Screening Day #1

I am honestly not sure I can capture the essence of today in a blog post...I truly cannot put into words all that I experienced but I will try... our wake up call was at 5:30 & we then were supposed to board the bus at 6:30 but...it didnt come so they started sending "key people" in taxis...yesterday they Mission Coordinator asked me to be the "Gatekeeper" & I said "sure" not really knowing what that meant...when they told me I should go in the taxi cause I was the gatekeeper I knew I was in trouble.  Basically on the screening day the patients go 1st to Medical records, then to Patient Imaging to get pictures taken, then to the pre & post op nurses, then to the plastic surgeons, next the anesthesiologists, then the pediatrician, to the dentist/oral surgeon, speech pathologist & then ME!!! My job was to check & see that everyone else saw the patient & filled out ALL the paperwork then note what priority they are & thru the translator send them for labs if we for sure will do surgery (the priority 1,2,3) & tell the 4's & 5's to come back Sunday to check the schedule & see if they are on it... & the NC's (not a candidate for our mission for a variety of reasons) tell them that too...broke my heart...then send some off to get labs & they came back to me then I passed their chart off to the "local hospital" medical records, then to Op Smile Electronic Medical records then back to me & I did this for 148 patients,  It was a VERY busy day - I had to use my ICU Nurse & mom multitasking abilities all at the same time in concert with a translator & sometimes 2 translators.  I didnt even take a break for anything :) and I LOVED every minute of it :) except for the few times I had too many patients backed up & lost my helpers!

So that was the scenario...I had taken a few dresses & shirts to give away but was so busy I couldn't even do that so I told Zippee & she would identify those most in need & bring them to me & we got them stuff - I gave away about 15 dresses today & 5 or 6 shirts.  We are going to have a better system tomorrow plus I will be able to give dresses etc on all the surgery days as all the kids pass thru the recovery room I am not at all worried that every item will find a good home. I did get some pics today (or actually Zippee did w/ my camera!) Tomorrow is another screening day & since it didn't rain today they expect perhaps even more people.  We will also be setting up the recovery room & "John" the Kenyan RN who is my lead in the recovery room just found me here in the lobby on my computer to tell me that he has to go back to his home area so he can work tomorrow & the other Kenyan nurse who is with us doesn't come until Sunday so I will be setting up the Recovery room with the help of the OR nurses late tomorrow after I finish another day of being the "Gatekeeper".  He did say we can go double check things on Sunday - good plan!  I appreciate the vote of confidence but clearly no one got the memo that this is my 1st Op Smile mission w/ the responsibility they are giving me :)

Now....on to the important stuff before this post gets so long no one reads it.... I was amazed that we actually had alot of adults come to be "screened" with a variety of problems...they all were priority 5 & as I understand it if we have any "extra time" we will do them the last day...clearly no one told them "Nurse Nancy ususally doesn't do big people"  Guess I will have to make an exception here in Africa! Screening in the morning was slower that normal (# wise) they said likely because of the rain but we started about 8ish & by 10 it was getting steady & more kids were coming thru...they are SO PRECIOUS (& actually a few of them were named Precious, Happiness,etc).  I was so busy "doing my job" that I had to remind myself to pause from the "busyness" & stop & talk to the moms or kids & hug or hold the little ones or tell them how beautiful they are.  Many times I felt myself get teary when I realized that we are here changing lives.  The end of the day was especially amazing...a busload  (about 20) of tribal Kenyans arrived after travelling from 850 kilometers away...they had walked for 4 days then were on a bus for 2 days & arrived late in the afternoon....all of them adults & children with such tremendous needs & not just medical....first they had little to eat the 5 days of their travel & most were barefoot or clothed in tattered garments - kids & adults...we gave dresses to all the girls there :)  They were so grateful...I think most all of us who are parents would do whatever we could for our children but at home those things we do & sacrifices we make seemed so small compared to what these parents had done.  Just the hope of getting help....compelled them to walk & get a bus to go 850 km & 5 days for help.  They will stay at the "hospital" now until we start surgery on Monday & they will be the 1st cases so we can see them recover before they return to their village....if that was all I experienced here my time would be so well spen BUT...I still have 9 days...I am the one blessed to be here & blessed to serve...truly tht scripture that compelled me to go to Houston after Katrina rings true here....inasmuch as ye have done it to the least of these....ye have done it unto me....

Sending my love to all fo you from far away in miles but not in spirit or heart....