DAY FOUR
Anesthesiologists are the quiet powerhouses (and unofficial DJs) of the operating room. Today, the team meets the moment with precision and calm. Dr. Brent Anderson, Dr. Hamish Rickett, Dr. Thomas Phillips, Dr. Ross Martini, Dr. Rahul Raghavan, and Dr. Kathleen Coy each faces distinct challenges throughout the day and navigates them with a steady focus.
What stands out today is their willingness to step in for one another, to anticipate needs before they’re spoken, creates a rhythm that’s both clinical and deeply human.
Our incredible team of twenty-one nurses keep every room running smoothly. They anticipate needs, support the surgeons, and bring calm to a fast-paced environment. Our dedicated nurses make it possible to complete 27 cases today without ever compromising the quality of care.
All the while, our brilliant pharmacist Jerika Nguyễn, dual board certified in pharmacotherapy and critical care pharmacy, moves through the day with precision. Nguyễn stays a step ahead, making sure every room has exactly what’s needed, the moment it’s needed.
In the afternoon, interpreters Otis Wortley and Julie Dani visit the Faith In Practice guest house, Casa de Fe, for a tour and to spend time with patients in recovery. Casa de Fe offers free lodging and nourishing meals to patients and their families before and after surgery, creating a space of rest and relief during a vulnerable time.
As soon as the doors open, they’re met by a familiar face. It’s our patient Luis, glowing with joy. He’s grateful to be in recovery, preparing to return home, ready to step back into daily life with renewed strength and energy.
As they move through the space, they meet another patient accompanied by Zoila Solval, a Faith In Practice Community Leader based in Suchitepéquez. Solval is one of the nearly sixty devoted volunteers who help guide patients to Antigua from all corners of Guatemala. Solval’s patient couldn’t travel with her family, so she stays by her side, making sure she never faces the journey alone.
Solval will accompany more than seventy patients this year, making the long journey to Antigua each month to ensure they receive the support and treatment they deserve. “Without the community leaders, there are no surgeries,” says María Ivonne Anzueto Bardales, an Antigua-based founding member of Faith In Practice.
Over dinner tonight, Ivonne joins the team with members of Casa de Fe. Her presence is warm and steady, a calming force amid the hum of conversation. As plates of Guatemalan BBQ are passed and laughter rises, she offers the team words of encouragement.
She sends the team into their final day of surgeries with spirits lifted. “It’s not just a medical mission,” Ivonne tells the group, “It’s a road of transformation—for the patients, their families, and every one of us.”
Zachary Carlsen, Team Blogger
