Our day in a nutshell:
Our day began with no water in the entire hospital and ended with the news that our X-ray machine was broken!! In between, we ran like a well-oiled machine! A successful surgery, medical and teaching lectures, painting done in the cast room and OR Ward, water issue fixed, a solution to our broken X-ray machine was provided, and a patient home visit was accomplished. Special bonus was that our previous patient has become a student nurse and came to the ICU to shadow our team today! Wonderful day despite our challenges!
We start each day at the hospital at 6:30am and begin with a lecture for the hospital doctors. Here we have Dr. Enrico Stazzone giving grand round lecture to the ortho residents on the classification of scoliosis. Dr. Stazzone is POP’s co-founder and is an orthopedic surgeon in St. Louis. His Spanish has improved and he can deliver most of the lecture in Spanish.
Karina, 16 awaiting surgery with her POP bear. She named him Jorge.
Her curvature. We can’t wait to show you her After photograph!
Thank you for the donations of biologics!
Our patient from 2 years ago, Melissa who is studying to be a nurse joined our POP team during this mission as a student nurse! Here she learns about the post-op care that scoliosis patients receive from ICU Nurse Beth Seebeck and ICU Physician Dr. Phil Oren. This is a first for POP that a former patient aspires to join us! Talk about giving back!
ICU nurse Jenny Felber teaching our former scoliosis patient Melissa some basics of post op care.
Thank you children of Immaculate Conception School for your lovely, thoughtful, and colorful get well cards! They adorn the walls of our ICU and will be one of the first images seen by our patients when they awaken from having surgery.
Ann Rosen painting the orthopedic recovery ward. Her father volunteered last year and helped to repair the sink in the OR. Giving back runs in the family! Ann is a college student at UCSB and is minoring in Spanish. She was also helpful in translating conversation between volunteers and patients and their families.
Yvette López Adams, Director of Development and Operations paints beautiful flowers on the walls of the orthopedic recovery wing on the wall opposite Ann’s rainbow.
Kelly Williams OR RN gives nursing lecture to Nurses of the Children’s Hospital in Santiago. The topic is pre surgery preparation and sterilization.
Our first successful scoliosis surgery of this mission trip completed! Karina is in the Pediatric ICU sleeping comfortably.
This is what a typical home is like of our patients. Inside the green home we interviewed our patient for tomorrow. She is a 12 year old girl who is teased about having a crooked spine and has pain from her scoliosis. Her mom is a single mother as her dad died last month!
Our patient Laisha (right) dreams of growing up to be a pediatrician.
On arrival to the hospital Dr. Oren examines Laisha. She will stay over-night and have surgery tomorrow morning. She asked if she will still be able to dance after her surgery. The answer is a resounding “Yes! You will be able to dance ballet, salsa or any dance you want.”
Here POP doctors collaborate to review Laisha’s x-rays the night before while meeting with her and her mother. A truly diverse and inclusive team work together to help those in need! Here we see (from left to right) Brian Ho- Anesthesiologist Assistant, Dr. Enrico Stazzone – POP co-founder, Dr. Madelyn Stazzone-POP co-founder, and Dr. Miguel Luna of Santiago. In the background, Dr. Oren-ICU Intensivist and Dr. Nigro-Anesthesiologist speak with mom and patient.
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