So, I made it home safely! I wanted to share with you a few things about my last couple days in Guatemala. On Fridays, we see patients at the main clinic, instead of going out to mobile clinics. Typically, we have about 40-50 patients, but this day, we had over 150 patients to see! They had all come for consults to see if they were candidates for surgery for when the next American surgery team came down.
I saw a 9-month old baby strapped onto his mother’s back. He was extremely burned and had scars all over his face. When he was 1 month old, he had accidentally pulled a pot of boiling water on himself. The front part of his scalp had no hair, like an old man, because it had burned off. One of his eyelids was almost completely shut, but I could see a little part of his eye. His nose and mouth were one jumbled mess, and I could barely distinguish between them. His left hand looked like a nub, and his right hand had only one finger. The other fingers had melted off. It was so sad. His mother had brought him to see if he was a plastic surgery candidate. He was, thank goodness. I smiled really big at the baby, and he grabbed my finger with his one finger. He didn’t look like a human being, but I could almost make out a smile when I said his name.
We also saw a young girl. She brought us her x-rays, which showed something large and solid, lodged in one of her nostrils. We took a look up her nose with the flashlight, and sure enough, something metallic was up there! She said the foreign object had been there for over 3 years, but she swore she never put anything up her nose. Interesting…
One lady with an incisional hernia came in. Dr. Lux had to step out of the office to check on something, leaving the woman and me alone. I guess I look pretty official with scrubs on, because she leaned over and asked me, “Are YOU operating on me next week?” I wanted to laugh and say, “You would NOT want that, ma’am!” but I just smiled back at her and said that someone else would be doing the operation.
After seeing all the patients, a huge storm blew in. The river that runs through the main clinic campus rose and nearly flooded. Macie and I played in the rain until it was time to leave for Guatemala City. The roads to the capital were awful because of the huge storm. I don’t usually do this, but something came over me, and I asked Carlos if I could pray over our road trip. I prayed that God would protect us and get us to Guatemala City safely. Several power lines were down and lying across the streets; however, someone got out and stood on the live wires so that we could drive over them! Also, the line of traffic was backed up for miles, but God was with us and for some strange reason, we got personally police ESCORTED to the front on the traffic line!
This whole time in Guatemala, I have never seen a wreck, even though I have witnessed the craziest driving ever. That puzzled me… tons of wreckless maneuvers being done all the time, but I never saw any wrecks. Well, there was one that Friday night. We were 5 minutes from where we were going, when suddenly a pickup truck reversed into our lane and sat perpendicular to the flow of traffic. Health Talents director, Carlos, who was driving us, slammed on his brakes, but it wasn’t enough. We slammed into the other pickup. It felt like a bad rollercoaster ride. Thank goodness we were wearing our seatbelts and sitting up, because earlier we had been lying down sleeping. We got out of the car, shaken up, but without cuts or breaks, thanks to God. It started to rain, and Carlos’ in-laws came to pick Macie and me up and bring us to their house. We got to see Carlos’ one-week-old baby, Dante Carlos, while we waited. We finally made it to our hotel at 3 a.m. We took showers, slept for an hour, and had to meet the airport shuttle at 5 a.m. Our two flights home went well, and I can now say I am safely home. God was definitely with us in the wreck. I only have a scraped bruise from the seatbelt that held me in place. What a crazy way to end my stay in Guatemala!
I learned so much in Guatemala. I learned that I DO for sure want to be a doctor. I learned a ton of Spanish. I picked up Guatemalan phrases and customs subconsciously. I learned to trust God EVERY DAY. I met amazing Spirit-filled people who pointed me more towards Christ. This was an incredible experience, and although parts of it were very trying, I can say that I am very grateful for everything I went through. Muchas gracias for your continued prayers. I felt them, and they made a difference.
Guatemala
My home for the next 6 weeks!
Monday, August 2, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Last Day in Chicacao
Thursday, July 29, 2010
It’s late Thursday night, my last night here in Chicacao. It’s strange that it is actually almost over. I gave my host mom Angelica a sunflower plate set and my host grandpa, Papa Pedro, an OU shirt. He looked so cute in it! He said someday he’s gonna come to the U.S., wearing his shirt, and ask people where OU is, so he can find me. :)
Today was my last day to go out to the mobile clinics. I went with Dr. David Lux to his mobile clinics all week, and I got to see a lot! I saw patients with a thyroid nodule, a rectal hemorrhoid, an incisional hernia, “caspa” (dandruff), conjunctivitis of the eye, a diabetic ulcer on a leg, sinusitis, a prolapsed uterus, and warts. I saw a preemie baby with “ictericia” (jaundice). There were lots of little kids with scabies (from playing in dirt and dirty things), and lots of adult women with urinary tract infections (from not drinking enough water).
I got to palpate a woman’s abdomen and feel a huge mass in her uterus! I also got to palpate an alcoholic woman who had cirrhosis of the liver… her liver felt huge and hard! I got to measure the belly of a pregnant woman with my hands and a tape measurer and tell her how far along she was… so neat! I learned to look for specific symptoms to distinguish parasites from a bacterial infection from amoebas. I saw a woman with yellowish eyes because of hepatitis. I met a man with one brown eye and one beautifully blue eye. However, his one eye had turned blue because of super high pressure behind the eyeball, and he had lost vision in that eye.
A woman came in with “pica.” I had heard about this disorder before, but didn’t believe it was real. Pica is an intense craving for non-edible objects, such as dirt, paint chips, ice, etc. It occurs mostly in pregnant women, and the cause is unknown. This woman said that she craved ice and salt a lot. She fit the description because she had recently had a spontaneous abortion and was anemic.
The saddest thing I saw today was a 6-month old baby girl named Ama, who had been born with spina bifida. She weighed only 9 pounds (17 pounds underweight!), and the lower half of her body was completely limp. She had an operation in Guatemala City soon after she was born, where they had put in a shunt underneath her skin from her brain to her stomach, to drain excess fluid that accumulated on the brain. I know her mom was doing everything she could for little Ama, but I just wanted to take her back with me to the U.S. and get her all the help she needed.
One woman came in, saying she hadn’t had any of her labs done because she didn’t have money for it. She said she didn’t have the 10 quetzales (US $1.25) for the consult. I looked at her and what she was wearing, and I was skeptical. She needed even more labs done, the doctor said, but she said she didn’t have money to get them done. When she left, I told Dr. Lux, “I think she was lying.” Rather than agreeing with me, Dr. Lux told me, “Maybe she was lying, but that’s not for us to decide. It’s our job to help and treat people with a GOOD HEART. That is what God wants from us… nothing else.” That really hit me, and I was grateful that Dr. Lux corrected me.
Today, our last patient was a house visit. A 40-year-old woman was lying in bed, complaining of painful menorrhea (excessive vaginal bleeding). Dr. Lux felt around on her stomach and decided to do a pregnancy test on her. Her other 7 kids nervously tried to peer into the bedroom to see their mommy. The test was positive for pregnancy. In other words, the excessive bleeding and positive pregnancy test meant that she was having “un aborto en curso.” She didn’t even know she was pregnant, but currently she was having a spontaneous abortion of her baby. It was shocking to watch Dr. Lux deliver that news to her.
In our down time, I watched “telenovelas” (soap operas) with the neighbor kids. I learned how to make balloon animals - tigers, dogs, cats - and even an umbrella! My host brother Manuel, who works out at the mobile clinics too, taught me. The little kids absolutely loved the balloons we made them!
The neatest thing though, was that after each consult, we got to pray for each patient. Only a couple said ‘no thanks,’ but the most patients were grateful as we put our hands on their shoulders and bowed to pray over them. Guatemalans always pray out loud while we are praying out loud for them. It always sound like we’re interrupting each other, but it was also neat to hear both prayers being sent to God at the same time. Some people were very touched and cried with us, and several gave me a kiss on the cheek saying, “Gracias, Doctora.”
Tomorrow is my last day to work at the clinic. After work, Macie and I head to Guatemala City, where we will spend the night, so that we can catch our early morning flight home on Saturday. Thanks so much for your continued prayers, and I look forward to being home SOON!
It’s late Thursday night, my last night here in Chicacao. It’s strange that it is actually almost over. I gave my host mom Angelica a sunflower plate set and my host grandpa, Papa Pedro, an OU shirt. He looked so cute in it! He said someday he’s gonna come to the U.S., wearing his shirt, and ask people where OU is, so he can find me. :)
Today was my last day to go out to the mobile clinics. I went with Dr. David Lux to his mobile clinics all week, and I got to see a lot! I saw patients with a thyroid nodule, a rectal hemorrhoid, an incisional hernia, “caspa” (dandruff), conjunctivitis of the eye, a diabetic ulcer on a leg, sinusitis, a prolapsed uterus, and warts. I saw a preemie baby with “ictericia” (jaundice). There were lots of little kids with scabies (from playing in dirt and dirty things), and lots of adult women with urinary tract infections (from not drinking enough water).
I got to palpate a woman’s abdomen and feel a huge mass in her uterus! I also got to palpate an alcoholic woman who had cirrhosis of the liver… her liver felt huge and hard! I got to measure the belly of a pregnant woman with my hands and a tape measurer and tell her how far along she was… so neat! I learned to look for specific symptoms to distinguish parasites from a bacterial infection from amoebas. I saw a woman with yellowish eyes because of hepatitis. I met a man with one brown eye and one beautifully blue eye. However, his one eye had turned blue because of super high pressure behind the eyeball, and he had lost vision in that eye.
A woman came in with “pica.” I had heard about this disorder before, but didn’t believe it was real. Pica is an intense craving for non-edible objects, such as dirt, paint chips, ice, etc. It occurs mostly in pregnant women, and the cause is unknown. This woman said that she craved ice and salt a lot. She fit the description because she had recently had a spontaneous abortion and was anemic.
The saddest thing I saw today was a 6-month old baby girl named Ama, who had been born with spina bifida. She weighed only 9 pounds (17 pounds underweight!), and the lower half of her body was completely limp. She had an operation in Guatemala City soon after she was born, where they had put in a shunt underneath her skin from her brain to her stomach, to drain excess fluid that accumulated on the brain. I know her mom was doing everything she could for little Ama, but I just wanted to take her back with me to the U.S. and get her all the help she needed.
One woman came in, saying she hadn’t had any of her labs done because she didn’t have money for it. She said she didn’t have the 10 quetzales (US $1.25) for the consult. I looked at her and what she was wearing, and I was skeptical. She needed even more labs done, the doctor said, but she said she didn’t have money to get them done. When she left, I told Dr. Lux, “I think she was lying.” Rather than agreeing with me, Dr. Lux told me, “Maybe she was lying, but that’s not for us to decide. It’s our job to help and treat people with a GOOD HEART. That is what God wants from us… nothing else.” That really hit me, and I was grateful that Dr. Lux corrected me.
Today, our last patient was a house visit. A 40-year-old woman was lying in bed, complaining of painful menorrhea (excessive vaginal bleeding). Dr. Lux felt around on her stomach and decided to do a pregnancy test on her. Her other 7 kids nervously tried to peer into the bedroom to see their mommy. The test was positive for pregnancy. In other words, the excessive bleeding and positive pregnancy test meant that she was having “un aborto en curso.” She didn’t even know she was pregnant, but currently she was having a spontaneous abortion of her baby. It was shocking to watch Dr. Lux deliver that news to her.
In our down time, I watched “telenovelas” (soap operas) with the neighbor kids. I learned how to make balloon animals - tigers, dogs, cats - and even an umbrella! My host brother Manuel, who works out at the mobile clinics too, taught me. The little kids absolutely loved the balloons we made them!
The neatest thing though, was that after each consult, we got to pray for each patient. Only a couple said ‘no thanks,’ but the most patients were grateful as we put our hands on their shoulders and bowed to pray over them. Guatemalans always pray out loud while we are praying out loud for them. It always sound like we’re interrupting each other, but it was also neat to hear both prayers being sent to God at the same time. Some people were very touched and cried with us, and several gave me a kiss on the cheek saying, “Gracias, Doctora.”
Tomorrow is my last day to work at the clinic. After work, Macie and I head to Guatemala City, where we will spend the night, so that we can catch our early morning flight home on Saturday. Thanks so much for your continued prayers, and I look forward to being home SOON!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Blog Catch-Up: Ophth Week and My Last Week Here
Catching up on blogging... here are the last three blogs:
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Last night, every time I closed my eyes, I saw the replay of a cataract eye surgery … it was strange! I guess I had just watched a ton of them!
Yesterday, I got to help Dr. Don Loconte with pre-op and post-op consults. I had the best time! I think I want to be a type of doctor that gets to sit down one on one with her patients in an office. I got to translate between the doctor and the patient. I got to tell the patients where to position their hands, feet, chin, and forehead, in order to look into the eye piece machine for Dr. Don. This was quite difficult. And trying to get the patients to look straight ahead and not look around… wow, tough. I probably said, “Mire recto,” “No mueva la cabeza,” and “Mire la luz” over a hundred times. I would say, “Look at the light,” and some people would look all around. One person even closed their eyes tight! Oh my gosh. Yes, it was frustrating, especially for the doctor, because we couldn’t get good readings on their eyes, but I was getting SO tickled with each patient! I loved to just sit and talk to them before and after the consult. So many interesting personalities!
I got to instruct the patients on how to use the big black spoon to cover one eye and read from the visual acuity chart. You wouldn’t believe some of the things people do! They cover one eye with the spoon. Then, we say, “Now cover the other eye,” and they use their hand to cover the other eye ALSO! And then they say, “I can’t see anything.” Haha!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
So, we had an amazing week at the clinic with our eye surgery team. There were 29 of us, and if you weren’t helping out medically, you were painting the patients’ nails, braiding their hair, or praying with them. It was neat to watch everyone participate.
Last Tuesday, I got my MCAT score back… and I improved and got what I wanted! I was so excited and relieved! The group was so kind and congratulated me and celebrated with me!
I loved translating for the patients all week too. Especially in the OR, where it was critical that I communicate the correct things to the patients. It was my job to relay messages from the doctor to the patient such as, “Please keep still,” “You’re doing a good job,” “It’s almost over,” “Can you see the doctor’s fingers now?” etc. Also, when the patients would muffle something from underneath the tarp, I would have to try to understand what they were saying and translate it for the doctor.
On Thursday, we only had one patient, so afterward, we went out for an excursion. I went to a coffee farm in the middle of the jungle. I saw crazy-looking fruits and a huge tree, which took 55 steps to walk around! Late Thursday night, we played an ultimate Frisbee tournament in the soccer field next to the clinic. It had poured rain all day, so it was super muddy -- we were slipping all over the place and covered in mud by the end of it! It was my first time to play ultimate, and we played past midnight… so fun!
Friday, Macie and I got to travel with the group to Antigua, before they flew out on Saturday. We went with a group zip-lining through the jungle right outside Antigua! We flew over coffee farms and saw the city of La Antigua from above. I got to fly upside down above the trees -- a great time! Our hotel in Antigua was an absolutely gorgeous resort. We had a black infinity pool right outside our hotel room! We went downtown after dinner for a concert in the park, and then came back to hang out around the pool and talk. It was so relaxing and fun!
Saturday morning, we dropped the group off at the airport and said goodbye. :( Dany drove us back to Chicacao. On our way back, we stopped off at a restaurant on the side of the highway for lunch. There were ostriches in a pin right next to the restaurant. We tried to order ostrich burgers from the menu, but they were out!
Today was our last Sunday here! We went to the market and church. I saw my first baptism in the Church of Christ. The baptistery is downstairs below the church, next to the pastor’s kitchen. My “dad,” Papa Pedro, baptized the man, and we got to congratulate him afterwards. Now, I’m waiting for the rain to let up a little, so that I can walk back to my house from Macie’s house.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Today is my last Monday in Guatemala. I am spending this entire week going out with Dr. David Lux to mobile clinics. (I first met him when I was throwing up my first week here.) Today, we went to "Las Margaritas" mobile clinic. I got to talk to Holly on the phone for the first time in a long time... I miss her!
Well, we saw a total of 27 patients at Las Margaritas, which isn't very many. I decided to write down some of the things I saw today, just so that I can remember later...
An older man came in complaining of painful urination. He handed us his lab reports, which said he had an enlarged prostate. Eek. I saw a baby boy with Staphylococcus infection all over his skin. I saw a 5-year-old boy, whose mom had brought him in because of problems with his eyes. I could tell something wasn't right, and Dr. Lux told me the boy had a nervous tick. We sent him off to have a psychoanalysis workup to see if it was a type of neurosis or some other cerebral problem. I got to palpate two people's enlarged spleens... the spleens were huge! You didn't have to be a doctor to know that something wasn't right with a massive bulge in their left side! I listened to Dr. Lux consult a diabetic woman about how to eat. He told her only 5 portions of sugar every day; with sugar including potatoes, rice, tortillas, soda, fruit juice, papaya, bread, cookies, etc. She was shocked that she could only have 3 tortillas at each meal! We also saw a man who came in with a torn cornea. It looked like something had sliced his eye, but he didn't remember ever having been hit with anything. I saw a 3-year-old little boy who had "syndactyly." He only had 4 fingers on his right hand and two of them were fused together. Dr. Lux told me that all embryos start out with their fingers fused together. Then, the cells in between each finger die so the fingers can separate. The little boy is going to have an x-ray to see what bones in his hand he has, to see if plastic surgery is an option. Our last 3 patients were crying babies. Dr. Lux did nothing to them, yet right when they entered the room, they started screaming and grabbing on to their moms. I love little kids and have often thought I would be a pediatrician, but if the very sight of me sends little kids screaming, I don't think I want to do it. It was difficult to hear their lungs and look in their ears. I don't know how pediatricians can make accurate diagnoses without eing about to properly examine the patients! We had some extra time afterward, so I talked with a neighbor girl and got to pet a rooster.
Now, I'm back at Macie's house, drinking coffee while in pours rain outside, waiting for church to start at 6.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Last night, every time I closed my eyes, I saw the replay of a cataract eye surgery … it was strange! I guess I had just watched a ton of them!
Yesterday, I got to help Dr. Don Loconte with pre-op and post-op consults. I had the best time! I think I want to be a type of doctor that gets to sit down one on one with her patients in an office. I got to translate between the doctor and the patient. I got to tell the patients where to position their hands, feet, chin, and forehead, in order to look into the eye piece machine for Dr. Don. This was quite difficult. And trying to get the patients to look straight ahead and not look around… wow, tough. I probably said, “Mire recto,” “No mueva la cabeza,” and “Mire la luz” over a hundred times. I would say, “Look at the light,” and some people would look all around. One person even closed their eyes tight! Oh my gosh. Yes, it was frustrating, especially for the doctor, because we couldn’t get good readings on their eyes, but I was getting SO tickled with each patient! I loved to just sit and talk to them before and after the consult. So many interesting personalities!
I got to instruct the patients on how to use the big black spoon to cover one eye and read from the visual acuity chart. You wouldn’t believe some of the things people do! They cover one eye with the spoon. Then, we say, “Now cover the other eye,” and they use their hand to cover the other eye ALSO! And then they say, “I can’t see anything.” Haha!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
So, we had an amazing week at the clinic with our eye surgery team. There were 29 of us, and if you weren’t helping out medically, you were painting the patients’ nails, braiding their hair, or praying with them. It was neat to watch everyone participate.
Last Tuesday, I got my MCAT score back… and I improved and got what I wanted! I was so excited and relieved! The group was so kind and congratulated me and celebrated with me!
I loved translating for the patients all week too. Especially in the OR, where it was critical that I communicate the correct things to the patients. It was my job to relay messages from the doctor to the patient such as, “Please keep still,” “You’re doing a good job,” “It’s almost over,” “Can you see the doctor’s fingers now?” etc. Also, when the patients would muffle something from underneath the tarp, I would have to try to understand what they were saying and translate it for the doctor.
On Thursday, we only had one patient, so afterward, we went out for an excursion. I went to a coffee farm in the middle of the jungle. I saw crazy-looking fruits and a huge tree, which took 55 steps to walk around! Late Thursday night, we played an ultimate Frisbee tournament in the soccer field next to the clinic. It had poured rain all day, so it was super muddy -- we were slipping all over the place and covered in mud by the end of it! It was my first time to play ultimate, and we played past midnight… so fun!
Friday, Macie and I got to travel with the group to Antigua, before they flew out on Saturday. We went with a group zip-lining through the jungle right outside Antigua! We flew over coffee farms and saw the city of La Antigua from above. I got to fly upside down above the trees -- a great time! Our hotel in Antigua was an absolutely gorgeous resort. We had a black infinity pool right outside our hotel room! We went downtown after dinner for a concert in the park, and then came back to hang out around the pool and talk. It was so relaxing and fun!
Saturday morning, we dropped the group off at the airport and said goodbye. :( Dany drove us back to Chicacao. On our way back, we stopped off at a restaurant on the side of the highway for lunch. There were ostriches in a pin right next to the restaurant. We tried to order ostrich burgers from the menu, but they were out!
Today was our last Sunday here! We went to the market and church. I saw my first baptism in the Church of Christ. The baptistery is downstairs below the church, next to the pastor’s kitchen. My “dad,” Papa Pedro, baptized the man, and we got to congratulate him afterwards. Now, I’m waiting for the rain to let up a little, so that I can walk back to my house from Macie’s house.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Today is my last Monday in Guatemala. I am spending this entire week going out with Dr. David Lux to mobile clinics. (I first met him when I was throwing up my first week here.) Today, we went to "Las Margaritas" mobile clinic. I got to talk to Holly on the phone for the first time in a long time... I miss her!
Well, we saw a total of 27 patients at Las Margaritas, which isn't very many. I decided to write down some of the things I saw today, just so that I can remember later...
An older man came in complaining of painful urination. He handed us his lab reports, which said he had an enlarged prostate. Eek. I saw a baby boy with Staphylococcus infection all over his skin. I saw a 5-year-old boy, whose mom had brought him in because of problems with his eyes. I could tell something wasn't right, and Dr. Lux told me the boy had a nervous tick. We sent him off to have a psychoanalysis workup to see if it was a type of neurosis or some other cerebral problem. I got to palpate two people's enlarged spleens... the spleens were huge! You didn't have to be a doctor to know that something wasn't right with a massive bulge in their left side! I listened to Dr. Lux consult a diabetic woman about how to eat. He told her only 5 portions of sugar every day; with sugar including potatoes, rice, tortillas, soda, fruit juice, papaya, bread, cookies, etc. She was shocked that she could only have 3 tortillas at each meal! We also saw a man who came in with a torn cornea. It looked like something had sliced his eye, but he didn't remember ever having been hit with anything. I saw a 3-year-old little boy who had "syndactyly." He only had 4 fingers on his right hand and two of them were fused together. Dr. Lux told me that all embryos start out with their fingers fused together. Then, the cells in between each finger die so the fingers can separate. The little boy is going to have an x-ray to see what bones in his hand he has, to see if plastic surgery is an option. Our last 3 patients were crying babies. Dr. Lux did nothing to them, yet right when they entered the room, they started screaming and grabbing on to their moms. I love little kids and have often thought I would be a pediatrician, but if the very sight of me sends little kids screaming, I don't think I want to do it. It was difficult to hear their lungs and look in their ears. I don't know how pediatricians can make accurate diagnoses without eing about to properly examine the patients! We had some extra time afterward, so I talked with a neighbor girl and got to pet a rooster.
Now, I'm back at Macie's house, drinking coffee while in pours rain outside, waiting for church to start at 6.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Ophthamology Surgery Team
Monday, July 19, 2010
This morning, I got to walk patients to Dr. Don, an optometrist, for a check-up and then back to their beds. I enjoyed leading the practically blind little women back and forth, trying to get them to position their foreheads correctly in the eye machine, and constantly repeating “No se mueva. Por favor, no mueva los ojos.” Haha, some just couldn’t sit still.
In the afternoon, I got to shadow in the OR. We had an amazing patient named Cesar. He was a Guatemalan, living in the U.S. He flew here on a hope and a prayer that he would be a surgery candidate. He was 47 and already had bad cataracts in both eyes. He was a recent believer, after he entered a church and told the people, “I don’t need food. I need God.” He could hardly see. He spoke English well, and jovially carried on with the doctor while the operation was going on. When the doctor finished, he sat Cesar up in bed, removed the drape, and asked Cesar to look ahead. He looked at Lauren and said, “You’re so beautiful!” and looked at Cal and said, “And you’re so handsome!” It was an amazing miracle to witness this once blind man, seeing for the first time in a long time! When Cesar commented on how handsome Cal was, the doctor joking said, “Oh no! I must have put the wrong lens in!” It was one of the best surgeries to be a part of.
Soon afterward though, we had a patient that was a very difficult case. She was very anxious. She seemed claustrophobic underneath the drape and would not stop moving around. While the doctor’s scapel was in her eye, she squirmed and reached her hand up to her face! We pleaded with her to sit still, but she moaned and loudly complained about the pain, even though the doctor gave her three times the normal amount of local anesthesia. She was so squirmy, we had to have two people hold her arms down, one hold her legs down, and one hold her head down. And even then, the doctor had to pull out early, without inserting the implant. He removed the cataract, but couldn’t replace the lens because she would have jumped off the table in pain. It was a very tense case, and we were all glad when it was over.
In one day, I experienced the blessings AND the hardships that a surgeon goes through each day.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Last night, every time I closed my eyes, I saw the replay of a cataract eye surgery … it was strange! I guess I had just watched a ton of them!
Yesterday, I got to help Dr. Don Loconte with pre-op and post-op consults. I had the best time! I think I want to be a type of doctor that gets to sit down one on one with her patients in an office. I got to translate between the doctor and the patient. I got to tell the patients where to position their hands, feet, chin, and forehead, in order to look into the eye piece machine for Dr. Don. This was quite difficult. And trying to get the patients to look straight ahead and not look around… wow, tough. I probably said, “Mire recto,” “No mueva la cabeza,” and “Mire la luz” over a hundred times. I would say, “Look at the light,” and some people would look all around. One person even closed their eyes tight! Oh my gosh. Yes, it was frustrating, especially for the doctor, because we couldn’t get good readings on their eyes, but I was getting SO tickled with each patient! I loved to just sit and talk to them before and after the consult. So many interesting personalities!
I got to instruct the patients on how to use the big black spoon to cover one eye and read from the visual acuity chart. You wouldn’t believe some of the things people do! They cover one eye with the spoon. Then, we say, “Now cover the other eye,” and they use their hand to cover the other eye ALSO! And then they say, “I can’t see anything.” Haha!
This morning, I got to walk patients to Dr. Don, an optometrist, for a check-up and then back to their beds. I enjoyed leading the practically blind little women back and forth, trying to get them to position their foreheads correctly in the eye machine, and constantly repeating “No se mueva. Por favor, no mueva los ojos.” Haha, some just couldn’t sit still.
In the afternoon, I got to shadow in the OR. We had an amazing patient named Cesar. He was a Guatemalan, living in the U.S. He flew here on a hope and a prayer that he would be a surgery candidate. He was 47 and already had bad cataracts in both eyes. He was a recent believer, after he entered a church and told the people, “I don’t need food. I need God.” He could hardly see. He spoke English well, and jovially carried on with the doctor while the operation was going on. When the doctor finished, he sat Cesar up in bed, removed the drape, and asked Cesar to look ahead. He looked at Lauren and said, “You’re so beautiful!” and looked at Cal and said, “And you’re so handsome!” It was an amazing miracle to witness this once blind man, seeing for the first time in a long time! When Cesar commented on how handsome Cal was, the doctor joking said, “Oh no! I must have put the wrong lens in!” It was one of the best surgeries to be a part of.
Soon afterward though, we had a patient that was a very difficult case. She was very anxious. She seemed claustrophobic underneath the drape and would not stop moving around. While the doctor’s scapel was in her eye, she squirmed and reached her hand up to her face! We pleaded with her to sit still, but she moaned and loudly complained about the pain, even though the doctor gave her three times the normal amount of local anesthesia. She was so squirmy, we had to have two people hold her arms down, one hold her legs down, and one hold her head down. And even then, the doctor had to pull out early, without inserting the implant. He removed the cataract, but couldn’t replace the lens because she would have jumped off the table in pain. It was a very tense case, and we were all glad when it was over.
In one day, I experienced the blessings AND the hardships that a surgeon goes through each day.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Last night, every time I closed my eyes, I saw the replay of a cataract eye surgery … it was strange! I guess I had just watched a ton of them!
Yesterday, I got to help Dr. Don Loconte with pre-op and post-op consults. I had the best time! I think I want to be a type of doctor that gets to sit down one on one with her patients in an office. I got to translate between the doctor and the patient. I got to tell the patients where to position their hands, feet, chin, and forehead, in order to look into the eye piece machine for Dr. Don. This was quite difficult. And trying to get the patients to look straight ahead and not look around… wow, tough. I probably said, “Mire recto,” “No mueva la cabeza,” and “Mire la luz” over a hundred times. I would say, “Look at the light,” and some people would look all around. One person even closed their eyes tight! Oh my gosh. Yes, it was frustrating, especially for the doctor, because we couldn’t get good readings on their eyes, but I was getting SO tickled with each patient! I loved to just sit and talk to them before and after the consult. So many interesting personalities!
I got to instruct the patients on how to use the big black spoon to cover one eye and read from the visual acuity chart. You wouldn’t believe some of the things people do! They cover one eye with the spoon. Then, we say, “Now cover the other eye,” and they use their hand to cover the other eye ALSO! And then they say, “I can’t see anything.” Haha!
Monday, July 19, 2010
Weekend Fun and Eye Surgery Team
This past weekend, Macie and I caught a ride to Guatemala City, two hours away from where we live. My suitemate for next semester, Jessica Castro, actually lives in Guatemala City! We didn’t really know each other; we had just met once. She graciously invited us to stay at her house and show us around the city. Her family was very welcoming to us and even gave US presents… We had a fabulous time with Jessica! We walked to a nearby mall - it was huge with 5 stories, many restaurants, a movie theater, and a carousel inside. We thoroughly enjoyed shopping around, and then we ended up at an aquarium restaurant. There were fish underneath our feet under the floor, and we got to go inside the huge aquarium with a shark, eel, puffer fish, and a scuba diver! Afterward, we grabbed some authentic Guatemalan coffee and went to the theater to watch “Eclipse.” It was in English with Spanish subtitles… so good! :)
The next day, we took a taxi to the airport to meet the American eye surgery group that was flying in. We rode with them in a bus back to the clinic. Three hours later, we arrived at the clinic in Montellano, and immediately we began eye consults. I helped with the visual acuity chart tests. I instructed the patients to stand behind the line, cover one eye with the spoon, and read me the chart, if they could. We couldn’t use the typical E chart, with all the alphabet letters, because many are illiterate, so we just used a chart with all E’s. The patients had to tell me whether the E was facing right, left, up, or down. I got so tickled watching the patients try to mimic the way the E was facing with their bodies, rather than simply telling me the direction. The consults lasted until 10 p.m. Macie and I decided to stay at the clinic hotel with the group this week, instead of with our host families, because finding a ride from Chicacao to Montellano was such a hassle every day.
Today, I got to observe in the operating room. I saw Dr. Jerry Swale from Illinois remove a cataract from an 80-year-old woman. I was the “translator” in the operating room. I got to forewarn the patient what the doctor was about to do, monitor her pain throughout the surgery, and keep her informed post-op. She was so brave. The doctor had to zoom in and focus his microscope manually because we lacked some equipment that we have in the States. Also, we didn’t have an anesthesiologist, so our patients just received local anesthesia. They were completely conscious and their eyeballs were moving around looking at us, while the doctor cut into their eyeballs… it was creepy! I would have definitely required some anxiety medicine! I saw the doctor slip the cataract out and lay it on the patient’s chest. I got to feel it between my fingers… it felt like a hard booger. Then, Dr. Swale inserted the new lens implant, and that was it. Right after he slipped the new one in, he asked the patient to open her eyes. She was able to tell him how many fingers he was holding up. Before surgery, she could only detect up-close hand movement. Crazy cool.
I’ll be working with this ophthalmology team here at Clinica Ezell through Thursday of this week. It’s already so fascinating, and the people are so kind! Thanks for your continued prayers. Please pray that the surgeries will run smoothly and that we will be able to help the patients, despite lack of certain instruments and machines. Dios te bendiga!!
The next day, we took a taxi to the airport to meet the American eye surgery group that was flying in. We rode with them in a bus back to the clinic. Three hours later, we arrived at the clinic in Montellano, and immediately we began eye consults. I helped with the visual acuity chart tests. I instructed the patients to stand behind the line, cover one eye with the spoon, and read me the chart, if they could. We couldn’t use the typical E chart, with all the alphabet letters, because many are illiterate, so we just used a chart with all E’s. The patients had to tell me whether the E was facing right, left, up, or down. I got so tickled watching the patients try to mimic the way the E was facing with their bodies, rather than simply telling me the direction. The consults lasted until 10 p.m. Macie and I decided to stay at the clinic hotel with the group this week, instead of with our host families, because finding a ride from Chicacao to Montellano was such a hassle every day.
Today, I got to observe in the operating room. I saw Dr. Jerry Swale from Illinois remove a cataract from an 80-year-old woman. I was the “translator” in the operating room. I got to forewarn the patient what the doctor was about to do, monitor her pain throughout the surgery, and keep her informed post-op. She was so brave. The doctor had to zoom in and focus his microscope manually because we lacked some equipment that we have in the States. Also, we didn’t have an anesthesiologist, so our patients just received local anesthesia. They were completely conscious and their eyeballs were moving around looking at us, while the doctor cut into their eyeballs… it was creepy! I would have definitely required some anxiety medicine! I saw the doctor slip the cataract out and lay it on the patient’s chest. I got to feel it between my fingers… it felt like a hard booger. Then, Dr. Swale inserted the new lens implant, and that was it. Right after he slipped the new one in, he asked the patient to open her eyes. She was able to tell him how many fingers he was holding up. Before surgery, she could only detect up-close hand movement. Crazy cool.
I’ll be working with this ophthalmology team here at Clinica Ezell through Thursday of this week. It’s already so fascinating, and the people are so kind! Thanks for your continued prayers. Please pray that the surgeries will run smoothly and that we will be able to help the patients, despite lack of certain instruments and machines. Dios te bendiga!!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Looking for the Beautiful and Unexpected in the Day
I called my mom this morning, and we got to pray together over the phone. She prayed that God would show me something interesting or special today. I appreciated that a lot, and God DID give me something amazing today!!
I went to a mobile clinic today that is an HOUR away, and is basically a jungle and waterfalls. It's very picturesque, and I have been begging my co-workers to bring me up to the waterfall. They said it would be too tiresome, so I figured it was a no.
Then, a little boy, 2 years old, came in the clinic. All the workers knew him and immediately welcomed him. His head was wrapped in a white bandana, and I could tell he was a little developmentally delayed. Soon, I found out that "Domingo" or "Mingo" had had surgery 2 months ago in the U.S. Apparently, he was born with "meningocele," a form of spina bifida, where he had a large bulge on his forehead and back, where a part of his brain and his spinal cord were protruding. Today was just a checkup to see how the scars were healing and to make sure that there was no infection. He was the skirmiest little kid, wanting to grab and touch everything. He had the biggest grin and was just a downright happy kid. I thought, "This is the neat thing God brought into my life today, for sure."
Then, Valentin, the guy I have been working with all week, asked the doctor if he could take me to go see the waterfalls, because I had been asking all day. It was really slow anyways, and so we got to go! We drove halfway up the mountain, which was crazy. I thought we weren’t gonna make it up some of those rocky, steep hills! Then we got out and hiked the rest of the way up. I got right up close to the pounding waterfall, and the mist was spraying us like crazy! I got some pictures, and then we sat down and ate our lunch up there. It was so neat! I was sad that Macie didn't get to go though. :( Just the mist in my face and the roaring of the waterfall was amazing. I thought, "This for sure is my special thing for the day from God!"
I love it when God answers specific prayers! Thanks for your prayers as well, and God bless you for praying for me!
I went to a mobile clinic today that is an HOUR away, and is basically a jungle and waterfalls. It's very picturesque, and I have been begging my co-workers to bring me up to the waterfall. They said it would be too tiresome, so I figured it was a no.
Then, a little boy, 2 years old, came in the clinic. All the workers knew him and immediately welcomed him. His head was wrapped in a white bandana, and I could tell he was a little developmentally delayed. Soon, I found out that "Domingo" or "Mingo" had had surgery 2 months ago in the U.S. Apparently, he was born with "meningocele," a form of spina bifida, where he had a large bulge on his forehead and back, where a part of his brain and his spinal cord were protruding. Today was just a checkup to see how the scars were healing and to make sure that there was no infection. He was the skirmiest little kid, wanting to grab and touch everything. He had the biggest grin and was just a downright happy kid. I thought, "This is the neat thing God brought into my life today, for sure."
Then, Valentin, the guy I have been working with all week, asked the doctor if he could take me to go see the waterfalls, because I had been asking all day. It was really slow anyways, and so we got to go! We drove halfway up the mountain, which was crazy. I thought we weren’t gonna make it up some of those rocky, steep hills! Then we got out and hiked the rest of the way up. I got right up close to the pounding waterfall, and the mist was spraying us like crazy! I got some pictures, and then we sat down and ate our lunch up there. It was so neat! I was sad that Macie didn't get to go though. :( Just the mist in my face and the roaring of the waterfall was amazing. I thought, "This for sure is my special thing for the day from God!"
I love it when God answers specific prayers! Thanks for your prayers as well, and God bless you for praying for me!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Randomness
So, we’re back in Chicacao! It’s strange, but I actually felt like I was coming “home”! So, I just have some random stuff to blog. I have learned lately to be careful with my accents and pronunciations, because it makes a big difference. For instance, “vejiga” means “bladder” but it also means “balloon,” like the ones your blow up for birthday parties. “Catarata” means “cataract,” like the clouding of the eye, but it also means “waterfall.” “Año” means “year,” like Happy Birthday (Feliz Cumpleaños), but “ano” without the mark above the n means “anus.” Be careful when you’re asking someone how many years they have. :) “Mamá” with an accent means “mother,” but “mama” without a tilde means “breast.” “Papá” with an accent mark means “father,” but “papa” means “potato.”
Also random, but this made me laugh. The letter ‘x’ in the Quiche language makes the “sh” sound. So, I had a patient named “Xirle,” which is pronounced “Shirley.” How weird!
Also, I found this verse that I really like. I’m trying to apply it to how I live each day:
“He redeemed my soul from going down to the pit, and I will live to enjoy the light.” Job 33:28
Also random, but this made me laugh. The letter ‘x’ in the Quiche language makes the “sh” sound. So, I had a patient named “Xirle,” which is pronounced “Shirley.” How weird!
Also, I found this verse that I really like. I’m trying to apply it to how I live each day:
“He redeemed my soul from going down to the pit, and I will live to enjoy the light.” Job 33:28
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