Medical Missions Foundation

You've Gotta Have Faith

Post by Nancy Besa
Photos by Peter Obetz

We encourage you to leave your comments and messages at the bottom of this post.

It’s Sunday morning in Antigua and the church bells are ringing. All week long we heard them at various times throughout the day – I never could quite figure out the schedule or significance. In historic churches throughout the city people  - including myself – are filing in for mass. I am so thankful for the opportunity to be a part of this mission that I felt that this was just the place, for me, to take pause and reflect.

In a mere six days our team screened and treated 500+ in the village and 180 in the ENT clinic; performed 80 surgeries; and fit and distributed 110 hearing aids. Those pretty darn impressive numbers. Adults submitted themselves, and parents, their children, to our care. Through our skilled translators, we did our best to explain procedures, but you just sensed that sometimes they didn’t quite understand, but consented because, for whatever reason, they trusted us. And now we were done.

The locals have been painfully patient with my limited Spanish skills – speaking slowing and often repeating themselves. This morning I did my best to keep up with the priest, hoping to glean just a little from his rapid-fire Spanish. Following the scripture readings printed on a flier in the pew, I was actually able to identify the Gospel. It was a story from Mark about the leader of the synagogue by the name of Jairus.  He came up to Jesus lamenting that his daughter was dead. Jesus’ reply was, “Do not fear; only believe.” Jesus then went to Jairus’ home and said, “The child is not dead but sleeping…little girl get up.” Immediately the girl got up and began to walk. Do not fear; only believe.. It was then that it hit me that people of Guatemala – some of the poorest people in the world – lived not in fear of their circumstances, but in the belief that there was hope. In short, they have faith. That is why they trusted us with their children. That is why they traveled for hours by bus to see the American doctors. That is why, even in the direst of situations, they seemed content, even happy.  It doesn’t matter your religious beliefs – Christian, Jew, Atheist or otherwise - it is impossible to not respect and admire their tremendous faith - faith in God, faith in one another, faith in us and faith that we will return once again.

The Dynamic Duo

Post by Nancy Besa

Photos by Peter Obetz

Please, feel free to leave a message at the end of this post.

Words cannot express the gratitude we feel towards Keith and Stephanie Sale. It is a monumental task to plan a mission of this magnitude. We have dedicated a week of our time, but they have  dedicated months of hard work and planning and sacrificed time with their family and friends. 

Keith, with his laid-back demeanor and Steph, with her handy-dandy notebook, have made this a week we will all remember for a very long time. Medical Missions Foundation is very fortunate to have them on their team. On behalf of all the hundreds of children and their families our team has served in Antigua this week, to Keith and Stephanie, we say, "Muchas gracias!"

A Peek into the OR

Post by Nancy Besa

Photos by Peter Obetz

Please feel free to leave comments at the bottom of this blog.

It's not very often that the everyday person gets to take a peek into the operating room. But lucky for us Peter Obetz, our talented team photographer, was granted access this week to capture the amazing work of our medical team in the OR. The team work exhibited by them this week was tremendous. To screen a child on Sunday,  operate on them Monday and send them home by Tuesday, is nothing short of miraculous. You need only look in the tearful eyes of one parent as they repeat "Gracias, gracias," to know that their work has changed the future for so many in just a few days.

One word...

Post by Nancy Besa

Photos by Peter Obetz

You have heard many of my words, now it's time to hear from the rest of the team. I asked several of them to give me one word to  describe their experience this week. Here are their responses:

Teresa Kennalley - happy

Sophia Burford - humility

Peter Obetz - appreciation

Susie Gordon-Smith - incredible

Nicolas - Burford - rewarding

Gabe Bargen - perspective

Sam Gillespie - eye-opening

Chris Surec - inspirational Debra Gordon-Smith - awesome

Kevin Sykes - refreshing

Bill Mangum - enlightening

Victor Quintero - fantastic

Andrew Simpson - tiring

Little Women

Post by Nancy Besa

Photos by Peter Obetz

Please, we encourage you to leave a post at the bottom of this blog. 

If Louisa May Alcott had ever visited Guatemala, she whould have had material for several more novels. You would not believe the responsibility these little girls shoulder with such good spirits and grace. It is nothing to see an eight-year-old girl shepherding two or three siblings with one securely planted on her back. They carry babies to toddlers on their backs in what I can only compare to a papoose. I actually watched a two-year old swing a sweater across her back practicing for when she gets older. When I look at them I think of my daughters aged 6 and 8 who will know nothing of this kind of responsibility until they are so much older. 

They dress exactly like their mothers, just in smaller versions - usually a hand-made colorful blouse and a long skirt which they wrap and then tie with a sash. The colors vary depending on their village. The traditional colors of Santa Maria de Jesus are a red blouse and a navy skirt. Even the littlest girls are quite adept at wrapping and tying their skirts - it's really amazing. I could go on and on about how impressed I am with the little women of Guatemala, but as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Some stories have a happy ending...

Post by Nancy Besa

Photos by Peter Obetz & Nancy Besa

If audiologist Gabe Bargen knew I said this, she would probably whack me, but she is so darn busy this week, chances are she’ll never get around to reading this so I think I am safe. So here goes - - - I would never have imagined that one of the most emotional places to be on this trip would be the audiology clinic, but it is. I camped out today in the corner of one of their tiny exam rooms while our skilled audiology team screened, tested, fit and distributed 28 hearing aids to patients ranging in age from age 6 to 86. The day started with beautiful and shy  Arlin. She and her mother traveled an hour and a half by bus from the coastal town of Escuinta to come to our clinic at the Obras. At six years of age Arlin suffers from moderate to severe hearing loss in both of her ears. Consequently, a child who should have a vocabulary of hundreds of words has only six.

  According to her mother, the little girl also has a cousin who is deaf, so audiologist Teresa Kennalley thinks it’s most likely a hereditary condition. Our volunteers saw Arlin last year, but at the time she was young enough that it was difficult to get her to respond accurately to the hearing test and get a good reading. This year, she got it! With earphones on her head she placed a colorful eraser in a bowl each time she heard something. By the end of her test, the bowl was almost full and Arlin was able to return home with hearing aids for both ears. Hopefully she will return next year with much more to say!

Next up was 86 year-old Salvadore. Neatly dressed and soft-spoken, I was immediately drawn to him. Through the translation skills of 17 year-old Nicolas Burford, Salvadore explained that his hearing had progressively gotten worse over the past few years. It was now so bad that he could no longer hear his grandchildren’s voices. It was obvious to all of us in the room how important it was that he be able to hear them, but at the same time he seemed a little uncomfortable asking for our help. When Gabe asked him if he would like to be fitted with a hearing aid his reply was, “If it is convenient.” In a day and age when so many people appear to feel entitled to nearly everything,  there was something about Salvadore’s genuine appreciation that warmed my heart. Salvadore walked out of the clinic with a new hearing aid, a year’s worth of batteries and a smile on his face. I can only imagine that smile when he arrived home to the voices of his grandchildren!

About mid-morning I took a break for a Coca-Cola Light and as I walked by the line of people waiting to be seen a young man stood out to me. I am not really sure why, I think it was just because he looked, well, sad. When I returned 15 minutes later Sophia Burford alerted to me to a case I might be interested in sitting in on. It was a 32 year-old man by the name of Amner Adrel Miranda Gonzalez. Four years ago, while working as a police officer, Amner was shot in the head. Since that time he told Sophia, he was not able to hear much at all. (NOTE: Our doctors believe this was due to either an over-zealous surgeon who created more damage or an excessive dosing of antibiotics which killed his hearing.) I walked into the hearing room to find the sad young man I had seen in line. He was sitting with his head hung low, waiting to be tested. Again, through Nicolas’ I learned that since the shooting Amner could not hold a job and was selling pencils on the  street to support himself. His friend, an older motherly type, accompanied him to help with the process. With rent being the equivalent $40 a month there were many times lately when he had very little, if any money left for food. But what he had plenty of was hope, hope in the American doctors. “I am so very excited,” Amner explained. “I have been telling everybody that I was coming here and then I would be able to hear and work again. I have been praying so hard.” Nicolas instructed that when he heard something, he needed to raise his hand. We all held our breaths as Sam Gillespie, audiology student at KU Med, slipped the headphones on Amner and started the test. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Sam stopped and asked Nicolas to ask him if he heard anything he said no. Amner could tell by looks on our faces that this wasn’t good, so he began to explain, “I hear some noises, some sounds. I hear thunder.” The headphones went on again – still nothing. The headphones came off. Sam had Nicolas ask him another question, this time with a sheet of paper in front of his mouth. He didn’t answer. Nicolas asked louder. 

Still no answer; no reaction. It was now obvious that Amner could hear nothing at all. He had been reading Nicolas’ lips. But he still protested, “I hear thunder.” Sam explained to us that he was not hearing thunder, he was feeling it – feeling the vibration and wanting to believe it was sound. Just to be sure, Sam tried another test and again, nothing. We all stood and looked at one another, dreading the inevitable. It was like the elephant in the room. Finally Sam said it out loud -what we knew in our hearts. “There is nothing we can do.” So 17 year-old Nicolas had the task of telling Amner that today was not his day; he was not going to hear. Amner’s eyes welled a bit, but he took the news with courage and grace. For someone who had every right to be bitter, you could tell that deep inside that he still had faith, faith that maybe a miracle might still someday happen and he will hear. And because of his faith, there is a part of me that believes that too.

A BIG Step for a Little Girl

Post by Nancy Besa

Photos by Peter Obetz

Please, leave your comments and messages at the bottom of this post.

Dr. Ganesh Gupta explained it to me this way: "Some experiences transcend culture. Wherever you go in the world, people react the same way to certain experiences. When a baby is born there are three questions that are usually asked, 'Is it a boy or a girl?' 'Is mom okay?' 'Does the baby have 10 fingers and 10 toes?' Here it is no different." In the case of six-year-old Yohanina Martez de Sanchez the answer to question number three was, "No."  Yohanina was born with a sixth toe on her left foot - a  congenital anomaly referred to as postaxial polydactyly. In the United States a condition like this would be surgically corrected by an orthopedic surgeon, like Dr. Gupta, when the child was about one year-old - well before it could affect their ability to walk. But when you live in Guatemala and your family makes less than 40 Quetzals or $5.00 a day, that doesn't happen.

As Yohanina grew her condition became increasingly painful and made  it extremely difficult for her to wear shoes. This is a huge problem for people whose only mode of transportation is walking. Her mother knew that the only way to get relief for her daughter was to come see one of the MMF doctors. All patients seen during our six days at the Obras receive their medical examinations, surgical procedures, pre and post  operative care (this can be up to 10 days) and medicines free of charge. When Yohanina and her mother came into clinic on Sunday, Dr. Gupta took great time and care to explain to her mother exactly what he would be doing in surgery. He assured her that her daughter would not only be okay, but so much better after the procedure. For any mother, anywhere, sending your child into surgery is a scary situation. When you lack education, resources and your doctor is a stranger, I imagine it is even more scary. Today was the big day, and as promised, the one-hour surgery went smoothly. Her mother gave a big sigh of relief  and a very warm and heartfelt "muchas gracias" to Drs. Simpson and Gupta when they delivered the good news. Yohanina will spend tonight at the Obras where she will be under the watchful eyes of the Obras nursing staff and the MMF doctor on call. If all goes well tomorrow she and her mother will be transferred across town to Case de Fe - a wonderful facility very similar to what we know as a Ronald McDonald House in the US.

A Visit to Santa Maria de Jesus

Post by Nancy Besa

Photos by Peter Obetz

We encourage you to leave your feedback or messages for team members as posts at the bottom of this blog.

Santa Maria de Jesus is a small village about 20 minutes from Antigua. Situated at the base of Volcano de Agua and at an airy 7,500 feet above sea level, the village literally seems to sit amongst the clouds. The community here is composed of primarily Mayan natives who work the fields and are not particularly welcoming of tourists or visitors. However, our clinic team, led by doctors Sabrina Shih, David Kaplan and Gordon Kaplan arrived to a full house at the community medical building. As anyone associated  with a mission will tell you, nothing happens by chance, but chance encounters can make amazing things happen. We were invited to Santa Maria de Jesus through a relationship with a wonderful woman by the name of Judy Kerschner. Judy - who just happens to have been raised in Neodosha, Kansas - operates a school there called New Life. New Life is a non-profit missionary-operated Christian school for children with disabilities. (You can lean more about her amazing work by visiting www.newlifeguatemala.com) The entire team felt very honored to have been invited into this primarily-closed community.

While there are many mission groups who frequent Guatemala, this is one community that rarely, if ever, has the opportunity to take advantage of quality, free medical care. Poverty here is the norm. The average Mayan (which constitutes 98% of the village population)  has only a 3rd grade education and makes the equivalent of $3.65 a day.  While the clinic was spearheaded by three seasoned physicians, they were assisted by three enthusiastic and skilled medical students from the University of Kansas - Kourtney Bettinger, Bliss Hartnett, and Paul St. Romain. (I must also add that all three students had command of the Spanish  language that was quite impressive and helped immeasurably in diagnosis and treatment of the 100+ patients that were seen.) Together, with Pharmacist Joann Lacy and translators Monica Breziner, Dani Kaplan and Michael Arenson, they were able to take three empty rooms and a hallway (the end of the hallway became an exam room thanks to a strategically placed bed sheet) into a pharmacy and clinic. Taylor Obetz took on the daunting task of entertaining the dozens of children waiting to be seen with a stack of paper, box of crayons and her bubbly personality.There were many cases of dermatitis, ear infections, head lice and in the case of little 9 month old David, scabies. Scabies is an itchy skin condition caused by an infestation by a microscopic mite that causes intense itching. David had been suffering for weeks with intense itching and sleepless nights. Dr. Shih  suspected that with his intense case, chances were that the other 11 relatives living in his small home, were probably infected as well. After a trip down the hall to the well-stocked MMF pharmacy and instructions for treatment, we hope that little David will be sleeping better soon. My personal highlight of the day was the chance to hold a brand new baby - something about a baby's smile that just lifts the soul.

Lunchtime was interrupted by an impromptu house call. Yes, MMF doctors make house calls! A mother who had brought her children in to be seen, informed us that her elderly father was at home in great pain. In less than five minutes, the 86 year-old had the Doctors Kaplan (brothers David and Gordon) examining his, not one, but TWO hernias. Those of us who made the trip were not sure if we we were more sobered by his painful condition or primitive surroundings. The home was divided into three distinct areas, all with dirt, or presently from the rains, mud floors. The entrance to the home was a general area for gathering and for the family chickens to strut about. The next area housed the cooking area and wood-burning stove. The  thin tin roof in that room had a large opening to allow air to circulate and smoke to escape from the stove. The family's sleeping quarters, where we found abuelo (grandpa) was a large room with four beds separated only by makeshift half-walls. Throughout the home were stacks and stack of miscellaneous items - clothing, papers, tools, old televisions and computer monitors. The most eye-catching and puzzling was an old and obviously used IV bag and tubing, that was precariously dangling from the ceiling. When asked if it was his, abuelo replied, "No, that belonged to the woman who used to live here." That moment it really hit us all the type of poverty that these people endure. It's the kind where you save things, things that are obsolete or broken or in the case of the IV bag, used, because you just never know when they might become of value.

Quite a Welcome

Post by Nancy Besa

Photos by Peter Obetz

NOTE: We encourage you to leave your comments and messages to our volunteer team on this blog.

I am fairly certain that I will never know what it's like to be a rock star, but I believe the closest thing quite possibly is serving as a MMF volunteer. As our group filed out of the rain and into the Obras and this morning at 7:00 AM, we were met by Father Jaime Ricardo Lopez and some 300 children and their  families. As the good Father led us on a tour through the winding halls, families broke into spontaneous applause. Really, everyone from little old men to tiny little girls, were clapping. It caught us all by surprise and touched us deeply. 

The Obras Sociales Hermano Pedro Hospital and Orphanage provides a home, and cares for the elderly and orphaned, the mentally challenged, and chronically ill - a total of 400, ranging in age from a few days to 90 plus years. It was originally was founded by a Franciscan priest in the early 1600's. The hospital receives no governmental support and relies  solely on donations and is operated by the Franciscan order of the Catholic Church. It is a rambling facility, with many parts open to the outdoors through a series of courtyards.  Despite the volume of patients here the Obras is impeccably neat and cheerful. Brightly colored plants, colored crepe paper and children's drawings all add a  sense of hope and spirit. The staff here is highly efficient and organized, allowing our team to get right to work. By 9:00 AM patients were being seen and screened in the general, audiology and ENT clinics. 

On his inaugural mission, Bill Mangum, MD, jumped in with both feet, screening the many children who came in to the ENT clinic with complaints of swollen tonsils and restless sleep.  It was, shall we say, the complaint of the day. While many were quite healthy, others were identified as candidates for surgery or hearing aids. While the doctors are  glad when they are able to identify a child in need, there is also a sense of fulfillment when they see the look of relief on a mother's face when she hears the words, "Your child is healthy." The vast majority of families in Guatemala have little to no medical care so the opportunity to see an American doctor is a rare and coveted opportunity, prompting many to travel hours by bus or by foot. 

Team Guatemala - Week 2

Post by Nancy Besa
Photos by Peter Obetz

Here we are ready for action!
And trust me, there will be plenty of action.

Guatemala Take 2

Post by Nancy Besa

Photos by Peter Obetz 

Getting from Kansas City to Guatemala City was, as the locals would say, "No hay drama!" No problem! Our flight landed on time, we sailed through immigration and luggage pick-up, but things soon came to a standstill - a two hour standstill -  when the young woman handling customs for our medical supplies decided to be  thorough, very thorough. So once we loaded up on four waiting vans, we did just that, wait. But we are Medical Missions volunteers and the first rule about being a MMF volunteer is be flexible! (Abby Bernard actually demonstrated that the best when she decided to get some fresh air by crawling out the back window of one of the vans - oh to be young and flexible!) A few opted for an impromptu game of Frisbee while the majority just visited over a few cold beverages thoughtfully provided by our fearless leaders, Stephanie and Keith Sale. 

By 5:30 pm were poolside at the lovely Porta Hotel Antigua getting our marching orders for Sunday.Then it was off to a reception  honoring the very tired, but still inspired, MMF volunteers who just wrapped week one. This is my first mission to Guatemala, but my third with the Foundation, so it was great to visit with old friends and former mission teammates like Stephene Moore, Joe Cannova, Lyn Shaw, Doug Hagen and George (there's only one George!) Harbeson. After dinner at a variety of wonderful local restaurants, the majority of us turned in early, hoping to refresh ourselves for what will undoubtedly be a busy first day at the Obras.

Post by Larry Lerner

The doctors and all of us volunteers want to do as much as we can while we're here. This week our teams provided over 90 surgeries - and our art teams even painted the nails of the women in the women's ward and the grandmas, women and children waiting in the clinics here at the Obras. Most significantly what is so impacting are the profound needs of the people - the families, children, men and women - that we can help; the wholehearted generosity, compassion and total giving of our MMF medical/non-medical mission volunteers; and especially more than anything else, the people's trust that our doctors, nurses, medtechs and volunteers will as best as we can, as generously as we can, take care and improve the physical well-being of their loved ones. You know that's why we are all here - we are trying to give back to the world by making this a better place because we were here.

 

I'd like to thank Nancy Besa and Jane Savidge back home for getting these daily blogs shown, our mission coordinators Stephene Moore and Dr. Joe Cannova, medical, and our doctors, nurses, medtechs, art team, photographers, bloggers, volunteers, interpreters and of course the staff and volunteers here at the Obras.  

 

Tomorrow Sat 6/20 is our break time and we leave to return home on Sun 6/21. Our Guatemala #2 mission team is beginning to arrive now, with a total of 67 people to be here on Sat to begin their triage screenings and unpackings on Sun 6/21. Please check back here for their bolgs and photos.

 

Gracias.

Another Great Video to Enjoy

from the handiwork of Scott Krigel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0IjipTgVHQ

A Peek Into the Operating Room

Post by Susan Krigel

By the end of the day on Wednesday, the surgical teams had completed 50 surgeries. Alyssa Rammer has been the keeper of the "white board," the board which displays the day's surgeries.  Alyssa has kept track of the surgery teams headed by the brothers Cannova, Chris, whose specialty is orthopedic surgery,  Joe, the plastic surgeon, and Tammy Neblock-Beirne, the general surgeon. 

Tammy's team usually consists of Dee Milton, Reidun Fuemmeler, Peg LaMourie, and  Mike McCartney. Dee reported they have performed surgeries for gall bladders, hernia repairs, and the removal of masses.  She commented that in general the surgeries were comparable to the same surgeries in the US, but they often took longer because the patients had had to cope with their conditions longer before  having surgery.   This is Dee's second mission trip to Guatemala, and she wanted to return because she liked helping people who wouldn't be helped if she weren't  around.

Another mission veteran is Peg, who has been on 10 MMF missions. Peg remarked  "As a member of a mission, you are a guest of both the country and the institution. It's important to build relationships with both, and it can be as easy as trying to speak Spanish with someone." She said that operating an another country requires one to be both flexible and creative.  "As Americans, we often think we know it all, but if you are accepting, you can learn from both  the local staff and the other team members." Tammy said she has had an "excellent team" working with her. Today Tammy and her  team have kept two rooms going, one manned by Orbras nurses and other support  people, and one manned by an MMF team. 

The Nursery - Our Littlest Patients

Post by Larry Lerner

A large number of our volunteers went up to help in the Obras Nursery in the afternoons. Generally, all of the little ones are under-nourished and/or with various developmental conditions - all of the babies with cleft lips and/or palates who are underweight must gain some weight before surgery. Christie Kroeger and Diana Zubrowski, who went up to help out with the Obras staff commented about some of these littlest of patients. Jose Antonio, who is almost 3 YRS old, is a very very little boy who almost looks like a baby and is very malnourished - on our first day we all saw him in the nursery feeding himself and very very shy - when Diana and Christie were visiting the nurse there said that he's a little womanizer - he gets attention - Jose Antonio will have to be there for another year – his eyes tell you everything. Sandy 4 mos, Arturo 3 mos, and Pamela 8 mos are some of the malnourished little ones in the nutrition center. And in the severe intensive care room there are four tiny, tiny delicate babies. Also in the large nursery there are two little ones with no muscle function and 2 with arms and legs that keep moving - Katie Beirne said almost like they're happy. These two children, Karen and Jonathan, are 5 to 8 yrs old with developmental cognitive special education needs who love to be touched but their eyes can't follow. And also in the nursery is Leonidas, 4 yrs old with Downs Syndrome, a little girl with a severe cleft lip and palate and a little boy with MD or CP that liked to be stroked and stroked. And one of the little babies, Marta 4 mos with a cleft lip and palate, is malnourished and must gain weight to have her surgery - her family has visited her only once since she has been here because they do not have any money to take the buses in and because of the intensity in the nursery families may only visit from 10 to 11am and 2 to 3pm.

Casa de Fe

Post by Larry Lerner

Photo by Christie Kroeger

All of the MMF non-medical volunteers have visited to help at Casa de Fe throughout the week. Casa de Fe is the house that the Obras has available for some of the patients and their families to stay during the procedures. This facility is about eight blocks from the Obras and can sleep about 100 people with the women's dorm room downstairs and the chapel and men's bunk-bed dorm room upstairs. There is an open water area for washing on the lower level and the clothes are then hung to dry on the lines on the open air deck upstairs. There is the office and the cameras to see the visitors at the entrance - Matt Beirne was the greeter. Our volunteers helped with the dusting and polishing of the beds, doing laundry, cutting vegetables, cooking and serving lunch. Suzie Hubbard, who is with Cerner Corporation and also sponsored by the First Hand Foundation, assisted the Casa de Fe personnel throughout the week with their new computer programs and reporting spreadsheets. Suzie noted that some of the patients and families have traveled enormous distances just to get in to the Obras - some from Mexico and other Central American areas. Suzie was impressed by the kindness and the sweetness of the people and especially by the little ones and the babies in the hospital. While we were here at Casa de Fe we saw recuperating one of the babies who had a cleft lip repair, the man whose nose was reconstructed, the young boy on crutches who had his femur rebuilt, and the young woman who received the skin graft. 

Making Dreams Come True

Post by Susan Krigel
Photos by Scott Krigel & Diana Zubrowski

If you pass by an operating room and you’re hearing the whir of a drill, chances are you’re near the operating suite of our orthopedic surgery team, consisting of Chris Cannova, Mike McCartney, Doug Hagen and Shana Hett. During triage on Sunday Chris screened about 55 potential patients—scheduling some for surgery,  referring others to other types of specialists, and for some recommending physical therapy (and even demonstrating the exercises!)

One patient, Lorna, 24, is representative of many patients seen by the orthopedic team. Guatemala is a country of fast drivers and dangerous roads.  When accidents occur in remote areas, in the absence of ambulance service and trauma centers, medical care focuses on saving the life of the patient, and other medical concerns, such as the functionality of limbs, may be deferred. Lorna was in a car accident about a year ago and due to injuries to her pelvis, hips, knees and ankles, has been confined to a wheelchair. Today the orthopedic team operated on her ankle.  The surgery went smoothly, and after receiving much attention in the recovery room, (including much help from an interpreter, Hugo,) Lorna progressed to a ward where she is receiving aftercare.  Future surgeries on her other injuries may eventually enable Lorna to achieve her dream of walking again.

Busy, Busy, Busy Days

Post by Larry Lerner

Photos by Christie Kroeger

Buenos Dias. With over 18 plus procedures our 3 surgery teams are doing here every day the PACU (Post Anesthesia Care Unit) area is hopping. George Harbeson, from Houston, Keisha Jones and Lyn Shaw are in charge. George has been on five missions with this his first to Guatemala. George is impressed by the Obras facility and its staff. George noted that the Obras is caring for people who in lots of cultures would be cast aside. The Obras takes in as residents those who are unable to walk or get around on their own without the help of others. There are many many resident patients here with cerebral palsy, mental disabilities, children men and women in wheelchairs, patients of all ages - from infants to seniors. Lyn, who has been on many missions, is impressed by the facilities, resources and people. The Obras staff makes us as productive as we can be. She has been particularly moved by the graciousness of the people. Keisha Jones, originally from Trinidad and Tobago, is in nursing informatics with Cerner Corporation and here through the generous sponsorship of the First Hand Foundation, is on her first mission. Keisha is impressed by the staffers here who are helpful and right on the ball. However most touchingly the patients relief after surgery to know that they'll be better is incredible. The patients coming out, experiencing this level of care and saying thank you thank you we are so happy that you're here. And you know we are the ones who are so happy we can help. A fact to note however is that our doctors start their rounds a little after 6:00am, the surgeries begin each day at 7:00am and the last surgery goes to sometimes after 7:00pm. Thus, the PACU support staff in the evenings go on some nights to past 8:30pm. Yes, that's a very long, worthwhile, dedicated and appreciated day. Adios.

Keeping the Children Busy

Below is a blog from earlier in the week submitted by one of the younger members of Team Guatemala, Katie Beirne.

As we head to the hospital with all the art supplies we had gathered on Sunday, trying to figure out what to do each day is the hardest.  We had foam frames, stickers, crayons, paper, and much more.  The clinic day is one of the busiest days on the teams schedule as we try to screen and see as many patients as possible, so the entertaining job is just as busy outside of the screening rooms.  The art team decided that because the people would be all together in the hallways that we would take pictures of them, print them, and let the kids color the frames with markers, foam stickers, other stickers, and whatever else they could find.  This was a huge hit for us and people were coming back for multiple pictures and having us make them frames, which was not the intended plan but worked just as well.  As long as the children and parents were happy we were too.  The kids also wanted some Medical Missions Art Team members in the pictures as well which was so cute and really unexpected!  We also went shopping at the Nim Pot which had some really cheap jewelry, fabrics, and wooden sculptures.

The next day is very busy for all the surgeons!  We as well decided to do a mural project with a very long piece of paper and put it in the lounge area for everyone to make the lounge more colorful and as a thank you to all the doctors and nurses.  This at first was very slow because the kids are very shy and were not sure if they wanted to come over or not.  But then a boy came over and he was a brave one and just started coloring away and it turned out that his father spoke English and wanted us to help his son with some words so we helped and his son was really good.  So all the kids colored and lots more were starting to come over; they all looked like they were having a really good time! 

Later that day we made a list of where everyone would be that week and who would be going to Casa De Fe each day, or the nursery.  Casa De Fe is a home for patients families to stay when they live far away and have to take many buses to get here and sometimes there is not enough room for all the people.  Afterward Kristen, Matt, Suzie and I went to Casa De Fe.  We took a tour then were in the hands of the person who basically runs the entire place and doesn’t speak English.  So first we folded laundry, then Matt was sent to be the door man, Suzie sent to do office work and Kristen and I were left to do whatever she told us or motion us to do but with her only speaking Spanish and not being as bossy as we hoped or needed we were left questioning and hoping what we were doing was right.  We made re-fried beans, which got everywhere, some soup that we had no idea what it was and boiled over twice, and some fried egg thing with tomatoes and onions.  But it was okay and with a few words of Spanish from a translation book and some more motioning we got through prepping dinner and left for a dinner/birthday party of our own.

Little Angie

Post by Susan Krigel

At the heart of the MMF Antigua mission is the surgeries.  We have three surgical teams and support people in Antigua.  The plastic surgery team includes Joe Cannova, Vonnie Kane, Josie Bell, and Ruth Ann Tannery.  Their first patient was Angie, a six month old  baby with a cleft lip and palate. After two hours of  surgery and a stay in post-op, the baby was back in her mother's arms.  The rest  of the day's surgeries included another cleft palate operation on an older  patient, a burn contracture release with a skin graft, and a rhinoplasty.  The other teams will be featured in future blogs. 

Video from Days 1 & 2

Take a minute to view this YouTube, video by volunteer Scott Krigel.  (Note how the families show respect for our volunteers by wearing their best clothing, jewelry, etc.)

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy19yOhIRy0

Team Guatemala Gets Down to Business

Post by Larry Lerner

 

Our teams started up in surgery today and the art team helped throughout the Obras with the many children and families who have come in to the various clinics. Our art team of Kristen McBride , Diana Zubrowski, Matt Beirne, Tessa Bell, Grace Ann Hagen and Katie Beirne, worked with the children and families waiting in the long lines who have come in from all over the country to be seen by the doctors, nurses and staff here at the Obras. One family traveled in on buses this morning from a small village called Lascamelias. The father, Jesus Cholotio, was teaching his son, Allen Alexander, to speak English - the young boy was here at the Obras, according to his dad, because he has stomach issues and the clinic nearer to home suggested that the family bring him in to Antigua to the Obras for medical treatment.  The father speaks English, Spanish and the Mayan languages of Kakachiquial and Tzutujil. (Yesterday, in one of the triages, the translation went from Dr Joe Cannova in English, from the interpreter to Spanish, and from the nurse to the patient and her husband in Acchi, another Mayan language).

 

Kristen, Peg LaMourie's daughter, is in charge of the art team and is here on her first mission and is most  impressed by the children and the incredibly humbling experience seeing how grateful the people are for the help and services provided. Diana, who is from Tampa and also here on her first mission is impressed by the Obras facility, the talent here and the people who care so much for the patients, families and their healthcare. Katie, who is 15 and on her 3rd mission, is impressed by the hospital being in such good condition and so much better than she thought. Matt, who is 13 and here on his 2nd mission, is impressed by the little kids in the lines waiting to be seen by our doctors. Grace, 16, Doug Hagen's daughter, is here on her 2nd mission and is touched by the patients who can't walk and  have a place here at the Obras to stay. Tessa, Josie Bell's daughter is 18 and here on her first mission. Tessa is impressed by so many many patients who have traveled so far, waiting from the early early morning and some staying in the park across the street to be assured to get in and the sheer number of people in the Obras.

Getting Acclimated

Our morning began with a presentation of Medical Missions Foundation lab coats to doctors Doug Hagen and Joe Cannova in honor of their work on previous and current missions.  Next was a tour of the hospital, guided by Dr. Claudio Gonzales, Medical Director of International Missions. Ombras del Hermano Pedro, the hospital in which we are based, plays an important role in the medical community in Antigua. Ombras averages about 280 patients at a time and offers outpatient medical and surgical care, as well as providing residential care for individuals with mental and physical impairments. The hospital complex has a school, computer lab, and provides many related services, such as disease prevention, classes for nutrition, physical therapy and treatment for substance abuse.  

The kitchen serves 1300 meals per day, not only for patients, but for their families as well.  Although the hospital has a staff of 300, volunteers play a vital role in providing services. We visited a variety of the wards, and were impressed with both the physical facilities and the devotion of the staff.

Particularly touching were the babies with cleft palates and lips, many of whom must remain at the hospital before surgery in order to gain weight. After the tour of the hospital the team swung into action.  Triage was an amazing process. The hallways were lined with potential patients and often, their multigenerational family groupings. Stephene Moore, Mission Coordinator, reported that Tammy Neblock-Beirne had 90 people to screen for general surgery, Joe Cannova was planning to screen 40 for plastic surgery, and Chris Cannova was to screen 55 people for orthopedic surgery.  In addition, those scheduled for surgery were also seen by the anesthesia team consisting of Doug Hagen, Mike McCartney, Josie Bell, and Reidun Fuemmeler.

Adults and children enjoyed having their picture taken by Scott Krigel - for many, it was the first picture they had of  themselves.  Matt Beirne manned the picture printer faithfully for hours. 

Tomorrow surgeries begin!

 
 

The Main Team Arrives

The team all showed up by about 7:00 am and we experienced some baggage embargo challenges that allowed only 2 pieces per person. We had 11 extra bags that we had filled with medical supplies. At the airport we had the nurses help by identifying the critical items in the open luggage spread out on the floor in front of the baggage checkin. While we were "negotiating" with the ticket agent a gentleman overheard the discussions.  He was a Continental Elite flyer going to Guatemala, and suggested that the airlines bump up two of us to first class as his "buddies" at no addded costs. This allowed us to now have 3 pieces per the two of us at now 70 lbs a piece.  Since he and his wife traveling with him had only one piece - yes we got on six more pieces this way and since 3 of us could take on 3 more we ended up with 9 suitcases to go - so we emptied out two and literally forced into the 9 all of the medical supplies - so we got everthing to Guatemala. However the most delightful thing is that the good gentleman who helped us is Bob Hentzer, President of the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging working with Projecto Hermano Pedro (Project Brother Peter) which affiliates with the same hospital where we are working.

 

We arrived in Guatemala and had an interesting time while trying to work through the red tape at the airport.  Stephene Moore, Mission Coordinator and Joe Cannova, Mission Medical Director, flexed their muscles and soon we got into three vans and were on our way to Antigua.  The road to Antigua was filled with "chicken busses" and beautiful scenery.  After about an hour we arrived in Antigua and settled into the  beautiful Hotel Porta Antigua.  The entire team gathered in the courtyard for an orientation, where we soon were amazed to learn that several team members, Vonnie Kane, RN, Doug Hagen, MD, Tammy Neblock-Beirne, MD, and Stephene Moore, RN, had been on 10 plus missions!   The group disbanded for the night, explored Antigua's nightlife, and went to bed, ready to have breakfast at 6:30am and anxious to begin working at the clinic on Sunday morning.

 

Submitted by Larry Lerner and Susan Krigel

The Advance Team

Stephene Moore arrived on Thursday, June 11th and Dr .Joe Cannova attempted to do so however the weather in Dallas chose to allow otherwise. Joe tried to get in on Fri but the airlines said the best they could do was to get him in on Sat at 5:30pm. Not to worry Jane had a ticket to allow Joe to come in with the group on Saturday. Stephene was at the Obras for two days prior to the main team's arrival setting up for the team.

Guatemala 2009 - Week One

Welcome to the latest MMF blog - Team Guatemala Week One. Medical Missions Foundation has assembled two volunteer teams to bring medical supplies and services to the people in and surrounding the city of Antigua Guatemala. Team one  is scheduled to be on the ground from June 13-21 and Team Two from June 20-28.

Located in the central highlands of Guatemala, Antigua is famous for its well-preserved Spanish Mudéjar-influenced Baroque architecture as well as a number of spectacular ruins of colonial churches and active volcanoes. The city is home to approximately 35,000 residents.

This will be the 11th mission to Antigua by MMF.  The first was staffed by a small group of medical students from the University of Kansas who found a need and decided to fill it. Over the years the mission team has grown from 24 to 65. Last year 600 patients were seen in clinic, 100 surgeries were performed and 130 hearing aides were distributed to children in need and their families. During both weeks, medical volunteers will see patients at two clinics - one at the Obras del Hermano Pedro Hospital and Orphanage in Antigua and the other in a nearby village.

We hope that our blog entries will give you a small peek into the need of this region and the work of our volunteers. No doubt the next two weeks will bring life-changing experiences for our team and the families they will serve.