ICIDBRDDC, b

So, following our time with BRAC we headed over to ICDDR, B. I was able to get the letters right by the time we were leaving, but that doesn't mean that I can use it easily in conversation. It stands for something about diarheal disease research but what it translates to is a hospital full of malnourished infants on cholera beds lined up in a row. I think there were about 500 beds, though only half of them were full since it is winter. Apparently in epidemic season they see up to 1,000 patients a day and extend the hospital to courtyard where there are more cholera beds. Seeing as how nutrition, child health, and breastfeeding are some of my major interests I loved this part. Well, other than the five year old boy that weighed 6.3 kilos and all the other none responsive gravely ill infants. But alas, if the world was a cheery place where everyone was healthy and happy and well fed, I would have to find another line of work. So we will move on from the depressing stuff and on to the interesting parts. I got to go around and interview women about themselves and their children including age of both them and the child, breastfeeding practices, complimentary feeding, and the reasons that they didn't breastfeed. It seems that despite major effort to get mothers to breastfeed, most believe that their milk isn't sufficient so they stop or gave them contaminated food. I got really pumped and started developing my new life plan.