Agape In Action: Last Day in the OR

Well, yesterday started out with an answered prayer and just got better and better after that. When we first got to the hospital, only one of our two scheduled patients had arrived (they were supposed to be there almost two hours before us), which was a huge bummer. In the daily worship service, we lifted up Tomasa, the second patient, in prayer and asked that she would find her way here after all in order to have her much-needed prolapse surgery. (We had already asked all of the hospital employees if anyone knew her or had a way to get in touch with her—they often do know the patients, but no luck in this case!)

After the service, we were sitting in the clinic room and two ladies just walked right in to talk to us. This is pretty rare in Guatemala—and especially in a doctor’s office. People just don’t walk in places without permission! They then shyly asked if we had already operated on Tomasa. I told them no, and that we were still waiting for her to arrive—were they friends or family members of hers? Did they have her number? They promptly got their phones out to call her urgently, but that was just as the lady from the front desk told us that she HAD just arrived and was being admitted as we spoke.

It made me laugh a little, just because it felt like another one of God’s “showing off” moments—you know, the ones where He just gently reminds us that He has this all under control? I often feel like those happen more down here, where we have less control and over-scheduling or micro-managing of day-to-day life, and it’s one of my favorite things about life down here.

Anyway, the two surgeries actually went great—when we finally got started at about one o’clock! Those who have operated with me before will be as shocked as I was that I got the two prolapse surgeries (“vag-a-thons”) both done in under five hours. Definitely a record—AND that was with having the medical students do the initial incision and dissection and putting on about half of the hysterectomy clamps. It was so nice to have such a smooth day, considering how tired I already was starting out.

All of our patients are doing great except for one that we are a little more concerned about—please send up extra prayers for Manuela, one of our abdominal hysterectomies from Tuesday. She is just recovering a little slower than expected, and felt even a little febrile last night. I am anxious to get down to the hospital and check on her this morning—I’m hoping she has kind of turned a corner in the right direction overnight.

Today will be rounds, re-organizing and cleaning up the clinic, one quick procedure, whatever patients show up, and market. Tomorrow we will round, hopefully send ALL of our patients home by then, and then fly out to the Fickers in Canillá to see some patients there and reconnect with those dear friends.

(Update now at dinner, since we didn't get a chance to post until later tonight the above blog from yesterday...)

Manuela is doing better, and all three of our last patients should go home tomorrow. Clinic is packed up, market is depleted of plenty of souvenirs that we are bringing home with us, and naps have been taken. Life is good, and God is better.

Pictures for today: Maria and Carol generously volunteering to wash the speculums for us!

One of our "paychecks" for the week... these beautiful apples are from the orchard of one of our patients from Tuesday

Fun with the sweet and otherwise bored kids in the courtyard

Just in case we made it seem like we worked ALL the time...

Maria mastered the art of taking blood pressures! (And fingerstick glucose measurements, not pictured here...)

The girls at our favorite restaurant this week... and where we are posting from currently!

Alma, our scrub nurse of over 20 years, in her new duds that we brought her! She won't wear pants in the OR, so I finally found her a scrub dress like she likes to wear... I think I was more excited than she was, but it was still fun to finally find something she can actually use!