So at breakfast before we went to the hospital we found out
that there were A LOT of team members sick – mostly with Montezumas Revenge – (vomiting
& diarrhea). The 4 students from the student team & the Program Support
person from OSI HQ didn’t even go with us to the hospital & the students
are from Mexico???? The team doctor was handing out medicine like candy…. I
felt a little queasy but I thought it was just because I haven’t been eating
well so I had some liquid protein in water to start my day & that seemed to
help – I am actually 100% committed to only eating the food I brought for now.
The first day is always a slow start – we left the hotel
about 7 & got there about 7:15 but the first patient wasn’t on a table
until 8:30 by the time we go thru all of our emergency training – which included
the exit route in case there was an earthquake – that was a new one for me! The
first patient in the recovery room was actually patient #1 the first child
screened so that was sort of fun – he didn’t get to us in recovery until 10 am
& his name was Lucas. A few things about a Mexico mission that I forgot…parents
cannot come into the recovery room to be with their children, there is this “magic
line & bench that divides the sterile from non sterile area in the
operating room & recovery room area. The patients are passed across the
line & bench & those of us in the OR or PACU cannot go on the non sterile
side – even for the bathroom that is 20 feet away – we have to go thru the
sterile side & enter thru there – but it is the same room??? Also in Mexico
Op Smile does not send Cargo so we use all in-country supplies which can be a
bit challenging – like the face masks & shoe covers.
In the Recovery Room (PACU) it’s Katrin ,me & Estela a
PICU nurse from UCLA plus Domy a “Nurse in training” here at the hospital. At
11 the mission photographer came in to the PACU not feeling well 0 she had been
sick yesterday. She was pretty pale so Tom the Team leader of Anesthesia put an
IV in her & we gave her 2 liters of fluid. Less than an hour later one of
the Pre-Post Nurses came in in tears – she was miserable so she too got an IV
& 2 liters of fluid & both rested in 2 of our 4 PACU beds for about 90
min each. In the mean time we had patients coming in but were managing it. Then
around 1 pm the Medical records volunteer had a headache, burst a blood vessel
beneath here eye & had a Blood Pressure of 182/90 – not good. I always tell
people that I don’t do “Big Patients” but really I had no choice. The team
doctor called a friend of his & we ended up getting her some oral blood
pressure medicine & watching her for a couple of hours. Then the Speech
Therapist came in with almost the same things headache, high blood pressure
& a blood vessel burst in her eye. It was CRAZY!!! I made up handwritten
charts for them so I could see their BP & meds etc. I really felt like I
was running an urgent care 😊
This afternoon they did “Combo Repairs” meaning both lips
& palate repaired on 2 older boys 18 & 19 years old who were brothers.
For whatever reason their mom never let them have surgery but now they were old
enough to consent themselves & came together to have surgery. It was super
cool & when I showed the 18 year old his “new face” on my I phone photo
screen he gave me a thumbs up & HUGE grin!!! They were both 3 hour
surgeries. By 2:30 we only had 9 of 20 patients completed bit we got a rush
& by 5:30 we only had 5 patients left. Somewhere in there was a lull &
I am pretty sure I nodded off for 30 minutes. The next 3 patients came out in a
steady flow….Guero who was the 230th patient screened & was
fortunate to have surgery today on Monday. He had 8 older siblings & was
the only one with a cleft & I am sure this family would LOVE his new smile.
Karin was also one of the last patients she was 8 months old & had cute
little pigtails. Then we had a HUGE stall for the last 2 patients…tonight was
my night to be on call so at 7 we sent Estela & Domy home & Katrin
stayed for the last 2 patients with me but the last one would not wake up from
the anesthesia, so I sent Katrin home & then I finished at 9. It was a long
day but not exhausting & my call night is done!!! I do miss not having the parents
come in because the moments when a mom or dad sees their child with a repair is
magical. All in all it was a successful day #1 – tomorrow will be busier – we have
25 patients & 13 are palate repairs :/
On another note the missionaries’ text me the info re the
fungal medicine so I am going to try & get that taken care of tomorrow for
that sweet mama & her son. I am off to bed!!! Good Night
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