symposium

Apparently symposium is derived from a synthetic Greek word meaning a drinking party or a convivial meeting after a dinner so I suppose that is an accurate description of my experience although the drinking has been done the night before. The alarm functions well. I shave and dress then make my way to the conference hotel, too expensive for me to stay in overnight.

The meeting is held in the hotel ballroom. Morning tea and lunch are served in the foyer outside.

The meeting itself is smoothly run, compact and informative.The eminent speakers are cosily familiar with the fairly eminent local organisers. I would rather like to meet some of them but their cameraderie      is an effective screen.I could make an approach but would probably say something overly obvious  just to make conversation and then feel like a dumb loser trying to talk to the popular kids at school. There are opportunities to ask questions after each group of presentations but I feel similarly inhibited, a country bumpkin among the slick city folk. I notice that many others seem to feel the same, so the only questions are eruditely posed by other experts.

It is still a good conference. I learn that some people are astonishingly skilled or brave or both in laparoscopic surgery. Modern equipment could significantly help my operating technique. Hereditary thrombophilias have little effect on foetal well-being. Obesity can seriously reduce fertility, especially in assisted reproduction. Some people operate on amazingly fat patients, babies in the womb, and endometriosis so severe as to require bowel resection. Melatonin may prevent cerebral palsy. Activin antagonists may be the key to prevention and treatment of pre-eclampsia. Adolescents with severe period pain can be successfully treated by a hormone-releasing intrauterine device.

I stay for the included dinner and talk to a colleague from my district. The speakers and organizers are thanked and given presents. I have a little wine without too much nausea. Then  I am alone and leave the empty foyer.

I leave the hotel, and now it is night.

I want to go home.