After yesterday’s warmup, today is slated to have much more OR time and 13 potential surgeries. Our team once again met for breakfast bright and early, followed by reviewing cases and updates from each working group. Being such an integral part of the mission, our local doctor, Dr. Manuel, was presented with a small gift as a thank you for his tireless effort before, during and after the yearly missions in Ecuador.

One of our interpreters and former patients, Yamile, was a late addition to today’s surgeries. She had a periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) on her right hip in 2017. That surgery was a success, and she is now receiving the same operation on her left hip. Yamile is studying biotechnology and has been coming to help translate for the mission every year since her first surgery. Even this morning, she has been helping the team translate on the Ward right up until she was ready to be admitted.

The ward is an incredibly busy place this morning as patients from yesterday are now taking their first steps with our physiotherapy teams, new patients are being admitted, and other patients begin their post op stay from today’s first surgeries.