Guatemala Day 4: The Gratitude of the People

The longer I am here the more I learn about our patients’ lives and the role Faith in Practice plays in them. They are starting to recognize me as I walk by and as I sit by them, they try to talk to me using gestures.  Something they give up and just laugh and hug me. I swear, if I do another mission, I'm going to learn more Spanish so I can really communicate with them.

While Monday had a number of obstacles ranging from the lack of water to no air conditioning in the operating rooms (it was really hot in there), it was the gratitude of the people kept the team going.

The first gynecology surgery of the day was one of these times. Petrona, 65, was the cutest little old woman you had ever seen. And I'm not exaggerating when I say little. She was less than 5-feet tall and weighed only 43 kg (95 pounds). She would be getting a vaginal hysterectomy and was shivering from nerves and the cold air in the operating room, but that didn’t stop her from smiling away and giggling.

She had the best smile. At first she didn't want me to take her photo as she didn't have her teeth in, but then she posed for me.  Having no teeth, made her even cuter.

Petrona told me (via a translator) she worked as a maid and this was her second time getting surgery through Faith in Practice. The first time was a few years ago and she said back then she was scared, but she was so delighted at the outcome that she was much more comfortable going into this surgery.

Petrona couldn't read or write so her signature is her fingerprint

Her positive attitude was contagious – especially as she kept making little remarks and laughing. For example, to check to see if her spinal anesthesia was working, we asked if she could feel her feet.

“Yes,” Petrona said. The doctors all paused for just a second. If the spinal AE was working, she should be feeling nothing.

Then she followed with the punchline. “They are sleeping," she said.

She was so cute, you just wanted to hug her.

GRATITUDE AND LOVE

All of the patients at the hospital were nervous before their operations, but they were so grateful to have our team there to help then. Maria Hernadez had come from Totonicapan which was three hours away to have her gallbladder removed. Her surgery was on Monday and she was looking forward to going home the next day.

Juan had a tumer in his cheek.

“I started having pain two years ago, so now it’s good to have it gone,” said Maria Hernadez-Cox via our translator, Ines. “It’s very good to have you and your doctors here. You are good people.”

The father of a 6-year-old boy named Antello had similar things to say. His son had a tumor removed from his pelvic area the day before and was recovery.

“The doctors and the hospital are excellent. We received lots of attention and my son is doing well. He’s in no pain,” said Antello’s father.

Antello and his father had come from Peten which was 15 hours away. They said they had seen a Faith in Practice doctor in the villages who told them to come here for the operation. Because they don’t have a car, they had to take the bus to Antigua and then catch a ride with a friend of a friend. The long ride was worth it as they would not have been able to get the tumor removed where they lived.

One of Guatemalan translators, 16-year-old Edgar, was also going into surgery to fix his broken nose. He said he was thankful the team was here, even though he was a little nervous.

“I’m freaking out right now, but I’m glad I’m getting it done,” said Edgar. “I get nose bleeds and have some nasal problems.”

Edgar said when he spoke to the doctors, they gave him a choice about whether or not he should do the surgery. He thought about it and decided to go ahead with it.

“The doctors here are the most amazing people I have ever met,” said Edgar.

Edgar’s mom said she’s glad he’s getting the operation.

“I want to thank you for everything you and your friends have done for us. Gracias.”

The parents of 6-year-old Juan agree. Their son had a tumor on his cheek. It had been removed one time before, but grew back so we removed it again on Monday. The boy's face was swollen and he was in a little pain, but still the family was thankful.

Impromtu prayer when Juan had to go into surgery a second time.

“We are glad we came here from Totonicapan. We can’t believe how good the experience has been. The doctors have been wonderful,” said Juan’s father.

Sadly, Juan’s cheek swelled up more during the day and we had to quickly re-operate on him. Our pastor Karen Prevatt prayed with the family outside the operating room while they wept.

It was so sad. This little boy had already found a special place in my heart. I could only imagine what it would be like to have to surrender your 6-year-old to strangers who didn't speak your language.
“We are glad you are here to help us,” said Juan’s father later on.

THE THREE P’S OF DENTISTRY

Not everyone loves to see the dentist and that goes for people living in Guatemala. Lydia, 14, says even though she’s getting a cleaning and doesn’t have any cavities, she’s scared and will be relieved when it’s over. Believe it or not, this was the first time she’s ever had her teeth cleaned.

Christian, 12, was the dental patient before her. He had six teeth removed, which was the most extractions our dentist has to do on one person during this trip. Thankfully, they were all baby teeth. She had his permanent teeth still looked healthy.

“It’s good for him to get this. Now he won’t have any more cavities,” his mother said.

Dentist Christine Heoplinger said all of her patients on this trip are in the 6th grade. She said she is seeing more decay in kids their age on than she would have expected, and much more than the average 12 to 14 year old child in the US.

“It’s not their hygiene. It’s more of a dietary problem. They chew a lot of sugar cane, drink coke and sodas and eat other sugary foods that are causing the decay,” Christine said.

The reason all her patients are all young is because after they finish the 6th grade they are no longer eligible for the dental program. It’s not a Faith in Practice rule, but a Guatemalan government rule. So because of the time constraints and the number of kids to see, Christine is focusing on the 3 P’s of dentistry: Pain, permanent teeth and prevention. However, she wishes she could do much more.

“It would be nice to be able to do some root canals on some of the molars. There is so much that could be done to help them if we had the time and the resources to do it,” said Christine.

THE POWER OF SOUND

“I am profoundly thankful for this group. I will pray God watches over all of you while you do your work. I will also pray for your families. Mucho gracias, gracias, gracias.”

Words like these could be heard over and over throughout the hospital, but these particular ones came from 76-year-old Francisco after Jodi Bova and her team helped improve his hearing with a hearing aid. Being in the auditory room is incredible as you are can see the patients' faces light up when they can hear sound again. They literally go from expressionless to big smiles.

We sometimes forget the impact hearing has in our lives, but that afternoon 82-year-old Julia reminded us. She had not been hearing well for over 23 years. Her sister told us that when we gave her the hearing aid, she was crying she was so happy. Apparently, when her hearing went, she had stopped being social and had lived the last two decades sitting in the corner.

“Her sister told me Julia was so happy yesterday when could hear again. She can go to church now. She can go to the market and barter. She can go by herself and ask what the prices are,” said Susana.

Another overjoyed man told the group that now he could be his own man. Instead of relying on someone else’s ears, his boss could give orders directly to him.

All day long, I heard amazing stories like these.

LOVE IN ACTION

Tuesday was a good day. We did 22 procedures including removing a massive hernia from a man in his 60s. Before the operation his scrotum was approximately 12 inches long and included his large bowel and momentum (the fat that covers the intestines). It was incredible to watch Dr. Richard Bland and his team remove it and repair the damage. I could have watched the surgeries all day long.

While all the operations went well, the day wasn’t without its obstacles. The air conditioning stopped working in some of the operating rooms and by mid-afternoon the surgeons were working in what felt like a sauna. Their scrubs were wet with perspiration, but they never slowed down -- until we ran out of water.

Yup, that's right. For the second day in a row, we didn't have water for a couple hours. This time the problem was human-error. Apparently, the hospital tank's automatic valve system was broken and the staff had to manually open and close it. They forgot to open it.

"It was a hectic day. We worked from 7:30 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. with only a 15 minute lunch. Once, I went out to use the restroom between surgeries and was stopped by someone asking a question. By the time I got back in the operating room, the patient was already on the table and I was scrambling to get the instruments on the tray," said RN Char Schumann.

Don't believe for a minute that these obstacles stopped us. All the hard work and sweat we put in everyday was worth it. The people of Guatemala were so open with their gratitude, it was almost overwhelming. But at the same time they were praising us for our work, we were also thankful for them as they were changing us in their own way. They were love in action.

Our CRNA Christian Cleveland-Peck summed up this up over dinner when he recalled a simple gesture he had witnessed.

“Remember that little old woman from the morning? When we were walking her down the hall for surgery, she passed her husband. She took her false teeth out of her mouth and gave them to her husband who put them in his pocket without hestitation. Now that’s love,” said Christian.