We are enjoying a week at Clinica Ezell with the visiting surgery team. The special of the week is cleft lip and palate repair and general surgery. We have several cute babies here for the first time to get their cleft lip repairs, and some returning for followup procedures. Miguel (from Chuacaman IV up in our neck of the woods) is one little boy we operated on last year with a double cleft defect, and he has really grown this last year. He struts around in his little man jeans and gets into everything. This time we are working on his palate repair so he will be able to speak well. His mom has been so patient and has been good to talk to the new moms. We also have a little boy named Gregorio from La Palma who is 8 years old and has never been operated on. His dad has been by his side the entire time and has been so emotional seeing the difference in his son post op. We will post pictures when we have a better internet connection.
Miguel after his palate surgery--his lip repair from last year turned out so well!
Gregorio after his lip repair--he is giving us a smile here. Dad is so proud.
Also, this week, we the staff physicians and nurses are learning colposocopy technique (followup evaluation of abnormal pap smears) from Dr. Kristina McCain. We have been reveiwing indications for coloposcopy and seeing patients with abnormal pap smears as a learning oportunity. Already we have seen one advanced cervical/possibly endometrial cancer and another severe dysplasia/possibly early cancer. The goal is to diagnose and treat these lesions before they spread. We learned that 60% of all the cancers treated in the Cancer Institute in Guatemala City are cervical cancers. And we have seen at least one advanced case of cervical cancer with each Gyn surgery week here at Ezell. This service will be a big step in our women's health services. Pray that we are able to stimulate more interest in the communities for preventive care like pap smears for women.
We also got to go out today and visit a Cacao farm (cocoa). They showed us where the pods grow on the trees and got to taste the flesh covered seeds fresh from the pods (kind of a sweet melon taste). Then they showed us the dried seed product that gets roasted and ground into cocoa.
Kemmel next to a cacao tree--pointing at pods of cacao.
Lisa standing in front of a volador tree trunk.
Well, thanks for checking in. We will post again soon.
1 comment:
Kemmel and Lisa!
Glad to know that Lisa is all finished up. I hope that you are off relaxing somewhere right now. I don't remember where you said you were going to go and vacation exactly, but it sounded like you would have a great time. I have just been beginning to get busy with work here at school, and the incoming freshman come in tomorrow. I am going to be working in a sophomore dorm as a Resident Assistant, as a Chemistry Lab Teaching Assistant, and as a mentor to the transfer students that are coming in. It is going to be a busy semester when you take all of that into account, plus my volunteer hours, my shadowing with my dentist, and 17 credit hours. This semester is going to fly by for me. I miss everyone down there. Please say hello to everyone at the clinic for me, and stay safe! You are both in my prayers.
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