Before reading today’s blog…please understand it is late, the day has been long and wonderful. My editing skills are lacking at this hour (especially where my tenses are concerned). It is most important you hear our story, please ignore the grammatical errors. Thank You!
Until now, we have awakened to the birds singing…this morning we awakened to the black night sky full of stars and bright crescent moon. How many of you were treated to homemade cranberry French toast? We again than our dynamic Cooking Team! Morning devotional began at 6am and it was our singing that woke the birds! Fuego, the active volcano easily seen from our place, belched a rather impressive lava spray that delayed our start as we all grabbed for cell phones to catch the display! Bet NONE of you woke to that this morning!
Steve began our devotional with quotes from Corinthians 1:
4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also, is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
We have all been blessed with different gifts from God and today, as we begin our first day of surgery, we will all be asked to share those gifts. With our hands we will make a difference sharing our talents. Our Cooking Team used their hands and skill to fill us for the day ahead. Our Anesthesia Team and Pharmacists will skillfully keep our patients pain free, our Surgery Teams will use their hands and skill to cut away or fix what is needed by our patients, our Recovery Room Team will care for and soothe the patients as anesthesia wears off. The Audiology Team will use their hands and skill to give the gift of hearing as the Dental Team improves the dental health of so many. God will work through our hands, using the skills he has given us. We will use our hands, our smiles, and skills to give the gift of hope to these very deserving people who have come so far and put their faith in God and us.
On our walk to the Obras (hospital) I was talking to Jeff, one of our interpreters. I envy his easy fluency with the Spanish and his understanding of the culture here. I guessed maybe he was raised bilingual? Jeff never took even one Spanish lesson growing up, he had no interest in foreign languages! At age 30, his wife brought home some Spanish language tapes and encouraged Jeff to listen to them in his car. He agreed for one week he’d give them a try. At the end of the week he realized he had a gift for Spanish! Something he had avoided his whole life, was something he now loved! Jeff has been on at least 40 mission trips in the past 10 years providing an invaluable service to our team and patients! Think what untapped gifts we may have waiting to be discovered?
When we arrive the Obras is buzzing with activity, all hallways are lined with chairs that are full, people coming and going! As we travel down the halls we say, “Buenos Dias,” and receive hundreds of smiles and wishes back for a Good Morning! Our teams head to their appointed places and Day One of Surgery begins.
The Pre-Op room has 5 beds full, one for each of our Operating Rooms. Bed #1 has beautiful 11-year-old Dafne who is quietly crying, great big tears running down her face. Her mother wipes them away as she tries to comfort her daughter. Pastor Steve and I introduce ourselves and Dafne explains she misses her friends and school and even her teachers. She has come with the group from Petén, 16 hours away by bus. She has never been so far from home. Steve offers a prayer which is gladly accepted. He touches Mom and Dafne as he prays with them in Spanish. When the prayer is done, they thank him and it is obvious they are both starting to feel better. Steve is called away and I think of something to keep Dafne happy. I bring forth a bag of brightly colored hats from The St. Bernard’s Knitting Guild. Dafne’s eyes light up as she understands she is to choose one to keep. She picks the turquoise and bright green one as these are her favorite colors. She beams wearing her new “gorra”. I am happy to report Neil’s OR #1 Team (May, Jacob, Stuart,Dalia) was able to clear up the sinus and ear problems which caused Dafne’s frequent sinus infections, ear infections, and hearing loss she has had since birth. Before I left the hospital, Dafne was sitting up in the ward so happy and thankful for the wonderful care and gift of health she received today.
In the next pre-op bed is 75-year-old Tomasa. Her face is brown and lined, weathered from the hard life she has lived, but her eyes are bright and kind and she holds hands with Jeff, our gifted interpreter. They chat back and forth and laughe. Tomasa is not nervous, she knows God will care for her and her doctor today. She is so happy, praise to God, that this day is here. She has lived for more than 6 years with a painful hernia. She continues to do her daily chores, but now she will return home and do them without pain. BreAnn, our General Surgeon, and her team (Theresa, Denise, Steve) repaired Tomasa’s hernia, she was cared for by our Recovery Room Team (Lydia, Crystal, Jenna, Brianne) and Tomasa would like to thank all those who brought her this gift from God.
Jose Domingo, 78, also felt relief that today was finally here as he rested in Bed #3! He has been living with two hernias, one on the right and one on the left for some time. It makes work (at 78!) very difficult. It was David’s General Surgery Team (Monica, Kourtney, Robin) who would put their hands and skills to work to help dear Jose Domingo. Robin came in to get this patient ready to move to the OR. She spoke softly, explaining what she was doing, being so gentle. While gathering important information from Jose Domingo, she was also instilling in him confidence that all would go well. Jose Domingo had such trust and thankfulness in his eyes. I asked if it is unusual in the states to see a patient with two hernias? Yes, the first would have been repaired before the second appeared. Hernias occur when there is a tear in the abdominal wall. The bowel can find that weak spot and protrude and can cause a very serious medical emergency. Jose Domingo is part of the group here from far away Petén…what does one do in a medical emergency when the nearest hospital is 16 hours away? We thank God for Faith In Practice and this team for helping this kind, hardworking man. His life will be forever changed after today.
In Bed #4 we find solemn 5-year-old Abner here to have out his tonsils and adenoids. I try everything I have—new hat, blowing bubbles, even a Matchbox car. Nothing is going to cheer up this little fellow…. until Jeff approaches and unleashes his gift of Spanish and his silly side! Abner wasn’t laughing, but I did see a smile cross his face and I could see his Mama truly appreciated the antics. Fred and his well-oiled ENT Team (Ginger, Charllie, Scott) removed what was necessary and I saw Abner being cared for so tenderly in the recovery room. Waking up from that operation is no fun, but going on to enjoy a life free from chronic sore throats, difficulty breathing, etc. will be!
Finally, in the 5th bed we met Erick, a 39-year-old priest who was here to see Bill and his Vascular Team (Cam, Jose, Linda) to have painful varicose veins removed. He was the first of 6 successful procedures in the Vascular OR today.
It was time to visit our periodontists in the Dental Clinic. Cary and Rafael were both well into their first cases of the day. Because dental care is so hard to find in Guatemala, many times it is only when something really hurts a patient finds their way to this clinic. Both of the young adults in the chairs had bad decay that had to be drilled out and filled. There is a wonderful comradery in the room between Cary and Rafael. As they are working, they are bouncing ideas off one another, enjoying the other’s encouraging words or 2nd opinion. What amazes me is that the patients who are having serious work done are completely relaxed, no white-knuckle grips on the chairs, no nervous feet moving. It almost looks as if they are napping? Rafael explained these folks are so grateful they are being helped and they have complete trust that they are in good and capable hands. As a periodontist, he uses empathy and care with each person. In and out of the clinic, Rafael exercises the Golden Rule.
I was still thinking about the incredible transformations I had witnessed in the Auditory Clinic yesterday. I will never forget 9-year-old Nelson who had been born with a malformed right ear with which he heard nothing. His left ear was better, but did not function 100%. Alexa had seen cases like this last year and so thought to bring 2 donated bone conductor aids. This is just what Nelson needed! A band is placed over the head. A microphone sits near the nonfunctioning ear. It picks up sound which is converted to vibrations that travel over the band to the good ear. At that end of the band is a small box that is placed behind the good ear causing vibrations on the bones of the skull to the cochlear of the inner ear. With this device, Nelson would hear from his right and left side. Once band was in place Nelson’s serious face melted to a big smile…his Dad’s did the same. They both had hugs for Alexa, Kelli, Paola, and me! Just before they left, Nelson raised his hood up over the new device. One of us asked if he was cold, but then we all realized for 9 years this boy’s ears have been covered. His ears make him different and being different isn’t easy. Kelli told me had Nelson been born in the USA, his hearing impairment would have been picked up at his newborn screening, he would have been given a cochlear implant, would have seen an auditory verbal therapist and had normal hearing and speech. Such things are not available for the people here.
When I entered the Auditory Clinic today, it had the same bright, positive, friendly feel as yesterday. In the chair was beautiful 19-year-old Milcy, her mother was answering Paola’s questions. Milcy had learned sign language because her hearing loss from birth was so severe. Today she was being fitted for her first hearing aid in her left ear, Kelli’s testing showed greater ability in this ear. Alexa used sign language as she explained what she was doing. Milcy looked hopeful, her mother looked hopeful, but tense. Milcy had her head cocked to the right as Alexa placed the aid in the left ear. Slowly, a tear ran from Milcy’s eye. Alexa stopped and asked in sign language, “Are you crying from pain?” Milcy signed back, “No, I am crying with happiness. This is an answer from God”. At that we all cried, especially Milcy and her mother. I cannot believe seeing someone hear for the first time ever gets old. We took pictures to mark this changing moment in this young woman’s life. Before going, Milcy’s mom hugged the team and through tears, said, “Thank you, thank you! God bless you! This is a gift from God! May he always bless you!” More hugs were given and out the door they walked….and the team took a minute to absorb what we had all been a part of, wiped our tears, laughed, took a breath and Kelli called the next patient. Thank God Alexa and Kelli choose to come here and share their gifts.
It was a long and wonderful first day of surgery. Everywhere I looked I saw team members graciously sharing their gifts with others—patients, family members, the incredibly capable Obras Staff, fellow team members. All were using their hands to help, heal, love, soothe. I saw May tucking the blanket around the already sleeping patient in the OR. I saw Fred look directly into the eyes of his hopeful trusting patient and smile, making it clear it was going to be all right. BreAnn was holding her patient’s hand as she watched Steven expertly anesthetize him so the surgery could begin. Ron and Janet worked without rest sharing their knowlegde when dispensing every bit of medicine needed today! When 24-year-old Dulce awakened slowly in the recovery room Crystal’s kind face was right there with a quiet voice and soothing hand to welcome her. Ed was there to catch these beautiful moments with his camera. So many examples I saw of all of us doing God’s will, recognizing and using our talents in this incredibly complex jigsaw puzzle that, when put together, the pieces show a place on earth like it is in heaven. Thank God for this day! It began with a volcanic explosion and ended for me with a birthday candle in my dessert. I blew out the candle, but didn’t need to make a wish…it has already come true.
