Update?

 

This is how my life feels….

 

This is how I would like it to be!

Update coming soon!

More from the Philippines

I have added a picture of Kirk Nichols. He is a nurse anesthetist from Utah who worked with us during the 1st week. This is the hotel we are staying at. It is quite nice and the wi-fi is helpful. The little girl with the smile gets my vote for our happiest patient. Always waving and blowing kisses.

Philippines - End of week one

Here are a few more pictures. The girl who seems to be unhappy to be with Geoff is little Reza. We did her cleft lip and palate on previous missions. She was so malnourished that Geoff provided nutrition for a year before doing her palate surgery. Now she is doing well. The picture of the pig roasting over open coals is a reminder that the there is a festive atmosphere here in Kabankalan and a lot of people milling about because it is the time of the annual Sinalog festival.

More from the Philippines

This cute little girl had surgery cancelled on two previous missions because she was sick. When she arrived this time she had a fever so it looked like it might happen again. She looked like it might happen again. The next morning she seemed OK so we went ahead. The photo up above is me getting IV fluids after two days with the flu or food poisoning.

More from the Philippines

I have added some more pictures of the patients and their parents. It is always fun and touching to take the children out to their parents after surgery. They are waiting so anxiously to see what the change will look like. All of the preop patients and their families as well as the post surgery patients are in one room. They seem to bond with one another and help one another. We worked until after midnight last night and today looks about the same. Geoff was concerned that we might not have enough patients. Turns out it is the most we have ever had. The OB business continues to be booming here. I will add some pictures of the benches where they wait to go and deliver as well as the delivery table inside.

Philippines 2011

We have gotten off to a good start on our humanatarian mission to repair cleft lips and cleft palates here in Kabankalan, Occidental Negroes, Philippines. After leaving Boise on Friday and traveling to Portland, Tokyo, Manila, Bacolad and a two hour car ride, I arrived at my destination on Sunday evening. On Monday we evaluated about 45 patients and then did one operation on Monday night. This is my 5th trip to the Philippines and my third to this specific hospital, so I feel a lot more comfortable and my anxiety level is not so high. Still it is off the beaten path and there are always challenges to overcome. On Tuesday we did three operations and got back to the hotel by 9:30 PM. That is a bit unusual. I have become accustomed to much later nights. Because of my familiarity with the environment and the process, there are things I can do to improve efficiency throughout the day. I am writing this on Wednesday and we are just about to complete our fourth case today. No major problems with any of the cases so far. I am sharing the work with Kirk Nichols this week. He is a nurse anesthetist from Utah. His journey to the Philippines turned into a saga after he had boarded his connection in Los Angeles. It seems that the luggage people bumped against the plane with their vehicle and knocked a hole in it. I do enjoy the Philippines with its 80 degree temperatures in January and lush green vegetation. The people are wonderful. I even like the little geckos on the lunch room walls. Several people have asked “where is Miss Sandra” and I have to explain that she couldn’t make it this year. Sandra would be amazed that there are even more babies being delivered at this little hospital this year than last and as always the women barely make a sound as they go through labor without an epidural. Sandra would appreciate that Kirk and I rode a “trike” back to the hotel last night. That is a motorcycle with a side car that serves as a taxi. The locals will often get 10 or 12 people on it at one time.

Just Because…

I have been terrible at updating my blog lately, so this picutre is “just because”.

No Emma does not wear glasses, she just found a pair of her Auntie Kelsi’s old ones and thought she would try them out!

I love this girl!