Today was a great day: after easting plain rice for dinner last night I felt on top of the world this morning so was ready to face the operating theatre. Today's its included some of the more complex and long operations.
Matt operated on Eliza all morning; the operation took nearly 5 hours. Eliza was one of the children I first noticed when we arrived at the clinic on Sunday - she had a huge almost square growth from her face/lip and at 10 years old she was so conscious of her appearance but there was just no hiding it; she was incredibly shy. To watch Matt draw out the cuts inject her to stop blood flow and then gradually work through the removal of the tissue and then close it up was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. The deformity she has could not be completely removed without a much more serious operation requiring a blood transfusion and intensive care; which is just not possible here. However she is a very lucky girl as Matt is one of only four surgeons in Australia that could do this operation and he is here for her!
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| Super star theatre nurse Mel |
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Matt starts Eliza's operation
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| Eliza just before she woke up |
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| Eliza at the clinic on Sunday |
On the other table Anthony operated on Daniel and then Irene, both of whom needed skin grafts to release burns that have healed badly as they had no treatment at the time. The skin grafts were so neat, the first looked like a Z pattern to release and the gaps filled, the second was a perfect diamond from the abdomen stiched in to the armpit to allow Irene to lift her arm. Again what lucky children not to just have the operation but to have it done but such a skilled pladtic surgeon as Anthony.
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| Anthony and Alice operate on Irene |
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| Irene wakes up |
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| Irene in recovery with her art work |
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| Irene back on the ward with Shannon and a very happy Muma |
Whilst the surgery was ongoing Shannon was busy at the ward tending on yesterday's patients and Mardi made a splint for a Braque to help her gain more movement in her burned hand; I think there is a good chance Mardi will take her home. She sat so placidly whilst being measured and fitted her splint - just adorable.
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| Mardi makes a splint for Braque |
I took a break from watching this-morning's operations to entertain the waiting kids with colouring books. Irene had never done colouring before but stayed completely within the lines and choose beautiful colours. Adonia on the otherhand was a wild one (as she is everytime she comes face to face with a mazongu - white person).
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| Carolyn and Irene |
I have also leaned today how much these super smart educated medicos love any sort of crappy food. James and I were charged with getting food from the supermarket for lunch. This consisted of pringles, chocolate, popcorn, flat bread with peanut butter and sodas - a street seller acousted us and we also got some fruit but I am not sure how popular that was.....
This afternoon Dr Ross took time to provide training to some local med students - they looked nearly as amazed as me at the work being done. They also took advantage of his chocolate eclairs.
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| Ross provides training |
This afternoon, after a long game of balloon throwing, little Adonia had the large hemangioma removed from her top lip. Another amazing operation; she now looks like a different girl but still not happy with being touched by us. Her Daddy came in to help us wake her and he looked delighted with the result. Anthony said this one is not likely return; what great result.
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| Adonia - before |
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| Adonia just before she left theatre - wow! |
The last two operations of the day were both burns; Vairut and Charlie. Vairut had extensive burns on her face and required a contracture release on her lip and neck; to allow her to lift her head to a normal position. Dr Ross introduced the med students to the difficulty of Vairut's intubation as her neck is angled down towards her chest, making it hard to find an airway. Charlie who is the returning patient who was there to welcome us on Sunday had webbing between his fingers released; his other hand has no fingers left so this will give him movement in his fingers to allow him to do some things for himself.
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| Jamie with both Vairut and Charlie in recovery and not much space. |
We ended the day with a pizza and beer at local restaurant - I think I will sleep for a week when I get home.
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| The team! |
Carolyn
ReplyDeleteExcepting trauma cases, do you think that most of the dr's wouldn't see half the extreme types of cases that they see in this clinic? What a difference they are making to the ability of their patients to function let alone stop from being shunned. Good to think that there is a transfer of skills happening to local med students too. Sleep well.
Evz