So No Child Must Wait

Some Things Don't Change

  Some Things Don't Change 
  Originally uploaded by interplast

Managua, Nicaragua —Liliana Vazquez, Interplast Communications Technology Coordinator.

Joseph is an energetic 4-year-old who suffered a severe water burn while playing in the kitchen of his home. At his young age he is constantly exploring the world around him; which led to him accidentally pouring boiling water over his body. Despite having a neck contracture that prevented him from turning his head, Joseph is always playing and keeping the hospital staff smiling. Dr. Chandini Perera and local plastic surgeon Dr. Mario Perez performed the surgery which released his neck contracture. The next day we visited Joseph to see his progress. Here he is pictured a day after his surgery. He now has greater mobility of his neck but has kept the same tireless energy and playful silliness which no surgery could ever change.

The Importance Of Therapy

  The Importance Of Therapy 
  Originally uploaded by interplast

Managua, Nicaragua —Liliana Vazquez, Interplast Communications Technology Coordinator.

This is 16-year-old Marilyn as she awaited her weekly therapy session. Just like many impoverished burn victims around the world, her burn injuries were caused by a lantern used to provide light for her home. After spending a month in intensive care, both she and her mother are very committed to following the therapist’s advice to help Marilyn heal correctly from her injuries. Without a proper therapy routine, burn patients’ wounds become contracted, leaving a person unable to move their limbs freely.

Katherine

  Katherine
  Originally uploaded by interplast

Managua, Nicaragua —Liliana Vazquez, Interplast Communications Technology Coordinator.

Katherine is only 11 months old. As we walked into her room, she carefully watched each one of us arrive. Her attentive eyes and still nature captured all of us immediately. Referred to at the burn unit as the "miracle baby," Katherine was resurrected by doctors after suffering burns covering over 35% of her body. Katherine is from the town of Dario, which is named after Nicaragua's famous poet Ruben Dario. One day the lantern that provided light for her family exploded, engulfing their home in flames. Sadly, her mother died after the fire. Now her father sits by her bedside everyday, making sure to keep her company through her treatment. Later in the day Dr. Chandini Perera, Interplast's Surgical Outreach Director in Sri Lanka, helped the local staff change Katherine's dressings to keep them free from infection. I look forward to visiting Katherine again tomorrow, and watching her eyes widen as her doctors walk in announcing their presence with an enthusiastic "Buenos Dias, Katherine!"

From Sri Lanka to Managua

  From Sri Lanka to Managua 
  Originally uploaded by interplast

Managua, Nicaragua —Liliana Vazquez, Interplast Communications Technology Coordinator.

I arrived in Nicaragua on Sunday evening accompanying Dr. Chandini Perera (pictured on left) and occupational therapist Asha Karunathilake (pictured on right) from Sri Lanka. They are participating in Interplast's Visiting Educator program, with the goal to exchange ideas with their colleagues across the world and learn from the local burn unit here in Managua. As we arrived today, promptly at 8 am, we were warmly greeted by the staff of Asociacion Pro Ninos Quemados de Nicaragua (APROQUEN.) After a few welcoming words, we were off to start morning rounds and consultations, which quickly introduced us to the children we'll be working with the rest of our visit. Each child we met has his or her own story which I hope to share with you in the following days.

Joy Needs No Translator

  Joy Needs No Translator 
  Originally uploaded by interplast

Quy Nhon, Vietnam—Mary Beth Yosses PACU RN, Interplast volunteer nurse

This is Pham Quynh  with her 6-month-old daughter Anh Thu, who was born with a unilateral cleft lip. Dr. Rui Pereira meticulously repaired her cleft. Upon entering the recovery room, Thu’s mother broke down into tears. She was overcome with joy at the transformation that had just occurred to her precious chubby-cheeked child. Instantly, Thu’s mother reached for my hands to shake them, stroked my arms and repeatedly uttered her appreciation as I watched her daughter emerge from her anesthesia. I called Dr. Pereira over, who also received the mother’s appreciation. To his credit, Dr. Pereira let her know, through our fabulous, endlessly energetic interpreter, Lan, that his work was not done alone. He praised his Vietnamese counterpart, as well as the rest of the international team.
Despite the oppressive heat here in Quy Nhon, we all had a little extra spring in our step as we strolled home along the waterfront that evening.  Pham Quaynh’s joy lifted our spirits like the breeze off of the South China Sea.

Farmer's Market in Vietnam

  Farmer's Market in Vietnam 
  Originally uploaded by interplast

Cao Lanh, Vietnam--Dr. Janet Volpe, Interplast volunteer pediatrician

Cao Lanh is a bustling city in southern Vietnam with a population of 150,000.  It was carved from the jungles and swamps of the Mekong Delta region.  The surrounding waters make fresh seafood readily available, and the hot and humid climate is perfect for cultivating many tropical fruits and produce.  Many of our patients reside in the surrounding rural farming communities, located within a three-hour drive of the city.  On weekends, a lively farmer's market takes place just a few blocks from our hotel, selling everything from fish to fresh cut flowers, ripe fruits and bright green veggies. This photo was taken at about 6:30 am on a Saturday morning, at the peak of the market; many of the sellers drove into the city hours earlier to prepare their goods for sale.

A Kind and Grateful Family

  A Kind and Grateful Family 
  Originally uploaded by interplast

Cao Lanh, Vietnam--Dr. Janet Volpe, Interplast volunteer pediatrician

This is Van Canh with his wife and 9-month-old daughter, Thi Sang Sang.  Thi Sang Sang was born with a cleft lip, like her father. When Van Canh heard that Interplast was coming to Cao Lanh, he and his wife decided, despite financial hardship, to leave their family store for the day and make the two-hour bus journey to our clinic day to have their daughter evaluated.  Fourteen years ago, Interplast operated on clefts on both sides of Van Canh's mouth. He had been told he would need a revision in the future but because of work and family commitments, he had never been able to make it back for the revision.  As our team evaluated Thi Sang Sang, we asked Van Canh if he'd like to have his clefts revised during our stay.  He and his wife were overjoyed that we would consider this for him.  At the age of 26 years, he told us he thought he was too old for Interplast to want to perform another surgery on him, and had no money to have the revision performed locally.  We scheduled the surgeries one day apart, and this photo was taken at the time of discharge from the hospital.  Van Canh had brought chewing gum from his store; just before going home, he gave each member of our team a stick as a token of appreciation. I taped my Wrigley's Doublemint wrapper in my journal and will always remember this kind and grateful family.

Our Time in Cao Lanh

  Our Time in Cao Lanh 
  Originally uploaded by interplast

Cao Lanh, Vietnam--Dr. Lauren Jefferis, Interplast volunteer pediatrician

Our Cao Lanh team consisted of three surgeons, three anesthesiologists, two pediatricians, two OR nurses, one head nurse, two PACU nurses, one nurse educator, and two coordinators/translators.  In just under two weeks, we screened more than 250 children and operated on 59 of them, performing a total of 84 procedures.  After their operations, the children sometimes needed some TLC as their anesthesia wore off.  They stayed an average of 2-3 days on the wards following their surgeries, under the care of the Vietnamese nurses.  Many children returned a week after their surgeries to have their wounds checked and re-dressed.

A Very Important Visitor

  A Very Important Visitor 
  Originally uploaded by interplast

Cao Lanh, Vietnam--Dr. Lauren Jefferis, Interplast volunteer pediatrician

This is Thi, who had a large birthmark removed from her face.  Her younger brother clearly adored her.  He rushed into the post-operative ward as soon as possible to see how she was doing.  He was covered in Canada stickers from one of our Canadian PACU nurses. We used the stickers to entertain the kids pre-operatively.

Witnessing Hope

   
  Originally uploaded by interplast

Cao Lanh, Vietnam--Dr. Lauren Jefferis, Interplast volunteer pediatrician

One of the most rewarding parts of this experience is being able to witness the look on parents' faces when they see their children for the first time after they have had surgery.  This is Thao, who had ptosis, a congenital deformity that didn't allow her to open her eyelids fully.  This picture was taken immediately after surgery, when Thao's mother saw her daughter's new and improved eyelids for the first time.