Mission Completed…

Medical Outreach of America recently completed our Fall Surgical mission in Amatitlan, Guatemala, which was once again, highly successful.  We completed 42 surgical procedures (19 orthopedic, 15 GYN and 8 plastic surgery).  Our primary obstacle to completing more cases was our lack of anesthesia services after the standard work day.  Two of our team members (an Anesthesiologist and an Orthopedic Surgeon) were forced to cancel due to the devastation in the Caribbean caused by the back to back hurricanes that ravaged so many of the islands.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to them and their families.

I continue to be amazed by the gracious hospitality of the staff and patients of Amatitlan!  One example was a frail, elderly lady who was hospitalized with a hip fracture insisted that we accept some packs of her crackers simply for being there; you have to understand that the vast majority of these patients barely have enough for themselves, but she was willing to share with complete strangers.  Time after time I saw similar acts of kindness directed towards our team, expecting nothing in return.

We had a fairly large team this Fall (21 members), which can make it a bit difficult to insure that everyone is actively involved and that they have a rewarding and productive experience.  Any fears that I might have had were quickly allayed, as our team was comprised of no shortage of  “self starters”.  We had taken a small team down in April to build shelving and to organize the sea container that had been shipped down earlier; while we were able to achieve many of our objectives, there were still many items that needed attention, including the painting of the container (it came painted dark blue which becomes a sauna in the tropical sun).  Our team of “container rats” as they were affectionately called, worked tirelessly to better organize the supplies to make them more accessible, added LED lighting to the interior, powered by 3 solar panels and 12V battery and then built additional shelving from items that were being discarded by the hospital.   I’m pretty sure that this team was the first to ever go dumpster diving in Guatemala!  This was in addition to scrubbing down the sea container, removing all the decals that were present and applying several coats of white paint, which dramatically lowered the temperatures in the container.   Many thanks to Troy Weaver, Gerry Difilipo, Marsha Bowen, Sandy Atwell and all the other members who put in countless hours to make the container “home”!

Mr. O’Brien made many socket molds to produce prosthetic limb replacements as well as providing a large assortment of supplies to improve the function and fit of the worn prostheses that some of the patients already owned.  Losing a limb can cause extreme emotional trauma, which is only exacerbated by the limited access for prosthetic replacement as is frequently seen is less developed nations.  It was so very rewarding to watch Bruce give the gift of mobility that allowed the patients to regain some of their independence!

Mr. Quenten Cothren also deserves individual recognition for the Herculean effort required to transport total knee arthroplasty instruments and components to perform knee replacements.  Many thanks also go to Corentec (the company who provided the implants) for their VERY kind and generous donation of the implants and the implant systems.

We had several young people accompany us on this mission and it is always heartwarming to have such enthusiasm and such a giving heart in these young adults; it speaks volumes about their character and I think it truly speaks to the character and the teachings of their parents as well.  They are to be commended!

I learned that a few of our team members had some issues with the non-standard operation of the shower controllers at our hotel and that several COLD showers were taken and not once did I hear a complaint from any of the team members!  Had I not overheard a peripheral conversation, it is quite likely that they would have completed the mission without a warm shower OR a complaint.

We had several new team members with us this time:

Marc Wetherington, M.D.
Stacy Beard
Marsha Bowen
Troy Weaver
Gerry Difilipo
Kessani Barefoot
Kelsey Sehring
Bruce O’Brien

Within hours, they became an integral part of the team, working as if they were back for their “umpteenth” time.

We were also honored to have several prior Guatemalan patients join us to assist in interpreting as a way to “pay forward” for them having the opportunity to have received treatment during an earlier mission.  Erwin, Jonathon and Edward, we are so very thankful for your gracious donation of time and effort!

Returning to Amatitlan is much like experiencing a warm family reunion with many embraces and kisses.  Simply meeting with our team at the airport for departure for Guatemala is much like a family reunion.  We become very attached to each other and at the end of the mission there is a certain feeling that you are leaving a part of you behind, and I think that is what draws so many of our members to return time and time again in an effort to reconnect.

I could go on for pages with all the wonderful deeds and acts of kindness and the many accomplishments of our team, but I doubt that they are seeking public accolades.  Their hearts know of their many acts, both large and small as well as the ones that were witnessed or un-witnessed.  I am publicly acknowledging the October 2017 team for their VERY generous donation of Love, time, effort and resources to make the mission the success that it was!!  I am honored to have been a part of your team!!!

Ed Atwell, M.D.
President
Medical Outreach of America

Mission Photos