This will be a short post cause I'm a little tired & want to get to bed...typically the 2nd day of screening is a bit slower than the 1st but not so much here. We had a pretty steady day & flow of patients...all very cute with such loving parents just hoping we could help their children.
By about 3 pm it was winding down & we were getting ready to go unpack Cargo & start setting up the recovery room. All day we had heard their was a "bus" of people coming but assumed it was just a rumor. Things were winding down & we had already screened almost 90 kids...then...THE BUS arrived. At first I thought "really???" cause I was ready to move on to the next task & get into the Recovery room area but as I saw these VERY HUMBLE BOLIVIAN people get off the bus, in somewhat dirty clothes w/ their babies in one arm & their bag of belongings in another I stopped & reminded myself that the reason I'm here is to help people like them...unpacking Cargo & setting up could wait. We were told they this group had travelled by bus for about 36 hours from just beyond La Paz - probably on dirt roads because about half of the roads we travel on are dirt roads. I appreciated the change in perspective as I imagined all they had gone thru to get here with their children...I was in awe of their determination & the HOPE they had for medical help and I immediately decided I was going to be extra kind to them & offer them water & just smile & appreciate that I could be a part of their journey....
In the bus of about 70 there were 40 children to be screened many who will get surgery this week & a few who are too small & will have to wait. There is a "shelter" for those who have travelled from afar at a catholic church where they can stay for free & get 3 meals a day all this week & I think for a few days after we finish here - but the shelter is 45 min away so Op Smile has a bus that takes them back & forth.
We did get in to the operating room & the recovery room - in comparison it is better than Kenya & worse than Mexico...its very small, we can fit 4 gurneys in the area but not real beds, there is not a sink in the room but there is one outside the room & down the hallway. No chairs for us & really no place for our equipment - it is going to be cozy :) But it will all work out - it always does
The best news is that our wake up call isn't until 7 am tomorrow - that seems like sleeping in!!! Tomorrow morning is an Educational Conference - I am giving a 30 min talk on Pediatric Shock complete with a translator - wish me luck!!! That is scheduled to finish at noon & then we will finish our set up & there is a group dinner tomorrow & our team bonding day is Sunday so it should be a not too stressful weekend!
before a very busy week....I'm off to bed & its only 10 pm here woo-hoo! Night all!
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