are usually strategically placed to stimulate your colliculus at the entrances of buildings. Despite the colour, not all is “golden” actually a lot is “not”. Making an effort to buy anything from these places is akin to making a spot on diagnosis of neurofibromatosis1 when someone else views indurated boils on a body.

Wonder not why the connotations to probably something you don’t understand and consider the similarity in the subjects within the article. My solemn advice is to explore your curiosity and head to the streets and buy some of these amazing commodities. Chances are you will back on the street within a year.

When you are first exposed to a child suffering from “staphylococcal skin scalded syndrome” your probable initial aphasic time when asked what is happening is to randomly think of a variety of names of dermatological conditions in your mind. This is usually in total disregard to what you are seeing most of the time cause “the eye sees/looks for what the mind knows.”

Like many novice medics, you are probably excited to make a complex diagnosis but as you dig deeper in the course, the realization of this comes to naught. In fact, agape you are when someone tells at the first meeting with a client that the diagnosis is scleroderma. As if to relieve your ignorance he then hands to you a book to read more after giving you a summary of what the patient had and why it is that particular diagnosis. Little does one wonder how he derived that diagnosis at sight and yet in your reading one ought to make some investigations involving the immunological system of the client.

Now imagine transferring you complex circuits of grey matter to come up with a sound judgment for the patient and involve this in purchasing a bag. Yeah I know what you are thinking; “what the hake?” but as u do that, how many bags have you bought in that last 2 years. You don’t even think about that cause they are definitely a good number. So the question is why? So what is in a bag any way?

For one never under estimate your time in elucidating the true nature of something. Patience and time, our generation foes are what is required to garner the experience needed. Of course you shall need experience to come up with the right perfect choice like you do when faced with a rare case of poly arteritis nodosa and all you need is a particular investigation to confirm that which you think. Indeed the skill involved in examining bags was exceptional to a lady friend of mine when I was fortunate to get her support in buying a suitable bag for a prized possession I had just acquired.

With an eye of a hawk she could “rubbish” the quality of a bag your eyes had fallen for and then with the hands that only belong to her she examines that one she suspects deserves her hand. Like all unsuspecting vendors, none was ready for this steadiness of being told how “fake” their product is. For some, sharing a crocodile smile was all they could manage.

From inspection of the texture, type to palpation of the thickness of the body, safety of the zips and stability of the handles all these principles were being applied to buying just “a bag”. I cant claim I am finished with my lessons even with a good grasp of the theory but if for a few more moments (not sure when these shall come by) of being an apprentice am supposed to be.

As we perused and examined different bags as I was being taught by someone I deemed my junior my mind wondered to much we miss in a hurry while at school. It’s obviously not a one day affaire but the presumption is if we give attention to the detail and be patient with it then the world will be a better place.

This is not a reserve of only the medics but in all fields where professionalism is a prerequisite ranging from traders to the politicians. The whole conundrum needs time to understand their niche and give it their best then, Africa shall be a place we are all glad to show off, not just for the sake of it.