Azogues, Ecuador 2006 Surgical Trip

Christina After Surgery

Christina After Surgery
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Here´s Christina and Mama the day after surgery.

The full sponsor of this team surgery trip to Azogues, Ecuador is Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), a major supporter of Interplast and its service to children around the world. RMHC has helped thousands of children in some of the poorest regions of the globe to receive life-changing surgeries through Interplast´s programs.

Seeing Interplast´s program first-hand for the first time is a profound experience for me, and makes me even more grateful than ever for the support of our donors and sponsors like RMHC. Thank you so much for making this possible!

Christina Looking at Mama

Christina Looking at Mama
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Afterwards, Christina´s mother cradled her in her arms, and they just stared and stared at each other. I wish I could have captured that, but Mama was too aware of my camera, and would look at me and smile every time I raised it. I didn´t want to keep her from looking at her daughter´s new face, so finally I just took this picture. Look at Christina staring at her mother, though, and you should get the idea.

Right after taking this picture, I left the room sobbing.

Unconditional Love

  Unconditional Love 
  Originally uploaded by interplast.

Christina's surgery went very well, and she woke calmly in recovery. But something amazing happened when her mother was brought in. The moment they caught sight of each other, they reached for each other simultaneously. Her mother scooped her up--IV and all.

I'm sorry these photos are blurry, but it happened so fast that I'm lucky I captured it at all!

Christina Before Surgery

Christina Before Surgery
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Do you remember earlier I told you about Christina—I mistakenly called her Christiana. Here she is before surgery, a beautiful little girl just under two years old with a cleft.

Margarita and Dr. Quinde

Margarita and Dr. Quinde
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Another member of the team you haven´t met yet is Maggie Loya, affectionately known here as Margarita. She is pictured here with our host, Dr. Quinde—and I think this is the first time you´ve actually seen his face!

Maggie is incredible. She is the team leader, and I can´t believe all the details she has to juggle. In addition to making sure that all goes smoothly in the OR, Maggie also has to make sure the team gets fed and has transportation when necessary. She procures medications if we need something beyond what we brought with us. She works with the hospital administration, the hotel personnel, and many others. Talk about detail, she even makes sure the team has adequate drinking water! And all of it with the most pleasant good humor.

Famous Dr. Fred Mihm

Fred, Joe and Jan
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Dr. Fred Mihm is the only member of the team you haven´t met yet. He´s another anesthesiologist on the team. All of Azogues has met Fred, as he´s had his picture in the local paper twice now. We joke that he´s a local celebrity, and will have to start signing autographs any minute.

In this photo, he is bringing a patient out of anesthesia after surgery while Joe and Jan observe.

The trickiest times for anesthesiologists are putting the patient under, and then bringing them out. But during surgery it is essential that the surgeon communicate well with the anesthesiologist. Any medication administered by the surgeon can have an effect that the anesthesiologist must deal with. In addition, if there are any post-operative problems, it is usually the anesthesiologist who handles them. For these reasons and more, Interplast always sends one more anesthesiologist than surgeons, so there will always be one who can be available in the recovery room, or to assist in the operating room, should any problems arise.

Victor and Mother After Surgery

Victor and Mother After Surgery
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Here´s a happy Victor and a happy mother.

Video: Explaining Post-Op Meds

Watch the video

Back in the recovery room, Victor is still a little groggy while the recovery room nurse, through our translator, explains all of the medications to Victors mother.

Video: Hand Must Be Elevated

 

                   Watch the video 

From this point on, Victors hand must be kept elevated, as Dr. Di Francesco and Dr. Withrell explain in this video. Notice that they comment on his cute freckles, and what a good patient he is.

Victor's Cast

Casting
Originally uploaded by interplast.

Once the surgery is complete, Victor´s hand is well padded, and then a cast is applied.