Friday was a super busy, but very exciting day for the teams. The surgery team joined with the village doctors to screen over 300 patients. Screening for surgery candidates but listening to each of their stories and evaluating their medical condition takes a lot of time. It was a joy! This was a first for our team, in that we screened at both the Orange Walk Hospital and the Corozal Hospital some 30 miles apart from each other. Over 120 patients were seen at Corozal Hospital.
Corozal Hospital patients waiting mid day
and 170 plus at Orange Walk. The TV stations and radio and church bulletins has announced our visit, but you never know until the day arrives. All the surgery days are fully scheduled with as many patients as we can do with some more on the waiting list.
Nurse Joan Barry, with Barbara Ettinger and Duneen Devore and also Chief of staff at the Hospital Dr. Sajia
A team remained at Tony’s to count through the bulk pills and put in dosages of 30 or more with instructions inserted in both English and Spanish. This will prepare for the Saturday through Tuesday rural health clinics.
A team of anesthesia and surgery nurses set up all the details to make the surgery spaces and supplies all in order for Saturday.
The construction team had paid for supplies to be delivered in advance, and when the team arrived they made tremendous strides on the new house. The family will keep the mud floor huts to cook in, but the front hut on the street side will now be torn down.
Lots of progress on house on Friday. They started with just a concrete slab in place
Dr. Sheila Rajatnam had a chance to visit the construction site. She is usually confined to the florescent lights of the surgery suite, so she was excited to see the village and the people where the house is being built. She is pictured with what the guys told her was “an alternate anesthesia.”
Dr. Rajaratnam and Jerry Strange
Dr. Tim Followell and Briane Elliott were greeted with a room of dental patients on Friday and were able to see 16 cases, many major work for them. They served at a Presbyterian Clinic that we have enjoyed as partners in the village of Patchakan.
All smiles for Dr. Tim and Briane