10:00 PM April 29, 2014 Esteli, Nicaragua
Walk Nicaragua Day 4 – Operative Day 3
Another life changing day in the OR! Seven more patients received total joint replacements, and 1 had a hardware removal in anticipation for their total joint surgery next time we are able to come down. The nursing and physical therapy team discharged all 8 patients from yesterday by 10 am!
We began our day at 8 am in the OR and were finished by 4:30pm. We are very impressed with what we have been able to accomplish here in Nicaragua with this being our first trip. Which speaks volumes for Dr. Diaz and his staff, Palmetto Medical Initiative, and Crosslink Orthopedics for their diligence in taking care of every detail. We have yet to experience any major glitches or delays, which is unheard of! We have such an amazing group of medical professionals and volunteers! We are so grateful for their time and dedication to this mission.
This evening we were able to dress up and go out downtown Esteli for dinner to celebrate our accomplishments and share a slideshow of pictures taken during the week with the Esteli staff before half of the group leaves tomorrow. Dr. Schutte had many words of appreciation to share with each one of the group members. And each team member was given the opportunity to share their experiences and suggestions for next time as well.
Tomorrow we will complete another 2-4 surgeries based on the size of implants we have remaining. It definitely will be sad to leave Esteli with so many more patients waiting in line for their joint replacements. That is why we are committed to creating a sustainable mission at least annually to Nicaragua. We’ve had patients travel from distances of 4 hours way to receive their care here in Esteli. Having patients that do not speak English and who are willing to travel from great distances just to have us take care of their medical needs is one of the highest compliments we can receive as health care providers. Trips like this one truly change the way we practice healthcare. We are grateful for the opportunity to provide service to others.
Hasta mañana!
