Refuge International

We are all happy campers in San Raymundo! Most of us slept through the 4:55 am earthquake (5.3) last night but just a second ago we had an aftershock that we all noticed! While the earth is moving under our feet, God is moving in our hearts- spurring us on to do the work of compassion for the least of these.
I say this with every group we bring here, but it bears repeating—what a privilege to have a front row seat as the drama and thrill of healing is taking place in this beautiful but desperately poor country. Our volunteers are the most admirable people who bring their best game to serve, without complaints and very little sleep. I marvel at the skill sets that are divinely provided to fill each need, from help in the pharmacy to someone to run the lab to an engineer who is keeping surgery going by running our hugely scary sterilizer. None of these folks have ever done this work before but you wouldn’t know it today! Clinic is running like clockwork!

A few numbers:

15...this is Refuge's 15th trip to San Raymundo
12...the hour the surgical team finished in the OR last night
7... clinical consult rooms we have open
200...patients seen in 2 days
0..the number of times Deb Bell let anyone take her picture
1000...smiles seen so far
1000....tears shed, both sad and happy
AND FINALLY...
42...happy Americans here in Guatemala!

Thanks to our wonderful team of volunteers and translators, our supporters in prayer and funding, and all the folks who worked behind the scenes to gather and pack supplies, organize the trip and make sure that everyone arrived and departed safely...we have some numbers to show for our efforts.

We always say: it's not about the numbers. Well, it is and it isn't: numbers indicate some level of effectiveness. But more than numbers of patients, the numbers of smiles, hugs and tears of gratitude drowned out the numbers for those of us who were privileged to be on the ground in Guatemala in October.


San Raymundo Clinic Totals October 2009
Surgeries 48
Patients 602
Labs 266

Again, thank you to our marvelous volunteers who worked extremely hard in sub-optimal conditions with total strangers (though not by week's end!) to accomplish this extraordinary feat. I am proud of the work you did. My thanks is meager compared to those folks in Guatemala who I am sure are still thanking God that you came bringing health and hope to their families.

We are on day 2 of the trip...so far we have seen over 300 patients, have done 18 surgeries, 58 surgical consults, and dispensed a bunch of vitamins, worm pills and medications. The team consists of 51 folks from 8 states but has swollen to include 29 Guatemalans who have volunteered to help us. It is amazing to have so many folks, some who do not even speak the same language, pull together and in a few short hours are working like a well-oiled machine in sub-optimal conditions.

The government is still holding hostage some medical bags, some of which include much need medications. It seems that the gov't, which used to embrace all the help we gave, no longer wants medical teams to serve the poor if it means that their pharmaceutical companies have competition...such sorry competition, too: our patients could never afford the medications we are giving them. Can you tell I'm a bit peeved at the current situation and frustrated as I sit here playing with our formulary?

I wish you could see the lovely people working 15 hour days here and the dear folks they are serving...the poor seem to be poorer this year. Everyone a bit more desperate. Many tears. Much begging for help. A bit less patience but who can blame them.

The Case-Western contingency is keeping us laughing as usual...what is it that they are smoking in Ohio??? Clipboard Carol and Survivor Margaret are really pulling this thing off...best group ever!! But then I always say that (but it's always true--how can this be?)

It's almost midnight and I'm off to my bunk. Someone said I snore. I'm mortified. But happy, so very happy to have a ringside seat at this fantastic drama!
Nancy

Deb Bell just informed me that this will be Refuge's 15th trip to San Raymundo! It seems like yesterday she and I met in the dorm of this very clinic far away from our comfort zone...And now, 50 volunteers from all over the U.S. are about to leave for another week of "the hardest work you'll ever do and actually pay to do it!"

In Guatemala, the cost of socialized medicine is high: long lines, postponed surgeries, denied surgeries, lack of affordable medicines, even a lack of medicines (I was in a big town that didn't have one remedy for head lice---which is a scourge there!) We will be providing a service that for many of them, is unaffordable even if it were available, which in many cases it is not.

Those who are reading this blog, please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we: see patients, perform surgeries in less than optimal conditions, accurately fill prescriptions, and share ourselves with our southern neighbors.

The team this year has shaped up to be a great team of highly skilled volunteers, each paying their way to join us. We at Refuge are always blessed to attract not only a wonderful group of people but always just the right mix of specialties to make it work...I often wonder how can this be short of a miraculous intervention---no matter--- I will respond with gratitude and joy that once again, I have the privilege of a front row seat to watch a great drama unfold: 50 perfect strangers, melding into a well-oiled team, giving their all and their best "for the least of these". I think I definitely scored the best ticket in the place!

Nancy

Fifty seven surgeries later, we are all back with our photos stored in our cameras and memories secured in every corner of our hearts. Our team of forty two volunteers saw over 500 patients this week, dispensing about a thousand prescriptions and almost 500 lab tests! We always are quick to say that "it's not about the numbers" but the numbers are proof that the need is great and we went to the right place at the right time to bring health to a very sick population.

We never see the "worried well" down in San Raymundo. The number of labs requested and meds dispensed evidences that our patients arrive sick and suffering. Many of them have never been cared for by more than a village health worker or a tired and underpaid doctor at the rarely open health clinic in town. They arrive to wait sometimes most of the day with the hope that we might be able to do the surgery they desperately need or give them the medications that they could not otherwise afford.

The ignorance of our mostly indigenous patients about their bodies and the mechanism of disease required that our clinicians do a fair amount of education. I was impressed that these dedicated volunteers took the time to explain many aspects of illnesses and the solutions to their patients. Most Guatemalan doctors wouldn't take the time to do this. Our team showed our patients respect and compassion, dispensing along with medications medical, nutritional and hygiene knowledge that, hopefully, they will spread to their communities.

Each consult patient saw a minimum of 2 and sometimes as many as half a dozen doctors and nurses. They received vitamins for themselves and their children, worm pills for the entire family and in some cases, treatments to take home to loved ones too sick to come or suffering from the same ailment (like scabies or lice).

Our surgical patients spent a lot of time in our pre-op area being loved on and calmed by an excellent team of nurses. There is an assumption in Guatemala that being put to sleep for surgery often results in death, so our patients arrive anxious and scared. It was amazing how skillfully our team calmed their fears, putting not only the patient but the family members at ease. Most of our team didn't speak the language, but even without interpreters, the language of love was understood.

What could be said about our dedicated surgeons? Doing as many as 13 surgeries a day was an exhausting work load. For many patients we were their only hope for a prolapsed uterus or hernia or painful gallstones---if we didn't fit them into our surgery schedule they would suffer for many more months until we return again. Despite tired legs and aching backs, our surgeons operated until late at night to give the relief these patients desperately sought.

The recovery team was amazing! Working from early in the morning until late into the evening, our surgical patients received the most compassionate (but firm, right? Doris?) care speeding their recovery. It was a sad moment to say goodbye to Melvin at the end of the week, who arrived on Monday fresh from a motorcycle accident that mangled his left leg. Thanks to the doctors and nurses who administered excellent emergency surgery and post-op care, he will walk on two legs instead of suffer what would have likely been an amputation.

From the folks who counted pills, the men who worked on a water project for a local school, and the gals slaving away in the tiny lab testing all sorts of body fluids, every member of this team operated like a well-oiled machine, pitching in and doing their part to make sure that the highest quality of care we could administer was given to our patients.

As tears of gratitude spilled on the walkway out of the hospital, all of us felt like we were the ones who were the recipient of the blessing. We got to witness the look of hope dawning on a worried mother's face as we handed them some medication. We got to hug the scared child. We handed out the food and warm blankets. We sutured and measured and calmed. And for all that we did, we received back so much more.

On behalf of our whole team I want to thank everyone who supported this team financially and in prayer. We could not have gone without both. I hope that some of you who read this and have only thought about coming will consider joining us. It is a pleasure to be with a team of people who exhibit the best that humanity has to offer as they sacrificially reach out to "the least of these" with hope, compassion and healing.

Nancy Neuman

Labels: San Raymundo October 2007

It's late tonight and i have finally gotten on line!!! thanks to sarah for posting today that we are alive and well indeed.

it has been an incredible week already...hard to believe it's only tuesday...the team came together the first day and they are all working together as a well oiled machine ....we have done far more surgeries each day than we have done in the past...as of tonight, we have done 30 and we still have 2 1/2 days to go..the UTT students and the FNP students have made such an important contribution to the work...

it has rained every day, and it has been wonderful at night to hear the rain on the tin roof...sometimes it even drowns out the snoring in the dorms, but not always...the weather is cool and has most of us in jackets for the better part of the day...

Two wonderful women from Wisconsin, Bonnie and Del Rose, arrived without their personal bags, but toughed it out and were so excited to receive their own toothbrushes, etc. yesterday... the big plus was that they didn't have to wear Darrell's underwear anymore...

We were joined by Kathy Roach from Virginia, by way of Santiago, Guatemala where she volunteers for six months at a time. She came to us via Aina, a nurse from Ireland...it's a really, really long story, but she has been such a wonderful addition to our group, translating for Bonnie nonstop...she has certainly learned a lot more about women's health.

Many of you may know that we were sweating getting the right anesthesia people on board, and we were blessed to have Tom Mahoney join us. He and Dolores have done a great job of putting people to sleep, but more importantly of waking them up!!! the days in surgery have been long and hard on the two of them...

Margaret Bobonich recruited 7 NP students and another facutly member,Carol Savrin. These students and faculty have been the backbone of the consult side of the clinic. One of them, Mike Ruszala has run the perioperative area and done an incredible job. Yesterday, by combining her peds skills and her knowledge as an NP student, Jennifer saved a little girl's life. Christina, Bonnie, Katie, Denise and Lavone have all done an outstanding job seeing patients as fast as they could. Margaret has taken responsibility for running the clinic and has kept things flowing smoothly. She is a Guatemala Survivor winner as far as we are concerned. He husband went to language school for a week before the clinic started...and has been working in the pharmacy and passing out medications to patients and giving them directions in Spanish....

As always Mary Ann has the lab in tip top shape. She doesn't let anything slide...every single lab result is done to the best of her ability. This trip Anna O Brien is helping...

Susan Eveland, Lila Morrow, Doris Vanoy, Becky McMahon, Lynda Andree, and Sheradan Robbins have been life saviors. This is the first trip that we've had this many nurses!!! Doris is recently retired, but turned right around and made this trip. Lynda is a nurse from Florida and she recruited her friend from Pennsylvania, Becky to come with her. Their sweet faces in the preop and post op areas have made so many of the Guatemalans comfortable. Lila had a recent fall, but she continues to work despite the pain and hasn't stopped for a minute. Sheradan found us through a hairdresser...she fits right in with everyone...and Susan? She is the sweet spirit that make the postop area work!!

The students from UTT have pitched in wherever needed...and what about those butterflies, Vicki? This is Jacque's second trip and we are hopeful that she will continue to be with us each year. Debi and Jessica have been great in every area they have worked in.

Dr. Lucas has worked and worked and worked. He has been the only OB/GYN this trip and has had lots of surgeries, but he's held up. His wife Sarah has been a wonderful addition to the pharmacy staff...

Drs. Bebensee, Eveland and Garrett work so well together...each offering to help the other whenever needed. Yesterday, a little boy came in to clinic after having a horrific motorcycle accident...they stopped everything to do his surgery...and he'll get to keep his leg, thanks to their fast and efficient work.

Michael Beydnek is on his fourth trip...he's running the sterilizer when he's not running to town...he brought his mother with him this trip...Elsa and she's worked in the pharmacy, next to her sister-in-law Georgia, who is also Mary Ann's sister. THis is no Georgia's first rodeo...she has worked in several areas...she never stops...

One of the big blessings has been STeven Rogers, Susan Evelan's nephew. Steven has spent a lot of time in Guatemala and he is an excellent interpreter...wonderful Spanish...

Ed Bebensee, Bob OBrien and Darrell Davis had planned to put in a water well this week, but our drill didn't get to our Refuge house in time. They have worked all week on one of the local schools, getting a system in place for the kids to have clean water.

Nancy, as always, has been here, there and everywhere making sure all of the details have been taken care of. nobody knows how she keeps on top of so many things...if you need something...she knows where it is...if you need something done...she gets it done...amazing woman.

Will try and post a picture tomorrow, if i can get on line. Please know that your loved ones are doing well...no one has gotten sick and they are working so hard in service to the people of Guatemala. Thanks for letting them be here this week.

Labels: San Raymundo October 2007

They have arrived and all is well! The clinic is in full swing! The group has not had internet access so they apologize for the delay in the blog. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. They all say hello and we will try to get photos up as soom as possible! Don't worry, they are all safe and sound!
MORE TO FOLLOW....