I know it has been a while since the last post, but first things first, Happy Birthday John, ¡Felicidades!
Well, it took me a little while to settle into things here, but I have been pretty busy. The beginning of my first full week in Ometepec was spent at the local hospital, Hospital de la Amistad (Friendship Hospital). This hospital has been around since the 1950s and is quite impressive. As you can imagine, the health care standard isn't the same as ours in the states, but this private hospital does a pretty good job. I spent Monday through Thursday each with a different doctor to see how they do things and to be surrounded by as much Spanish as possible. The doctors here do EVERYTHING, from outpatient follow ups to surgeries and deliveries. I helped in the operating room during an appendectomy, did a Pap Smear, and saw several babies born (by they way, Mexican babies have so much hair!) Then, Friday, a team of Americans representing the World Cataract Foundation arrived for their 37th annual trip to Ometepec. There were 6 OOphthalmologistseach with their own team of scrub nurses, support staff and an optician. They come every year to do surgery on cataracts and pterygiums (a fleshy growth on the white part of the eye that with UV exposure and dust can grow over the cornea obstructing the vision). I helped give patients their discharge instructions, observed several cataract surgeries and assisted one of the doctors with his pterygium surgeries. I even served as a translator when I was needed. The optician dispensed reading glasses and sunglasses to the patients that weren't ccandidatesfor surgery. They screened over 1300 people (which was a little bit crazy!) and in 4 and half days, they did 153 cataracts, 45 pterygiums, dispensed 971 pairs of glasses and 850 pairs of sunglasses. I had a lot of fun. It was a great chance to meet new people from the states, and most of all, a great opportunity to touch a lot of people here in Mexico who now have the gift of sight!
This is a picture of the operating room, three doctors per room, and me with a lady that just received a shot to numb and iimmobilizeher eye. The ball helps distribute the medicine and speed along the process.
Well, it took me a little while to settle into things here, but I have been pretty busy. The beginning of my first full week in Ometepec was spent at the local hospital, Hospital de la Amistad (Friendship Hospital). This hospital has been around since the 1950s and is quite impressive. As you can imagine, the health care standard isn't the same as ours in the states, but this private hospital does a pretty good job. I spent Monday through Thursday each with a different doctor to see how they do things and to be surrounded by as much Spanish as possible. The doctors here do EVERYTHING, from outpatient follow ups to surgeries and deliveries. I helped in the operating room during an appendectomy, did a Pap Smear, and saw several babies born (by they way, Mexican babies have so much hair!) Then, Friday, a team of Americans representing the World Cataract Foundation arrived for their 37th annual trip to Ometepec. There were 6 OOphthalmologistseach with their own team of scrub nurses, support staff and an optician. They come every year to do surgery on cataracts and pterygiums (a fleshy growth on the white part of the eye that with UV exposure and dust can grow over the cornea obstructing the vision). I helped give patients their discharge instructions, observed several cataract surgeries and assisted one of the doctors with his pterygium surgeries. I even served as a translator when I was needed. The optician dispensed reading glasses and sunglasses to the patients that weren't ccandidatesfor surgery. They screened over 1300 people (which was a little bit crazy!) and in 4 and half days, they did 153 cataracts, 45 pterygiums, dispensed 971 pairs of glasses and 850 pairs of sunglasses. I had a lot of fun. It was a great chance to meet new people from the states, and most of all, a great opportunity to touch a lot of people here in Mexico who now have the gift of sight!
This is a picture of the operating room, three doctors per room, and me with a lady that just received a shot to numb and iimmobilizeher eye. The ball helps distribute the medicine and speed along the process.
posted by Anne at 4:40 PM
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