Day 6 - Surgery Day

Wow, what a day! We started early again, 5:30am wake up call. Once we reached the hospital we had a quick team meeting and found out one of the little boys at the shelter that had been screened for surgery passed away over night. He apparently had pnemonia. It was a very sad way to start our day, he was under one year old. We quickly tried to reshift our focus on helping those who were there for surgery today and got to work. Celia, Garrett, Kelly, Tori, Pam and I all went down to pre-op to see about entertaining the kids and distracting the moms too who were very stressed. We painted nails, made bead braclets, brought out coloring books and of course blew bubbles! It was a little hard for my kids because the majority of patients today were little babies so it was hard for them to find things to do with them. I focused on helping out the moms. We set up our Alanton banner sign with photos of kids from school and of the gowns. By the way, a big thanks again to all the Alanton 5th grade students for decorating these great gowns!! The staff loved them and I know the patient's families enjoyed them too!! It was so hot and humid in the hospital, no AC except in the OR and a little in the recovery room. So were were in these rooms or hall ways with lots of people just trying not to pass out!! We drank lots so it was all good in the end. Celia and I decided that we would go into to a surgery. So once it came time for our patient- a crazy name I can't remember how to write!- we got in our scrubs and wen to get her from her mom. Brian, our mission director, got Celia to carry her into the OR and get her on the table to get ready for her surgery. We went into an OR with two tables, both had plastic surgeons that we knew well from our hotel and that made us feel really comfortable. They were mostly a Canadian team, with 3 of them being from Vancouver- Jenny,Neil, and Anise. Once in there we were told they had to do dental first. The Nicaraguan dentist came in and must of pulled out like 5 or 6 teeth.!! We were sort of watching but I got interested in the lip repair of the girl on the other table. I have to admit, I was a bit nervous about Celia and I going in but it wasn't as bad as I expected. Celia was a little more stand back and I got up close for awhile. Both of us were fine and thought it was really an amazing experience!! Garrett chose not to go in and I told him that was perfectly fine. He helped out in many other ways. He played with some kids, helped make no-no's which help keep the kids arms straight so they don't touch their faces, and helped move kids from recover to post-0p.

It was great to see these lips get repaired so quickly and transform the look of a child in almost an instant! We took a few pictures with our polaroid camera and gave a picture of their child to the moms. The post-op room was a little nutsy. There were like 8 or 9 beds per room and the poor little angels were not happy after surgery so they were crying like crazy. Moms looked a little stressed and to top it off it was horrifically hot in there! The kids and I found these little capsules you place in water and it forms a little animal shaped sponge. BINGO...I figured out right away that we could give them to the moms to dab their forheads and necks with the sponges to try to cool them off. Only 2 of the 4 ceiling fans were working in one of the post-op rooms. I think this helping and I would help fan the babies for the moms too. Unfortunately, some moms still covered their babies with blankets and we, Christy the nurse and I, thought it was crazy so we asked them to take them off. Alot of the little ones were not only miserable from the pain but were profusely sweating! Poor babies! Anyway that was most of our day, floating from pre-op, recovery and post-op. The highlight of the day of course was going into surgery, incrediblely facinating experience. One we will not ever forget!

We left around the 5:30pm, after we said our goodbye's to the staff we could see. Many doc's and nurses were still in the OR. It was sad to say goodbye and to not be able to stay the rest of the week to help. As we headed down the long outdoor corridor, out pops once of our favorite little girls, Nelly as we call her! We think her name is Yerling but couldn't understand her at screening so we just began to call her Nelly and she responded! We've seen her at the shelter too, she is precious and such a vivacous personality! Sorry we can't see her through her surgery. We also saw one of Garrett's soccer buddies, the one witht he face brace. Again a little sad to see these them and know we will never see them again. Hopefully we touched their lives as they have ours and they'll remember us too!

We headed back to the hotel, got cleaned up and went out to dinner with Pam, Kelly and Tori (student sponsor and high school girls we've been with all this time.) We shared our OR stories and wrapped up since everyone is up early tomorrow again. When we got back to the hotel, the plastic surgeon we didn't get to see when we left the hospital were there. We were glad to see them and to be able to say our goodbyes.

We are off to Managua in the morning, we will go directly to the America Nicaraguan school for a presentation to the SCA. We have plans to meet up with one of my mom's friends from the World Bank and have dinner with them tomorrow night. Then we will fly home Wednesday morning. I know this was a long one but it was such an amazing day, I couldn't leave out any details! Hasta manana, or until tomorrow!

-Crissy, Garret & Celia