Day 2: “Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not get bent out of shape.”
After morning devotional, Dr. Wani emphasized something that became clear throughout the day: this mission is a team effort! Every person on the team plays a critical role, and the reason this mission works is because people are willing to step in wherever and whenever they are needed. He talked about the importance of being flexible, supporting one another, and understanding that no role is insignificant. As the day went on, his message showed up constantly.
Following devotionals, we walked over to the Obras and immediately finalized preparation for the ORs. The Obras has seven operating rooms (and therefore seven corresponding pre-op & PACU beds), though today, we were running five ORs simultaneously: two rooms for ENT surgeries, two for general surgery, and one for gynecological surgery. People moved quickly between rooms gathering supplies, checking instruments, organizing equipment, and making sure everything was ready before surgeries began.
At the same time, pre-op filled up with the first round of patients and their families. Some patients laid quietly while others asked questions or had conversations with volunteers. Parents stayed close beside their children, trying their best to remain calm for them when they were clearly anxious themselves. The first patient of the day was a little girl named Naydelin. Despite the early hour and everything happening around her, she was in incredibly high spirits for her hernia repair. She smiled constantly, took many photos with both the volunteers and her dad, and seemed more calm in comparison to many of the adults around her.
Throughout the day, patients continuously rotated through pre-op, surgery, and PACU. I spent most of my time in pre-op talking with kids and their families while they waited. One of my favorite moments happened later that morning when the second round of patients included Fernanda and Heleny, both six years old, whom I had bonded with during triage the day before. The second they saw me and the other familiar volunteers, both girls immediately lit up. Seeing friendly faces clearly made the situation feel less intimidating.
While they waited, we spent time talking about important matters: favorite princesses (the consensus was Rapunzel, Tiana, Elsa, and Cinderella), favorite colors, stickers, coloring books, and favorite foods. Their moms sat with us the entire time. They were nervous, but worked hard to stay collected for their daughters. They were incredibly patient and kind, even teaching me new words in Spanish throughout the conversation. Because of them, I will probably remember forever that “eyelashes” in Spanish is pestañas.
Meanwhile, inside the ORs, surgeries continued one after another. The teams performed a wide variety of procedures including hernia repairs, removal of benign masses (lipomas), laparoscopic cholecystectomies (gallbladder removals), and ENT procedures including tonsillectomies and adenoidectomies.
PACU remained active as patients woke from anesthesia. Some woke up calm and quiet, while others woke up crying and disoriented. Imagine waking up, not knowing where you are, and seeing strangers speaking a language foreign to you–it is scary and confusing. The PACU team worked nonstop helping patients feel safe, calm, and comfortable.
One moment especially reflected Dr. Wani’s message from that morning. During one surgery, a patient required significantly more time and attention in the OR than expected in order to receive the safest care possible. WIthout hesitation, other team members immediately stepped up to help shoulder the workload. Surgeries were moved to different rooms, schedules adjusted, and people adapted to responsibilities they had not necessarily anticipated for the day. Everyone, without a second thought, did whatever was needed to support both the patient and the team.
After a long first surgery day, we headed back to Quinta de las Flores, to reflect on the day’s unforgettable moments and prepare for another day of life-changing surgeries.
Jaya Sheth, Blogger & Photographer
