My 2nd Sunday in India and our last day of
surgery. As we left for the hospital there were already families gathering at
the river’s edge and a soccer game going on in a dirt field. We only had 5
tables going today (instead of 6) and 15 on the schedule so we anticipated a
shorter day but it was a little longer than expected. Sometimes the older
patients that they schedule for the last day of the mission have more
complicated cases and anatomy after having their defects for their entire
lives. I was repping Ethicon today & wearing the scrubs that my friend Kim
sent me J. They got off to a slow start because some of the
scrub nurses that were supposed to come from the hospital staff didn’t show up
but somehow they got it all worked out. While we waited for our first patients
we already started some “clean up” of excessive supplies we had set up &
knew we wouldn’t need today so we did some returning of items to the makeshift “store-room”.
Since this is OSI’s first return mission to India & they plan to be very
involved here again everything will stay in India as local cargo for future
missions. Richard who is over OSI India was in the store room so I spoke to him
about how to help one patient we saw who needs to go to Mumbai for a special
procedure. I saw her on screening day but then not again since her needs weren’t
something we could do here. He said they could identify her from her chart
number & we could designate money to assist in getting her there – so I am
figuring that out.
I did go to post op in the morning & took some pictures
of some very happy parents & children with new smiles – it is so amazing to
see them at screening, in recovery when they are often times screaming,
uncomfortable & scared & then the next day when they are just happy
little kids with their parents & a new smile! I took a few more photos and
it was fun to see some of them in their CHOC shirts, with their new baby dolls
etc. My one suitcase is now empty & with the broken handle so I am going to
leave it & they are going to pack student or child life stuff in it for
future missions – a little part of me will stay in India J
One of our patients today was 11 year old Sarathi – I saw
her in the morning in pre-op & noticed that she was on her mat by herself
but didn’t think anything of it because that place is a little chaotic in the
morning with lots of people getting seen & prepped for surgery. When she
came to recovery post op she was so sweet – we had the students go get her parents
& it was her 20 year old brother that came back. He was the one who had
brought her, they lived 300 km away (about 4 hours) & his parents couldn’t afford
to miss work and also pay for for the travel to bring her here so her brother came
with her & seeing his face as he saw his sleeping sister with a totally new
look to her face after her large cleft lip was repaired was priceless – he just
kept staring at her & wanting to wake her up so that she could look in the
mirror. It was so tender to see this big brother helping his little sister – because
he brought her- her life is changed!
I asked Krishna one of the local anesthesiologists & the
team lead about the high incidence of clefts in India – part of it is just the
volume of population of people in India & one other possible cause in all 3rd
world countries while not 100% of all cases seems to be a dietary deficiency in
pregnancy – specifically folic acid. The country has recently started a
campaign to provide pregnant women with Folic Acid supplements and that has
decreased the incidence. Unfortunately however not all pregnant women in the
most impoverished areas get any prenatal care so the incidence is still high. I
also asked him why they don’t get them repaired when several organization are
in India to help them & he said for many of these people it is #10 on their
priority list after food, shelter, work, safety etc. Many of them think that
their child will be a laborer carrying items or working in a field so what does
it matter and others here have the same defect. He said the cost to go from a
more remote area (even where we are) the 2 hours to Kolkata for all of this
could mean 6 days of lost wages & with 5 family members dependent on that
one person’s income they just can’t sacrifice the basic needs of the entire
family for something like that. It was very sobering information about the
reality of their lives. Such hard decisions they have to make that we don’t even
think about.
A couple of today’s cases were canceled & we ended up
doing only 10 real cases & some locals. I think the final surgery count was
179 – just one short of the goal they had for 180 cases this mission – still that’s
A LOT of surgeries in 6 ½ days!!! We “clapped out” our VERY LAST patient who
was another 13 year old girl – just our little way of celebrating!!! My
Jordanian nurse friend whose shoulder I had slept on the day I got sick came
& gave me a keychain from Jordan – that was so nice of him!!! I gave small
gifts to the local nurses & some of the volunteers. They are so
appreciative. We finished about 2 pm & then did all of our take down, pack
up etc. and were done by 3:30 & back at the hotel about 4. Since really
there has been no where for us to go outside of the hospital or hotel they brought
in a woman with Sari’s to sell. Some people bought them to wear to the final
party tonight & the local nurses said they would “dress them” (it is definitely
a learned art!). Others of them bought them just to have as wall hangings or
table cloths etc. It was a $20 souvenir J
so I did get one! The party was starting at 7 or 7:30 so I decided to spend a
little time starting to pack up all my stuff!!!
The party was right at the hotel on a grassy area. The photo
video of the week is always my favorite part. It is crazy to think that we go
here not even 2 weeks ago & all that we have done in that time. I am always
amazed at what a small group of compassionate and dedicated strangers can do in
10 days -2 weeks. It is also fun to see everyone dressed up & the girls in
the Sari’s looked awesome!!! There was lots of food but I am still “eating
light” and Bengali music for dancing & fun!!! In order for them to be able
to serve alcohol they had to get a “special permit” and that permit was written
as a wedding for Valentina & Bhaskar LOL!!! By about 10:30 though I was
done and ready for bed. Pradeep had taken a walk out of the hotel to the left (opposite
the way I had gone) this afternoon & is going to go again in the morning so
I am going to go with him! I also had some emails with Pres. Hodges & Sujal
– we are trying to coordinate a meet up in Kolkata tomorrow. AND I had tried to
use miles (way too many to divulge) to get an upgrade on my flight & it
looks like I have it for the long leg from Delhi to Newark – that will be
AMAZING if that is the case because I am not looking forward to 36 hours or
travel other than the fact that I am going HOME!!!
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