Saturday, June 5th, 2010
Our team meets up early in the morning for our flight to Guatemala. We are surprised at the airport to learn that American Airlines started a trunk embargo - starting this morning! Our team is real worried that our supplies will not be making the trip with us to Guatemala, but after some stress and informing the airline of our mission, we are informed that some of our trunks can come, but we will not be able to pick which ones! Eventually, the airline has a change of heart, and all of our team and all of our trunks make it to Guatemala City.
Once our team arrives in Guatemala City, and we and our trunks make it through customs, we take the Flaming Chicken bus to Antigua. Our team heads to the Obras first, and we are taken on a tour by Sister Marixa. Seeing the children and adults that reside at the Obras moves the entire team (many to tears).
Our next stop is at the Casse de Fe - an equivalent to our "Ronald McDonald House" in the States. This is where our patients can stay after their surgery. Many of our patients need to utilize Case de Fe more than ever due to the many natural disasters devistating the country - an earthquake, volcano erruption, Tropical Storm Agatha (which caused not only flooding, but also mudslides)...needless to say, many of our patients are arriving for surgery, and have nothing to go back to.
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Sunday, June 6th, 2010
This is our first day to see patients. All of the patients wait (some all day long) to see us at the Obras so we can evaluate them and schedule them for surgery. Triage lasts most of the day, and we have a full schedule for the week.
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Monday, June 7th, 2010
Today is our first day of surgeries. Our day begins at 6:A.M. for breakfast, 6:30 for devotionals, and then on to the Obras.
For our first day we have:
1 scoliosis surgery
5 hip replacements
5 gland/mass excisions
11 hernia repairs
4 cholecystectomies
and 1 incision/drainage of an abdominal wound
All of today's surgeries went very well. Great job, team 260! Get your rest tonight - we have another busy day tomorrow.
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Tuesday, June 8th, 2010
Today was our second day of surgeries, and our frist day of physical therapy. Another busy day.
Judy, director of New Life School, came by and took a few people to her school which is right outside of Antigua, on the side of Mount Aqua. Her school is for students who were not welcome in other schools due to behavioral problems, physical limitations, or both. All 80 students at her school are now thriving.
We had our first thunderstorm this evening, right when we were finishing dinner.
Our surgeries for today were:
1 scoleosis
1 laminectomy
4 hip replacements
7 cholecystectomies
10 hernias
3 excision gland/mass
Great job, team!
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Wednesday, June 9th, 2010
The rain from last night is gone, and it is another pleasent morning in Antigua. Rounds, surgeries, and physical therapy continues. So far for the schedule we have:
1 scoleosis
1 sacrum fusion
4 hip replacements
11 cholecystectomies
9 hernias
1 apendectomy
We had some special guests from Transistions Foundation come to dinner and share their story. Transistions Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of Guatemalans living with disabilities.
www.transitionsfoundation.org
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Thursday, June 10th, 2010
This week has been busy and has gone by fast. Today is our last day of surgeries, and we have the most scheduled today - 30 planned surgeries.
Our morning began with a special devotional. We each lit a candle and gave intentions when we placed the candles in the earth. | 