“Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don’t know something
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge
Because it will build your strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes
They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you’re tired and weary
Because it means you’ve made a difference.
It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are
also thankful for the setbacks.”
We began our day with a gratefulness meditation that gave us a great opportunity to reflect on our week, reconnect to our North Star and set a new intention for the last surgery day.
The week started out rocky with quite a few challenges. The first few days were like “drinking out of a fire hose” and it took us some time to adjust and be better prepared for the day. This would not have been possible without the relentless effort of such a talented and dedicated team.
Dr. Bathke and Dr. Jenkins (OBGYN) met 17 patients on Sunday and scheduled 16 of them for surgery. Their first patient this morning was Victoria Elizabeth, who underwent a hysterectomy. She had been suffering from painful endometriosis and severe bleeding for a few years to the point of becoming anemic. Her faith, and her mom’s and brothers’s successful surgery by Faith in Practice gave her courage to seek out help. A mother of two children, and a former day care teacher, Victoria explained, “I am a stay at home mom now because it’s difficult to find a job after forty here in Guatemala.” Her hope is to be able to play with her kids more and to do daily chores without pain.
Four years ago, after finishing work, Moises Mendez got in a terrible motorcycle accident. To this day, he has absolutely no recollection of what occurred. He had bilateral open tibia fractures that were originally nailed, complicated by bone infection. Neither fracture healed. Dr. Sansone and Dr. Goodspeed performed a repair of the left tibia non-union. Fortunately, despite his significant injuries, he was able to continue to work at the same company, just in a different role. He has found a new passion in mechanics. Since the accident, fear has kept him from getting back on a motorcycle. He is very thankful to God because since the accident, he has been blessed with a wife, and two beautiful children that have inspired him to keep pushing forward. Post surgery, he hopes to be able to work more so that he can give back to his family that have so graciously supported him for the last 4 years.
Leonardo Israel Gomez had an ACL reconstruction done today by Dr. Kash Ali, an Orthopedic Sports Medicine Surgeon. Leonardo was playing soccer back in 2021 when he got hit in the back of the knee during a game. He originally got a meniscus repair, but unfortunately it did not alleviate any of his pain. He has been on a waiting list and got a call 2 weeks ago from the hospital to see if he was still in need of surgery. He jumped at the opportunity and shared how grateful he is for this team because if not for this, he would not have been able to afford the surgery. He hopes after the surgery to return to his active lifestyle.
There are so many more stories to be told, that are all special and touching. Seeing the resilience, the compassion and gratitude of both the patients and the team members have been transformational.
-Beata Pogodzinski and Rebecca Ross
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