2pm: to the clinic to meet with prospective patients, take photographs, pass out post-op instructions in Vietnamese to the patients and their families. Most of the patients were late teens to early 20's. Some of them were excluded as they were not ready yet for reconstruction. Most patients are from malformations of the upper and lower jaw, and assymetrical. There were a few patients with cleft lip repairs from infancy, but their cleft palate was never addressed. There were a bevy of Vietnamese Orothdontists, Oral Surgeons surrounding Dr's Litchfield (retired Orthodondist) and Dr. Allender (Oral Maxilo-facial surgeon), as they did the measurements of each prospective patients face. This hospital is an in-patient facility, a clinic, and a teaching institute. There were many physcians and residents present and soaking up all the information the American doctors could provide. Eleven patients have been enrolled for surgery next week, beginning Monday.
I then went up to the Recovery Room area to check supplies and try to orient and prepare myself for what is to come. The area is definitely not what I am used to here in the States. There are 5 monitors, 4 areas for patients. Get this...I was told that due to increase in patients, sometimes they have 2, yes, I said TWO patients to a bed, that are being recovered. The windows open to the outside, no air conditioning, just the windows and fans. Cracks on the tile walls, a portable suction, re-used Ambu bags, for administering oxygen via their endotracheal tubes, until the tubes can be pulled out. No narcotics are given for pain, just IV tylenol. Wow, wow, wow!!! The patients families are an integral part of the process. They bring the family members in after the patient is brought to the Recovery Room. The patients still have the breathing tubes in, until they are awake enough to have the tube out. They are then admitted for 1 week, following surgery, and the families stay with them in the hospital.
Below are pictures of some of the patients we saw today. Also, pictures of the Recovery Room and the equipment. Also, in the Recovery Room is a patient that was just admitted after a 4 hour trauma facial surgery from those dreaded motor bikes.
We were there until 7pm, and then the local doctors took us all out for dinner. Beautiful Asian fare of, smoked squid, seaweed cooked in garlic (which was my favortie), chicken, sweet rice, spring rolls, a soup dish, an eggplant dish, pork dish, red wine and tea. It was very elegant and delicious and the 2 country's toasted each other's contributions to the Vietnamese people.
I can't say what is exactly happening here, but it is something that I really can't describe or photograph and really say what it all means. I am scared about tomorrow and how I can contribute. I really think it is myself who is doing all the learning here.
I will report when I can. I do expect to be completed wiped out tomorrow night after my first day. Think of us here and send your warm thoughts our way.
Good night from Hanoi!
No comments:
Post a Comment