Wichita Falls Team - Surgical Day 1

Today was the team's first day in the OR. Things got started a little slowly because the hospital didn't sterilize the instruments we took them at 6:30am as soon as we needed, but they were willing to share their own instruments until ours were sterilized. They also let us scavenge pieces off one of their anesthesia machines to supplement the incomplete one in the room we had.

The good news was that the surgeries today went very well. Remember the little boy we told you about yesterday? His surgery went well today and he only has one more step to go (one that Dr. Hoak can do in Chichicastenango). The bad news is that the hospital failed to publicize the team's arrival in the right places. We do not have enough patients!

Of course, this means that here in the immediate area, there aren't tons of patients who need medical care who can't get it. However, we are well aware of the TONS of patients in outlying areas who ARE in that boat. They are not being reached.

So our mission for the next year is to make sure that we know how to get word of these teams to the patients who really need help. Of course, all we can do is lead the proverbial horse to water - we referred in about 10 patients from our own rural clinics and only about half of them showed up.

But we'll be working with some other area organizations and trying to contact some rural K'iche language radio stations to advertise the arrival of the next medical team. This hasn't been necessary in the past because the hospital's own channels have been sufficient to bring in the needy patients. The good news is that we have to start getting the word further out. The bad news is that the need is out there but isn't being reached.

Please pray for this team to have good patients to help the next two days. But even more, help us to find ways to get our needy patients in for surgery.

Tomorrow, Matt will take one of the docs and two of the nurses out to Leslie's clinic in Chiminicijuan. The roads are quite bad, and we will have to walk at least 20-30 minutes from where we'll have to leave the truck. Pray for our safety and for a good and productive clinic day.

And here are some Isaac pics... One of him in the bath (thanks for the bath mat, Bethany) and one of him playing with Mommy on his quilt (thanks for the quilt, Rachel)