To be loved is to be known.
That was the message of our devotion this morning. Love is everywhere here in Guatemala, but true, deep love requires vulnerability. The kind of vulnerability many people struggle to share, even with those closest to them. Yet here, patients entrust their stories, fears, and bodies to this team. And in return, our providers meet them with compassion and care. We are not meant to show up halfway, God calls us to be fully present, just as uniquely as we are.
Day two of surgeries brought a different kind of energy, one that set in the deep connection of our services.
Throughout the day, anesthesiologist Dr. Brent Andersen and pharmacist Ronald Barnes never failed to support the team tenfold. They were constantly checking in on the CRNAs and ensuring everyone was heard and seen, true examples of teamwork and passion in action.
Our team found a rhythm, working together with trust and intention. It was powerful to witness not only the procedures, but the shift in patients, from uncertainty to relief. This work is not just about physical healing. It is about restoring dignity, comfort, and hope.
Dr. David Crotzer, our team’s gynecologist/oncologist, performed a hysterectomy on patient, Shasha Margareth Avika Rican, she was in her 40s and had been living with a large, painful fibroid. She was also born with cerebral palsy, a condition that has shaped many aspects of her life and daily challenges, making even simple tasks more difficult. Dr. Crotzer expressed his deep appreciation for the opportunity to relieve her of just one pain or obstacle in her life.
This surgery was the first surgery I have gotten the chance to scrub-in on as a pre-med student and, wow, was it an amazing experience. Even if all I did was hold the retractor, taking care of this woman meant the world to me. Nothing else mattered to me at that moment than to make sure Dr. Crotzer, Jessica Herrera (surgical tech) and Juan Ojeda (nurse) got any help I could provide to make this surgery as comfortable and successful as possible.
Because just outside the operating room, a mother anxiously waited for her daughter to come back to her.
By the end of the day each of the patients had been safely sent to our incredible PACU team. It is so meaningful to witness and be part of a team working together with the sole purpose of improving the lives of people who were once strangers.
Tori Schenkelberg- Team Blogger, Farrow Team 896
