Another perspective...

While on this trip, I've been tasked to maintain the blog. You can imagine that after a long day of clinic hours, it's a little challenging for me to think of creative things to type at 11:00pm. That is why I am so thankful when I have guest contributions for the blog posts. Monday's post was from Dr. Dan and the bulk of today's post is from Dr. Steve. But before I let you dig into that, I just want to say what an INCREDIBLE trip this has been. This really was a life changing experience for me. Many of the people we were treating have so much less than we do and yet, they are so happy. It really humbles a person and makes you feel like some things aren't as important as they once were. Thank you God for opening my eyes. - Katie


The following text is from Dr. Steve. Enjoy!

The Unacknowledged Super Super Bowl (Feb 7, 2011) 

Good Monday morning.  Packers victorious!  What a great way to start the week.

Only problem is that it appeared that the only individuals in Cartagena who were the least interested in the Super Bowl was our contingent from Wisconsin. In the first half, there was lots of noise in the hotel for every great Packer play.   Not so much in the second half - - until of course the final batted down pass.  I have never seen Dan Kraeger run so fast down the hall screaming.   

Yesterday in church we introduced a portion of the team to one of the congregations.  I asked how many would be watching the Super Bowl.  They gave me a blank stare. There was a local soccer game they would be watching instead.  Puts things in perspective doesn’t it.  How many things in life are truly of universal interest, much less of universal importance?

We will still relish the Packer victory. 

 Dr. Steve

What a Great Team! (Feb 8, 2011)

  

Andrew Weiss and Lauren have been the OB/Gyn team extraordinaire. They have provided wonderfully, sensitive care for our patients.  Andy mentioned that Twinky and Ronald Silva have triaged patients for chief complaint as well as staffed trained for years. 

Kristen Thomsen with Kristen Lange’s help has been seeing tons of children.  I peek my head in throughout the day and there is always a circle of Mom with kids in a circle with the two Kristens very intently listening to the needs.  We simply could not have done this clinic without Kristen T’s excellence with kids.  These kids are Precious.

The Optical Team gets the prize for seeing the most patients in the most heat and humidity.  Nancy Hess, Karen Landsverk, and Karen Rudiger have been stalwart.  It has been a challenge because everyone wants glasses and everything is “blurry.”  There have been lots of smiles. 

Yesterday, Bob Tomlinson spotted a young man with a large swelling at his jaw.  He arranged to have him brought into the clinic and up to Dental.  Bret diagnosed him with a broken tooth and abcess - - and then successfully removed the tooth.  Today we see him in follow-up.  This was a significant event for this young man.  Had he not been spotted by Bob and helped by Bret, this abcess would have progressed and possibly obstructed his airway or migrated in facial planes down to his heart - - in either case, fatal.  He went away with a big smile.

While I am in Dental, what a blessing Tammy Weber has been.  She has been enthusiastically removing plague during her cleaning - - plaque on almost every patient of a kind she might see only a couple times a year - - all day long.  She does this with a smile and cramping forearms.

Gotta go to clinic.  More later.