Emily Ulm, Interplast volunteer nurse.
Today we were able to reap the rewards of all of yesterday's clinic day work. We get to operate on these patients and change some lives, in a small or a big way. I love this part of the trip.
Well, I love so many parts of the trip. I love it when a child passes all the criteria for surgery on clinic day and the parents have such an anticipated excitement about their child's upcoming procedure. I love seeing how, also on clinic day, an initially chaotic situation starts to run like a well-greased wheel. And I love to see how friendships among the team members begin to blossom out of our common desire to help others.
On operating days, we are really getting into the part where we make a difference. Ian Wilson is our chief plastic surgeon, and he has a heart of gold. His concern for each and every patient shines through when he operates. He is meticulous in his work and meticulous in his teaching. Our anesthetists are calm, extremely capable and also excellent with the patients. I am an operating room (OR) nurse, so I won't go overboard with the self-praise, but I do think that my OR nurse colleague, Lorraine and I are doing a great job in getting the rooms and equipment prepared for the procedures, and we love these little kiddies, too. Our post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) nurses, Jan and Frieda, are angels in disguise as they love and nurture the wakening child, and keep the fears at bay. And I must mention our pediatrician and our translators who are working non-stop and are never letting the fast pace get to them. I feel blessed to be on this team.
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