March Update

Dearest gentle readers

I find myself doing this March update as I grow weary for waiting for some new juicy gossip from the ever so busy Dr Davies. Hopefully he will put together a decent issue for April 🤣

For those of you who know and appreciate, we now have three mommies in our department who are on maternity leave. (Fourth on the way) Wishing them well in their time off and much love from our department. Hoping that they're bonding with their offspring stronger than noradrenaline in sepsis and more potent than sufentanil when compared to morphine (500x). Thank you for growing our department! Super excited to see you guys thrive!

Attached is a picture that we are familiar with posted on our communication platform in case you missed it.

Again a huge congratulations to Dr Tshidi Tsholo!

Here I stand to share some news with our department of great sorrow and joy. The sorrows are that a few of our colleagues are leaving the department. The joy thereof is that they will be cherished by other colleagues in pastures beyond the confines of public sector.

To Drs: du Preez, Thlake and Ramatlotlo - we sincerely wish you three smooth sailing, a delightful and fruitful adventure ahead. May every aspect be prosperous and rewarding. Recalling the good old days where we worked together while I was but a young warthog with the phenotype to match, I genuinely thank each and every one of you for the contributions you made towards my growth. I am certain that everyone in the department shares my sentiments. Thank you for being the lighthouses in these rough seas of registrarship, guiding us towards the shores of qualification.

Reminder (to view links) - please click "view in browser in the start of the newsletter 😀

Educational corner

For those of you who thrive from listening, please consider the above podcast on Spotify. I've done a quick look through and have noticed a huge array of different topics quite relevant to our day-to-day practice and hope that this will serve as a good source for daily enrichment.

In the recent interest in sonography and increasing availability of ultrasound machines, it has become increasingly beneficial to know some aspects of FAST. Below are two attached files from ATOTW that will give a very basic idea of how to do a basic echo and what your findings may signify. When in doubt, ask one of your friendly seniors to show you what views we can obtain from your healthy ASA 1 orthopaedic patients to start practical learning.

Here I plead for our seniors to try and facilitate learning opportunities for our juniors but in the same tone for our juniors to read up and have an idea of what you would like to see/perform prior to asking.

Here I also want to extend well wishes to my fellow colleagues who are alongside me waiting for results from written exams and are preparing to undergo the clinical course for this year. Well wishes - please learn to see yourself in kinder eyes (something I personally also struggle with). All will be well in good time.

Subtle administrative notes (repost)

Here is a reminder for everyone in the department regarding leave:

Please do all communication with regard to leave via email and email only. Should you feel the need for a reply, perhaps gently remind our consultants that you have sent them an email should your leave request be extremely urgent and pressing.

• Please see link below for the leave roster for SBAH
  • NB: Please notify Dr Morosi re exam leave, academic courses/etc extended leave to allow her to help you plan your leave. Communication regarding leave is to be done via email only.
  • [email protected]
  • Call requests: Dr Maladze By the 10th of each month via email
  • [email protected]
• At Kalafong:
  • Dr van der Merwe [email protected]
  • Dr Voigt [email protected]
• If you’re interested in helping with education, research summaries, or the newsletter, now is a great time to get involved.

SBAH Leave Roster 2026

Google Docs

Birthdays

• We have several birthdays this month
  • 11th: Dr Yolandi Schoombie
  • 11th: Dr Kholo Rammala
  • 22nd: Dr Anke van der Walt
  • 24th: Dr Mpho Tsheisi
  • 25th: Dr Mandisa Kalipa (Queen)
  • 31st: Dr Petrie Jansen van Vuuren

Happy Birthday to each and everyone of you! 🎉
Wishing you guys a wonderful day/month filled with happiness, laughter, and all the little things that make life special. May the year ahead bring continued success, good health, and many memorable moments. Thank you for being such a great part of our lives — we celebrate you guys this month!

Queen Kalipa is growing more experienced this year. A little paragraph of tribute to the someone many of us regard as our departmental "mommy". Thank you for your sacrifices and early mornings to grow and nurture us. The preparations that you have taken us through in sunshine/rain does not go unnoticed, the helping hands that you provide, the comfort of knowing that you are around when we have difficult cases - thank you for being part of our lives.

Glad to see my fellow colleagues Petrie and Mpho celebrating their first birthday was fully fledged consultants. You two are super deserving! It is with great pleasure to say, "Happy birthday consultants" to these two kind, gentle and compassionate new anaesthesiologists. Would not have changed a thing in knowing you two, and it is a honest privilege to be training alongside you. You two have shown me to be kind, patient and humble throughout this career - albeit my inability to hold my tongue.

🍯 Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken

Ingredients (2 servings)

• 400 g chicken breast, cubed (for the not so caloric conscious, use chicken thighs)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp cornflour (optional)
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1 tsp olive oil

Method

1. Toss chicken with soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, garlic powder, paprika, and cornflour.
2. Preheat air fryer to 190 °C.
3. Air fry chicken for 10–12 min, shaking halfway.
4. Toss vegetables with olive oil and cook in the air fryer for the final 5 min or until tender.
5. Serve with rice or cauliflower rice.

Macros (per serving)
Approximate values

• Calories: ~480 kcal
• Protein: ~44 g
• Carbs: ~45 g
• Fat: ~12 g