Update from Dr Lee:
11 surgical cases today: wrist fx, manipulated ex fixs, and mulitple skin grafts
6 cases planned for tomorrow
4 cases on Thursday and 1 on Friday as of now
Waiting on cases to mature from Mennonite clinic
ER and FP docs are working hard
14 ward pts. Difficult to staff at night with busy days
Supply organization staff sent with this team (Alicia and Elena) are a huge help
Univ of Miami and General Hospital in downtown PAP have both sent cases to them. Unsure of how busy they are.
Update from Alicia Michalz, CST:
The day as usual started early with a yummy breakfast of pancakes and papaya and yet another conversation of an earthquake at 1:30 a.m. The OR was full of cases today both Ortho and Plastic. I found out yesterday there were 300 patients seen in the clinic I am curious for the total seen today.
The wishes for supplies are starting to come in. Spinal Kits and a propofol pump for anesthesia. OR wishes for sterile OR towels, mini c-arm drapes and guide wires for IM rodding/Post op would like extension cords and surge protectors. PreLancets for sugar checks and D50 amps, linens and pillows for the ward. Funny how more simple, yet useful the requests.Dr. Dirk hooked us up with a couple of guide wires and are scheduled to be delivered to Texas Orthopedics. The Supply people (me) would love shelves, stackable bins and at least 2 people just assigned to supply next team. It is impossible to have anyone help, they are truly stretched.
Again, the people are so sweet and gracious. I actually had someone help me all day, totally under the assumption he was an employee. He also helped the ward nurses create pillows for patients out of tubigrip. Only to find out he is the husband of a patient in the ward who is status post BKA. He is a professor of mathmatics and speaks four languages. He asked me if I believe in Jesus and I replied “of course he is the one who sent me here.” Shele is his name, and he prays everyday and gives thanks because he believes Jesus is capable of the impossible and is our Saviour. I have to agree. He was a pleasure to work with today. One of my ‘little” helpers Roberto, was a little pistol. He would sneak pictures with my camera and put on tons of bandaids and hang on me like a monkey.
Elena and I walked down to the orphanage and gave out balloons. The kids came out of the woodwork. It was a joy!
Now that Elena and I have seen many supplies it is getting easier to meet immediate needs for the compound. It’s either here or it’s not but at least we know either way. I hope I continue to find little treats like saline flushes to put a smile on our great team. Everyone is finding their nitch. Dr. Lee is awesome! He is realistic, meticulous and helpful. He wears all shoes and this morning he helped Ms. Mona with the dishes. He debriefs us every night.
The end of the work day ended with Elena and I locking up our supplies, then sitting on the stairs of the ward watching the sun set and listened to service from a far. The praising was beautiful and there are no words to explain the song, just joyful.
Dinner was again a hit, red beans and rice and kabosh (sausage, cabbage and carrots with spices). The conversation quiet, as we discussed the day and all the special moments we had each encountereed, whether it be the orphans or patients or staff.
Picture 1: Two ward nurses (Melody/center, Laura/ right) and Shele.
Picture 2: Paramedics transferring a patient to the OR
