Today began bittersweet. Yesterday, during surgery, one of the members of our team, an OR nurse, became very ill. She was admitted in to the ER at the hospital we have been volunteering at with severe chest pains and shortness of breath. All of her symptoms were pointing towards a heart attack. After two EKG's and cardiac panels and multiple other tests, all of her tests were coming back normal. Unfortunately, her pain was not diminishing and there were two times when she truly believed she was dying. It was finally determined that she was suffering from altitude sickness, and although this can be very mild, it can also cause death. She was treated with diamox and the consensus was that for any future mission trips to such a high altitude that this will be given prior to leaving for the trip to prevent this type of problem again. Thankfully, she is doing better and was released from the hospital this afternoon, but for the next segment of our trip we are headed to higher ground, 10,800 ft while Ambato is at 8,500 ft.
With all of our worries with Becky, the mission still needed to go on and today we truly went further than we had the days before. We were down one OR nurse to altitude sickness, an anesthetic nurse to a stomach ailment, and another volunteer to a stomach ailment, too. Even with fewer numbers, we saw more patients in the clinic than we had in the past few days, and we performed more surgeries than the days before. In total, at this time, we have seen 127 children, 124 adults, and performed 42 surgeries. We ran out of presents to give the children, so over lunch a few of us hopped in to a cab and headed to the Mall of the Andes. We perused a few stores and found some more coloring books, crayons, and stuffed animals to last us through tomorrow morning when we close the clinic at 11. Just to see the children's eyes light up when you hand them a gift is worth all of the running around that it took to gather what we needed.
The last surgery of the day today is an interesting story. Yesterday, as a group of us were standing around in the lobby waiting for the bus to pick us up, an older woman walked in with her family to visit someone in the hospital. Dr. Gutek looked at her, then looked at us and said, I can fix that. She had a prominent cleft lip. Our translators were standing with us and we asked them if they would go speak to her and ask her if she was interested in having surgery to fix her lip and she said yes! She came to the clinic this morning for a check-up before surgery and as she was giving us her information, it came up that she was born the year of the devastating earthquake that destroyed Ambato in 1949. Dr. Gutek performed the surgery this afternoon, and by 6:00 she was released to come home and the rest of the team headed back to the hotel.
Tonight was our recognition dinner that the hospital held for us. I cannot even express how exciting the night was! There were traditional Indian dances performed while we ate, and for the finale they brought many of us out to dance with them! Yep, you know it, I was chosen to dance. For those of you who know me well, you know that I don't dance. But, guess what, I did it anyway! We were gifted with beautiful purses from Ambato and a certificate of appreciation. As I was headed back to my room for the night, one of our translators gave me a documentary of Ecuador that I cannot wait to go home and watch. We are already talking about coming back next year, and adding on some days to go to the Amazon. I, also, promised some of our translators that I would work on my Spanish so I will not need to be so dependant on them next year.
I do have some pictures of today and our evening, but it is too late to download and post, so I will attempt to get them added tomorrow. Tomorrow is a short day, as we will be wrapping up by 11 and then checking out of the hotel and then begin our five hour trek to Termas de Pappallacta. Depending on when we arrive and if there is internet service will determine whether or not I am able to update the blog tomorrow. We will then be heading to Mitad del Mundo and then back to Quito, so this may be my last blog till I get back to the States. It is obvious that we have changed many lives this week, but the one I can relate to the most is my own. The Ecuadorian people and their culture have found a way in to my heart that can never be replaced. I will be back here in some capacity in the future as the love and joy expressed here is so monumentous and branding to the heart and soul.
Buenas noches mi amigos!
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