Just a quick recap of my weekend in Guatemala - it is typical to have one day "off" before surgery starts as a "team bonding day" but never have I had a full weekend. There was supposed to be an educational session we participated in on Sat but it was cancelled & we didn't have to got set up the PACU so this was a luxury :)
I slept in til 8 on Sat bypassing the hike to the Volcano which I hard was wonderful but there was one casualty one of the anesthesiologists on the way back "rolled his ankle" but today we found out it was actually broken!!! so they are changing some of the physician coverage. I was ale to skype the girls one night & Doug on Sat morning but the hospital IPad has the camera locked down so I saw them but they didn't see me. I had a leisurely breakfast with some of the team then came back & did some emails & computer work. While we were at breakfast there was an American couple with a maybe 10 year old caucasian son & another maybe 7 year old "brown skinned son". Turns out the younger son they adopted from here when he was a baby & they were bringing him back to learn about & see the country he was born in - that was so cool!
In the afternoon we went over to a small local weekend artisans market - and I did a little shopping - found a Guatemalan Nativity & some other uniquely Guatemalan treasures. I also tried to find live streaming of the BYU vs Wisconsin game but ended up only able to get the radio transmission from KSL...not a great game but I do think I should get some recognition for listening all the way in Central America!!! When I have down time & am not busy that is when I miss my family & home, worry about all that is going on there etc so I tried to keep busy today & I know that wont be a problem starting Monday :)
For dinner they took us to Plaza Cayala a very high end area that honestly reminded me of Fashion Island - it was beautiful as they were getting it all decorated for Christmas. We were on our own for eating & Heather & I went to a steakhouse with a group - it was a bit expensive but quite yummy!
Today was our "team bonding day" & we went to this truly wonderful town Antigua - a colonial Mayan town with wonderful ruins, a cathedral where mass was going on, churches from the 1700's, convents, a monastery...the history was palpable & the streets all rocks & cobblestones. The Op Smile Foundation in Guatemala took us to a beautiful area for lunch there and we also went to another market. aside from the patients & team...a little shopping is also one of my favorite mission activities. One humorous moment - I mentioned the "security or policia" that travel with us - well I guess I am a bit oblivious to all of that cause there are actually 4 full time security Op Smile has here for us in addition to tons of security will full on headsets at every door & turn in the hotel. The Op Smile Security detail sit in the front of the buses & I just didn't realize it til the other day. Today in Antigua one big group went in one direction, another went the other way & Heather, Mary Laura & I were creating our plan - we ended up going in the same direction but were aways back from one group after walking about 15 min I noticed a man walking behind us...he seemed familiar & said in Spanish to me "I am with you". I am fairly certain he must have thought that if any in the group might need help it would have been the 3 of us. as we got closer to the big group he was gone...I truly don't feel "unsafe" we were in a very tourist town but you are approached by lots of people - beggars (often children), people wanting to sell you things or take you places as a tour guide etc. We are very cautious at night but our "personal security detail" today made me more mindful of safety.
We left Antigua at 4 & those of us who needed to go to the hospital went on one bus, drove to the hotel grabbed scrubs & left immediately for the hospital. Only Rachel & I went for PACU & we couldn't get in because the one staff person on shift had "gone for a walk"???? Out of 90 min we only got about 30 min of set up so we will finish in the morning. we can straight back to the Pre surgery mtg where Bonnie & Mike shared the story of their son Adam - it was tender...and then we had another 90 min of pre surgery review. We have 28 on the schedule for tomorrow - usually Mon is a lighter day so we are hitting the ground running. A 5:30 wake up call, 6:30 departure to the hospital & I would anticipate getting back between 8:30 & 9:30 pm...so glad I enjoyed the weekend - let the real purpose of the trip begin tomorrow. I am sure I will return with stories to share :)
I slept in til 8 on Sat bypassing the hike to the Volcano which I hard was wonderful but there was one casualty one of the anesthesiologists on the way back "rolled his ankle" but today we found out it was actually broken!!! so they are changing some of the physician coverage. I was ale to skype the girls one night & Doug on Sat morning but the hospital IPad has the camera locked down so I saw them but they didn't see me. I had a leisurely breakfast with some of the team then came back & did some emails & computer work. While we were at breakfast there was an American couple with a maybe 10 year old caucasian son & another maybe 7 year old "brown skinned son". Turns out the younger son they adopted from here when he was a baby & they were bringing him back to learn about & see the country he was born in - that was so cool!
In the afternoon we went over to a small local weekend artisans market - and I did a little shopping - found a Guatemalan Nativity & some other uniquely Guatemalan treasures. I also tried to find live streaming of the BYU vs Wisconsin game but ended up only able to get the radio transmission from KSL...not a great game but I do think I should get some recognition for listening all the way in Central America!!! When I have down time & am not busy that is when I miss my family & home, worry about all that is going on there etc so I tried to keep busy today & I know that wont be a problem starting Monday :)
For dinner they took us to Plaza Cayala a very high end area that honestly reminded me of Fashion Island - it was beautiful as they were getting it all decorated for Christmas. We were on our own for eating & Heather & I went to a steakhouse with a group - it was a bit expensive but quite yummy!
Today was our "team bonding day" & we went to this truly wonderful town Antigua - a colonial Mayan town with wonderful ruins, a cathedral where mass was going on, churches from the 1700's, convents, a monastery...the history was palpable & the streets all rocks & cobblestones. The Op Smile Foundation in Guatemala took us to a beautiful area for lunch there and we also went to another market. aside from the patients & team...a little shopping is also one of my favorite mission activities. One humorous moment - I mentioned the "security or policia" that travel with us - well I guess I am a bit oblivious to all of that cause there are actually 4 full time security Op Smile has here for us in addition to tons of security will full on headsets at every door & turn in the hotel. The Op Smile Security detail sit in the front of the buses & I just didn't realize it til the other day. Today in Antigua one big group went in one direction, another went the other way & Heather, Mary Laura & I were creating our plan - we ended up going in the same direction but were aways back from one group after walking about 15 min I noticed a man walking behind us...he seemed familiar & said in Spanish to me "I am with you". I am fairly certain he must have thought that if any in the group might need help it would have been the 3 of us. as we got closer to the big group he was gone...I truly don't feel "unsafe" we were in a very tourist town but you are approached by lots of people - beggars (often children), people wanting to sell you things or take you places as a tour guide etc. We are very cautious at night but our "personal security detail" today made me more mindful of safety.
We left Antigua at 4 & those of us who needed to go to the hospital went on one bus, drove to the hotel grabbed scrubs & left immediately for the hospital. Only Rachel & I went for PACU & we couldn't get in because the one staff person on shift had "gone for a walk"???? Out of 90 min we only got about 30 min of set up so we will finish in the morning. we can straight back to the Pre surgery mtg where Bonnie & Mike shared the story of their son Adam - it was tender...and then we had another 90 min of pre surgery review. We have 28 on the schedule for tomorrow - usually Mon is a lighter day so we are hitting the ground running. A 5:30 wake up call, 6:30 departure to the hospital & I would anticipate getting back between 8:30 & 9:30 pm...so glad I enjoyed the weekend - let the real purpose of the trip begin tomorrow. I am sure I will return with stories to share :)
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