So many thoughts to get down today. I hope I can get them all in. Today was our first day at the mission site and we thought we knew what to expect but it was far more overwhelming than we anticipated. The mission in Panama is a bit different in that many patients are pre screened and already know they will be receiving surgery. There were already over 200 surgeries scheduled before we arrived. Even though that was the case there were well over 100 more that just showed up today to be screened to see if they too could receive surgery this week. Many will stay but I witnessed for the first time in person a mother being turned away because her child was underweight and sick. My heart ached for her. The children and their families wait for many hours for this process. My favorite part of the day by far was the connection that Despina made with all of these kids. I never asked her to go play with them. She just jumped right in immediately. In fact, I think she was having way more fun than they were. It was so amazing that she never tired even for a minute. Those of you that know her well understand how her energy can just wear you out but today I understood that this is the perfect place for her and the perfect thing for her to be doing. While Despina handled several kids on her lap at once I spent time trying to calm very scared children that were getting their vitals checked and sitting with the surgeons. The Mom's were very tired and frustrated and happily handed their children to you for help. This went on for hours as little by little they were directed to the shelter where they will stay the whole week. When almost everyone was in the shelter we all took a deep breath in relief that we had gotten through screening! Until.... 7 bus loads of children and their families arrived moments later. Here we go.. Next round.
We made our way afterwards to the shelter where everyone was being assigned their cots. We found one little boy that was alone literally for hours and we could not find his mother. We could not get him to talk until I gave him a piece of gum and then he told us his name. We pulled his chart, tried calling the mother's phone number and learned it was a wrong number. I was so afraid that the mother had just left him there because he also told us that she left. We started asking for the mother with the megaphone... No response just blank stares. We later learned he was there with his grandmother and she had fallen asleep for 3 hours!
With all of these children being so tired, nervous and upset it was the absolute most rewarding thing when Despina would come over and make them smile through tears. In those moments I felt like despite the holes in their lips and the facial deformities that they had.. They were honestly the most beautiful smiles I had ever seen!
One last thought before I go... I often looked around at the nurses and doctors and volunteers that just kept going for hours and hours without stopping or taking a break. It was unbelievable what this team was doing... And today was only Day 1.
Tomorrow's our team day! We will get to know eachother even more so together we can make a big impact!
We made our way afterwards to the shelter where everyone was being assigned their cots. We found one little boy that was alone literally for hours and we could not find his mother. We could not get him to talk until I gave him a piece of gum and then he told us his name. We pulled his chart, tried calling the mother's phone number and learned it was a wrong number. I was so afraid that the mother had just left him there because he also told us that she left. We started asking for the mother with the megaphone... No response just blank stares. We later learned he was there with his grandmother and she had fallen asleep for 3 hours!
With all of these children being so tired, nervous and upset it was the absolute most rewarding thing when Despina would come over and make them smile through tears. In those moments I felt like despite the holes in their lips and the facial deformities that they had.. They were honestly the most beautiful smiles I had ever seen!
One last thought before I go... I often looked around at the nurses and doctors and volunteers that just kept going for hours and hours without stopping or taking a break. It was unbelievable what this team was doing... And today was only Day 1.
Tomorrow's our team day! We will get to know eachother even more so together we can make a big impact!
This is Dr. Magee explaining to a mother that her child had far more needs than we could help her with in Panama. She needed a craniofacial doctor to help her with what her daughter needed and that she would have to wait until the baby was at least 6 months old. Today she is 2 months old. She was in tears.
This baby loved Despina! She is getting surgery for a cleft palate.
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