We started the new day with a beautiful interactive devotion in which every person said five or fewer words that resonated with their experience thus far. Common themes were friendship, compassion, gratitude, and inspiration. We sang a song this morning about remembering to cherish the friendships already established, while making the necessary room to grow new connections. We’re all here for the same reason, and we share profound gratitude to be part of this mission. After devotion, we felt encouraged and hopeful that we would be walking into a more efficient day of surgery.
Upon arrival, doctors did their first rounds on patients who stayed overnight, and the others began prepping for surgeries. In total, there were 17 successful surgeries completed by the end of the day.
You need not speak Spanish to understand the radiating smiles on patients’ faces this morning during rounds. They were ones of genuine gratitude and hope for their future. Melvin, a coffee and bean farmer from Mochutiapa, Guatemala, told his surgeon during rounds, “I will remember you always.”
Walter, a delightful 20-year-old male from San Benito, Peten, came in with a significant infection from a previous open fracture that was surgically treated. Two years prior, he was in a motorcycle accident where he got hit by a drunk driver. He traveled 12 hours to be seen in the clinic on Sunday. He has had draining wounds with bone infections since that time. Fortunately, his fracture healed, so infected hardware could be removed, thereby healing his infection. He hopes after surgery to be able to return to work so he can again financially contribute to his family.
Another patient receiving surgery today is Anderson, a delightful 11-year-old boy in 5th grade who loves playing soccer and hanging out with his dog, Kiarra. Sadly, his dad recalls his son being sick with infections on and off for the entirety of his young life. Today he received a tonsillectomy to minimize his infections, allowing him to live a more enjoyable childhood.
Seeing how well the patients did after surgery and their genuine appreciation for the treatment they’d received filled our hearts with more gratitude.
-Beata Pogodzinski and Rebecca Ross
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