After all the preparation and anticipation, today was the day where patients were being surgically treated for their orthopedic conditions. Patient’s and their families were anxious and excited to finally move forward with improving their health and mobility. This blog will take you through the course of the first day of surgery at Obras Sociales del Santo Hermano Pedro Hospital.
The day started with a portion of Team HIM doing yoga at 5:15 a.m., long before the sun rose over the horizon. After a hearty breakfast and a daily devotional, the team embarked on a pleasant walk to the hospital. Ironically, the same feelings of excitement and anxiousness were felt by the team to get started with the work they had traveled to Guatemala to do.
This first surgical day was remarkably smooth considering all the moving pieces that had to come together. Five operating rooms were used at Obras with two rooms for Total Knee Replacements, one room for hip and knee, one room for Total Hips and one room for foot and ankle procedures. There were 20 procedures performed for the day including 11 knees, 4 hips and 5 foot and ankle procedures. Each room had the right personnel, the right equipment and the right spirit to deliver the best care possible to improve the lives of the patients that were treated. Final checks were made in the pre-op area where the patients and their families were comforted with prayer and words of assurance. After surgery they were transported to the post anesthesia care unit while they regained their whereabouts and were greeted with smiles and encouragement. Shortly thereafter they went to their hospital beds to spend the night to continue their recovery.
All the while during the day, the “behind the scenes” crew kept the operation running smoothly by cleaning and sterilizing the instruments, taking stock of the items that were implanted and replenishing them for the remainder of the mission. The amount of effort and coordination to carry out a mission of this magnitude is truly amazing. Each patient and their family continued to show sincere gratitude and each member of Team HIM is truly honored to serve these Guatemalan people in need with the best of their abilities.
One hip procedure was particularly challenging. A 29 year-old female had developmental dysplasia since birth which caused her left leg to be approximately five inches shorter than her right. Her hip joint has never really functioned well her entire life and Dr. Keith Berend was able to reconstruct a new hip joint and reduced the leg length difference significantly to allow her to learn to walk in a normal fashion. Another patient, a 72 year-old female, had suffered an accident that severely damaged her right ankle. The implants used to previously fix her ankle were painful and did allow her to walk pain free. Drs. Herbst and Knecht were able to remove the implants and provide her with a fusion which will greatly decrease her pain and allow her to live a more normal life.
Three more days of surgery are scheduled, and each day will bring new and wonderful challenges.
Respectfully Submitted.
John White
