Returning with Team Stempel’s surgery team year after year, one wonders how the patients are faring once we leave them behind to recover. Are they healing well? Are they able to get the rest they need? Have they been able to resume all daily activities? While we occasionally hear reports about our patients from previous years, receiving information is not the norm.
Which is why on Monday, the team had a welcome surprise.
During last year’s trip, a woman desperate for care showed up on triage day. Suffering horrendously from the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), she was depressed and struggling with daily life. Her partner had left her, she had little ability to care for her son and her mother shared that she did not know where else to turn.
Dr. Erickson and team were able to perform an intricate surgery that eradicated the damage from HPV. While the team was overjoyed with the outcome of the surgery, the hope is always that the patient’s life will vastly improve as a result.
Imagine our surprise when this patient showed up on the doorstep of Las Obras on Monday morning. She heard that Dr. Erickson was in town this week and wanted to come by in person to share how much her life had changed thanks to the care she received from the Stempel Surgery Team. I know I speak for many when I say how grateful we all are that she took the time and effort to share her success story. THIS is why we come to Guatemala.
