Breakfast is pretty good - a dozen or so foods to choose from, as well as bread, fruit, and drinks. Most of the entrees have meat, so I end up with bread and fruit or oatmeal from home. Enough for all to fuel up, and we get a few moments of social time before a full day of work.
Dr. Nguong, one of our surgeons, and Phi our translator. I was told that Phi was a biochemical engineer for years before joining in to pamper us all. The fascinating pasts of all our team members are surfacing, and are very interesting.
Once while passing through the recovery room, I caught this photo of many of the nurses piled on one bed having their siesta. The nurses who help us in the OR simply disappear after lunch, and this must be what they are doing. These folks have a great work ethic, but also priorities. Lunch and nap are essential parts of the day.
One child became very dehydrated, as his parents took the "nothing-by-mouth" rule to an extreme. The children can have clear liquids up to two hours before surgery. For some reason, this child had had nothing by mouth from 6pm the night before, and it was now 20 hours later. In this heat, he was becoming lethargic and you can imagine how dry and uncomfortable. We started an intravenous and began to give him an IV "drink" before he came in to surgery. I sat with him for a bit to examine him and then just watch him. He rolled his head over and looked at me, and then in a universal gesture, he flopped his left arm over to me with the palm up and his fingers reaching a bit. We held hands, and in spite of my tears welling up at his sweetness, I got this photo.
I caught this photo of Frankie having a moment of respit in the OR. She is amazing. As the only operating room nurse, she has organized the central supply area, prepares for each surgery, sets up equipment, makes sure we have the right patient, gets both surgeons what they need as the cases progress, cleans up after we leave, reorganizes and sterilizes the sets, and much, much more. As the day progresses, she is cheerful, funny, and seems to have boundless energy. But I caught her with some much deserved down time, and it was nice to see this brief rest come her way. In the U.S., we would have about six people doing her job. Our extra volunteers have jumped right in and help her when then can, but she is still unbelievable!
This is a shot of Dr. Nguong and Dr. McClure, working together. They are doing great things and we are very lucky to be able to support them as they work their way through the lists of patients we have.
Crowded elevator. It is much faster for us to take the stairs, and more comfortable. The problem is getting lost - the hospital is a maze of linking wings that are interchangeable, and we don't know how to ask for directions. So we push our way into the squeeze as best as we can and hope for the best...
Hmmm. Very unhappy...
Very happy and smiling as best as she can with a bilateral cleft...
... and undecided ...
Here is Hien with one of our sweet patients. Before ...
...and after, with happy mom.
Another adorable face.
And another...
And another!
And Phi, with a skeptical patient.
\Elizabeth and Marion in the OR, watching and waiting for a way to help. Both amazing women with endless energy and good questions.
We see the post-operative patients in the morning to decide who goes home, and then in the evening to see the patients for the next day, and anyone who has had surgery. The surgeon and pediatrician always go, with translators and extra team members when we can.
Peekaboo!
Lady Catherine at the table she has set up for us - snacks, tea, coffee, fruit, and good cheer. Thank you, Catherine, Phi, Marion, and Elizabeth - our lifelines!
Dr. Bill McClure at work with his Vietnamese team. He is learning words for each of their instruments, and they all work very well together. He has been very pleased with the help he is getting from the assistants. Volunteering themselves, the scrubs and workers we have added to the team from the local work force have been so essential to our daily success.
All-Vietnamese team - scrub, surgeon, anesthetist.
Dr. Bill and Frankie (probably offering to help...).
Catherine translating at rounds. Always smiling!
I hope this is not too graphic, but these shots show a good example of the work we do and the quality of our surgeons. The magical difference here makes meaningful change in a child's potential in life. Kids especially can be cruel to those who are different, and a change like this makes a big difference in day to day life, not only in speech and feeding, but in socialization and acceptance.
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