Finally a Family!

Yonathan

It is with great pleasure for me to share with everyone my friend Lisa's news. She and her husband Andy are in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and have finally been united with their adopted son Yonathan. Here is her blog entry from today:

We are roughly 24hrs with Yonathan. We picked him up at the orphanage yesterday around 1. It was a remarkable experience meeting his caregivers. Many became emotional when we took him. They became very attached to this boy and we can see why after having him of only 24hrs. He is simply amazingly beautiful. He loves being held and we love holding him, especially while he sleeps. Most of the children are well cared for but are not held enough.

When we hold him next to us we can feel the immediate sense of safety and relaxation, which means a lot to us knowing his rough start in this life. We love him more than words and it brings tears to my eyes as I write this entry for many reasons. It deeply saddens me to think how many thousands upon thousands of children could be available for adoption. The poverty here is staggeringly sad. We feel fortunate and incredibly lucky for the gift of Yonathan and also want to thank the countless people who gave us so much support in the past couple of years. We are finally in Ethiopia with our son. This is one of the best days of our lives. Take care. Andy and Lisa

Hanging Out in Ho Chi Minh City

We made our way back to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). It was a five hour bus ride from Can Tho. I enjoyed the ride, as there is always something interesting to see. Aflac?!!

It was great to return to HCMC. I was spent the afternoon exploring some of the city, saw the Reunification Palace, and had a drink at the Rex Hotel. I'd like to stay longer, but instead will have to compromise and return in the future. The majority of us are returning, but some of my colleagues are going to explore the Cu Chi tunnels tomorrow. Others are visiting different parts of Vietnam, including Ha Long Bay, and Sapa.

All of the southern Vietnam Operation Smile Teams are here, and we had a big celebration tonight. It feels like a class reunion, seeing so many friends and colleagues from previous missions. Bill and Kathy Magee, the founders and CEO/president of Operation Smile International, visited our site in Can Tho. Dr Magee performed a surgery on one of our children. Of course, they both attended the celebration. They have motivated me to take the initiative in re-starting a Minnesota Operation Smile Chapter. Here's a photo of Bill, me, Kathy, and Khai, our mission coordinator, at the celebration

As long as I'm posting photos of myself (yuck), I thought I'd include a photo from last night. Some of my colleagues bought me gifts...including not one, but two traditional Vietnamese outfits, called, "au dai." This is me and my friend Dao. We're both wearing an au dai. Of course, she's quite elegant!

It's almost 1:00 AM in HCMC. And so begins my very long day. I fly out this morning. Due to the time zones and crossing the International Date Line somewhere between Tokyo and California, November 15, 2009 will last 37 hours for me.

Before I log off, I'll post some of my photos of some of the people I saw on my trip down the Mekong (Hau) River.

A Girl Named Nhu

During my time in Can Tho, I had the pleasure to meet many patients and their families. They all have special stories to tell. For example, Nhu is an eight year-old girl with a severe bilateral lip and palate deformity. Our lead surgeon, Rafael Gottenger, was immediately taken by her during patient screening. She was so scared, she was shaking. She had never met a foreigner before.

Nhu's father also has a facial deformity. He had surgery twelve years ago. Although it is evident that Nhu inherited this trait from her father, we do not have a very good understanding of the genetic relationship with deformities suh as cleft lip/palate. Based on our current state of knowledge, currently only 10% to 20% of all cleft deformites have been shown to have a genetic relationship. We had a genetic researcher who was present during the mission. Over 500 genetic specimens were collected from patients with cleft deformities and their family members. Hopefully we will be able to learn more in the future.

Rafi performed Nhu's surgery, and she did very well with her immediate recovery. When she was discharged from the hospital, Rafi presented her with a bicycle. Afterwards, he was waxing philosophic, mentioning that the next time he's frustrated with traffic or issues at work (for example), all he'll have to do is think of Nhu and what she's had to endure to give him some perspective. This morning, Rafi and some of our team members visited Nhu at her home. Although she only lives a few kilometers away from Can Tho, the trip took almost two hours via various modes: taxi, motorbike (the road became too narrow for cars) and then walking the final few kilometers. Her home, which is essentially a small shack, is nestled between a banana plantation and rice paddies. She and her neighbors were quite surprised with today's visit. She gave the team a tour of her village and showed them her school. She is and bright girl, and is appears to be doing very well. She will need additional surgery in the future.

Photo courtesy of Graham Wilson

Rafi has been on numerous Operation Smile missions. He was the surgical team leader for this mission, and I had a wonderful time working with him. He is an amazing human being. Rafi had actually been to Can Tho with Operation Smile ten years earlier. Rafi had operated on little boy with a bilateral cleft lip deformity.

photograph circa 1999

The boy returned to be screened. He still has a cleft palate, but had a wonderful outcome from his lip surgery. Although he showed up too late to have his palate repaired on our mission, we were able to arrange for him to be evaluated and and hopefully receive surgery from Dr. Phuong in Ho Chi Minh City.

What Did You Eat Today?

Breakfast: Flat rice noodles (with nuoc mam (fish sauce), bean sprouts, peanuts,

chilis and basil), boiled egg, yogurt, watermelon juice and green tea

Lunch: Cha gio (Imperial egg rolls) with rice noodles,

taro root, and nuoc mam (I passed on the sausages)

Afternoon snack: Dragon fruit and lychees

Dinner: Can Tho Beer, banana chips, papaya salad, squash blossom fritters,

and tofu with lemon grass and chilis (oh, yeah...and more rice!)

A Big Sigh of Relief South of Saigon

My apologies for being remiss regarding my blog entries. Yes, it's been very busy, but also very rewarding. We have meticulously worked our way through five days of surgery. I'm thrilled to share that we were able to operate on 146 children with no major complications. There are many stories to tell, but I'll start today by simply posting some photographs of my new friends.

Mr. Potato Head

Our first day of surgery went well. We tucked the kids in for the night, and we will return tomorrow for our second of five days of surgery. Yet another day of fun and challenges. I am quite impressed with my international team and our Vietnam colleagues...a synergistic group. We are working well together.

My day was busy, to say the least. I did have a quiet moment talking with a mother about her son who was going to have his cleft palate repaired. He had a number of developmental issues. In the United States, he would be involved in early intervention/therapies/school. That's not an option for him in Vietnam. However, it was evident his mother was doing all that she could for him.

Prior to departing for Vietnam, I was reviewing the cargo manifest. It listed various items, including pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, anesthetic gases, dressings, suture materials...and Mr. Potato Heads?!! Hasbro has taken an active philanthropic role in supporting Operation Smile, and subsequently designed a special edition Operation Smile Mr. Potato Head. There were two cases of Mr. Potato Heads listed on the manifest. Needless to say, they arrived safely. He is a special plush toy, with the Operation Smile logo on his hat. You may order one through Operation Smile with a donation of $50 or more.

It's fun to hear through the grapevine what's occurring at the other Vietnam mission sites. Jackie Chan recently visited the site at Hanoi. You may read more about the "Journey of Miracles" 20 year Vietnam celebration and Jackie Chan at:

http://www.operationsmile.org/vietnam-20th-anniversary/

Let the Games Begin

We literally hit the ground running upon our arrival to Can Tho. We spent the last two days screening patients and preparing for surgery. I’m thrilled, as I’m part of a terrific team. Things have been going very well.

We are stationed at the Can Tho Hospital. The building is two years old. We have been allocated a nice amount of space in the operating rooms and on the post-operative ward. The only drawback is that it’s an adult hospital, so we do not have any cribs.

Medical Records

The screening process was challenging, as always. Some patients travel very far to be considered for surgery, there is a lot of waiting, and unfortunately, some must be turned away.

New Friends

They are very particular about our footwear in the operating rooms. In some areas, that are “semi-sterile,” you must wear white sandals. In other “more sterile areas,” you must switch to blue sandals. My colleagues who wear size 14 shoes are a little challenged…I’m hopeful they will allow us to wear our shoe covers!

Sandals, anyone?

Operating Room Set-Up

Recovery Room Set-Up

Carmencita Making Arm Boards

Today is our first of five days of surgery. We have a busy schedule with four general anesthesia tables and one local table. So I will sign off here, on my way to our team meeting.

In Transit in Vietnam

I've made it to my final destination: Can Tho, Vietnam. It has been quite the journey. The bus ride went well. We were lucky enough to ride in an air-conditioned bus. It is going to take me a while to get acclimated to this hot and humid weather!

The most common form of Vietnamese transporation is the motobike. The hordes of two-wheeled vehicles brought back memories of Amsterdam. You have to be very careful when crossing the street!

Of course, there are plenty of willing individuals ready to give you a ride!

A family that rides together, thrives together!

Can Tho came into sight at the end of our journey. You could see it just on the other side of the Hau River. However, they are still working on constructing a new bridge. We had to get off the bus and board a ferry to cross the river.

Sunset on the Hau River, Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

We are settled into The Ninh Kieu 2 Hotel, we had a fresh Vietnamese feast, and now we are busy preparing for our screening which starts tomorrow. We will have an opportunity to meet a a lot of terrific kids!

The Other Side of the World

It always amazes me how in less than twenty-four hours you can find yourself on the other side of the world. My arrival to Ho Chi Minh City (a.k.a. Saigon), Vietnam occurred without a hitch. I had an easy connection through Tokyo, and was thrilled to discover I had been moved up to business class for my flight into Ho Chi Minh City. It's decadent, being able to lie horizontal with down pillows and and a comforter at 35,000 feet. I was welcomed by beautiful Vietnamese women dressed in colorful silk gowns. They were greeting those who were arriving for the Mrs. World Pageant. The contestants will be staying at my hotel, The Windsor Plaza Hotel-Saigon.

I've already met a number of Op Smile volunteers and staff, some with familiar faces, others who will be traveling to different sites. We will disperse and go our separate ways tomorrow. Some of my team members won't arrive until the morning. Our bus departs for Can Tho at noon. That should give me some extra time to exercise and explore this part of the city. Although it's only 169 miles away (a little over 100 miles), the bus ride to Can Tho will take seven hours.

Here it's thirteen hours ahead of Minneapolis time. That being said, I'll try to get some rest.

Good Morning Vietnam!

Well, it’s been months since my last blog entry. Although I’ve had a terrific spring and summer, I haven’t been on any international travels since Antarctica. I was scheduled to go on a medical mission with Operation Smile in June, but it was canceled at the last minute due to an outbreak of H1N1 influenza at our mission site, Hai Phong, Vietnam.

I’m preparing to depart for my next medical mission with Operation Smile to Can Tho, Vietnam (southern part of Vietnam, on the Mekong Delta-see map). For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Operation Smile, you can learn about the organization (and make donations) at the website:

www.operationsmile.org

Here’s an excerpt from the Operation Smile website:

Operation Smile mobilizes a world of generous hearts to heal children's smiles and transform lives across the globe. We believe that all children deserve to live their lives with dignity. And for those suffering from cleft lip, cleft palate or other facial deformities, dignity begins with a smile. Driven by our universal compassion for children, we work worldwide to repair childhood facial deformities by delivering safe, effective surgical care directly to patients. The global partnerships we create, the knowledge we share and the infrastructure we build leave a legacy that lives well beyond our medical missions, making a lasting difference in our world.

Operation Smile has been in existence since 1982, and it continues to grow. Vietnam is celebrating its twenty-year relationship with the organization. As part of that celebration, there will be thirteen concurrent medical missions in Vietnam (and one in Laos)! As I do my math, I also just realized this will be my twentieth mission with the organization! How serendipitous! Clearly, celebrations are in order.

I really enjoy my work with Operation Smile, as its modus operandi is similar to “teach a man to fish.” We work very closely with our international counterparts. Everyone learns. My role is the clinical coordinator…sort of the “Jack of all trades, master of none” phenomenon. I’m busy working behind the scenes, making sure everything is going as planned, and filling in with my skills as needed in the OR, recovery room and/or pre and post-operative care.

My team composition list is reflective of the organization’s international flair. I have team members from Brazil, the Philippines, South Africa, Sweden, the United States, and Vietnam. We have an ambitious schedule from long trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific flights, to an international nursing educational session, patient screening, hospital and operating room set-up, determining the schedule (the hard part is turning patients away), and five full days of surgery. Our goal in Can Tho is to perform surgery for at least 150 patients.

I hope I will have Internet access during my mission, so that I can make posts to the blog. In the meantime, I’d like to thank my friends, family, and colleagues at Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare and Shriners Hospitals for Children for their ongoing support.

Back in the Beagle Channel

It is late Sunday evening, and we finally have smooth sailing. We are just entering the Beagle Channel, and should arrive in Ushuaia early Monday morning. It is hard to believe the expedition is almost complete.

We spent the day preparing for disembarkation, packing, and reviewing our experiences with crew and fellow passengers. This evening we held a “laptop” slide show. Many passengers shared their favorite photos from the trip. It was great to see everyone’s work. Although we all visited the same places and observed similar wildlife and plants, everyone had a unique perspective. Now I feel like I need to go back and start all over again. Anyone want to join me?

Just tonight, a Prion bird landed on the ship. Our bird expert allowed it to recover in his cabin. We saw her prior to being released, gently touched her, smelled her…she smelled of the sea. The Prion is a beautiful grey bird, seen often flying about our ship. It was amazing to see one up close. Birds often fly into ships at sea, as the lights attract them. To avoid this as much as possible, we cover any unnecessary lights and pull all of the drapes. Only the required nautical lights are exposed.

This is an emotional time for Endeavour’s crew, as post-disembarkation she will head to Chile where she will be in dry dock for a few months. She will no longer forge the icy seas in the Arctic or Antarctic. She will be replacing Lindblad’s ship, The Polaris, in the Galapagos Islands. There were many toasts to the ship, captain, and crew. Many will move onto different ships, some will retire, and the remainder have no specific plans. The Explorer will be Lindblad’s soul Antarctic/Arctic ship.

The Endeavour



The Endeavour and its crew have taken great care of us. By the time we arrive in Ushuaia, we will have traveled 3828 nautical miles (4402 miles) on our journey in Antarctica, South Georgia Island, and the Falklands. What a journey it has been. It is impossible to describe in words…so I must sign off.

A Million Penguins

According to our penguin researchers from Oceanites, we have observed approximately one million penguins on our expedition to Antarctica, South Georgia Island, and the Falklands. Today, we added a seventh species to our expedition list, the Rockhopper. We visited a colony on New Island, located in the Falkland Islands.

Rockhopper Penguin



Rockhopper Pairs





We stumbled upon a South American Snipe during our trek on Carcass Island this morning. Nice beak!



Moulting Magellanic Penguins on Carcass Island



There were a large number of Black-Browed Albatrosses nesting on New Island. It was intriguing to watch them fly in and attempt to land. They are graceful in the sky, but clumsy when it comes to landings. Here is a photo of a parent with a chick.



We are now steaming our way back to Ushuaia, Argentina. It is hard to believe it is the start of a long journey home.