It takes a team! Day three presented some challenges with instrument sterilization as recounted yesterday. But one of the beautiful things about a mission like this is that we are all bound by a common desire to help those less fortunate – all of which is to say that in large measure it binds us all together and problems become opportunities to shine, grow and strengthen relationships.
On day four, our struggles with instruments hit home a bit as we had some delays with instruments, however we still got 7 cases done. AND through our all world collaborator Dr. Manuel Avila (who’s passion and desire to help his people borders on saintly) managed to arrange an all sterilization “party” offsite at another hospital that allowed us to continue on day 5 with no further delays.
It’s a city wide holiday in Cuenca this weekend – a big one that affords us the opportunity to occupy the Santa Ines Hospital without interfering in day to day work of staff members – but that also means no-one is working… and yet the hospital director, Bruno Ledesma, and hospital staff step up time and again to support us, as do all of our other partners here in Cuenca.
Throughout the evening of day 5, Santiago, the engineer took apart the sterilizer and thoroughly cleaned and reset components. Later in the evening he identified some solutions that have enabled us to sterilize the instruments, albeit on the longer cycle with 2 short periods of daily maintenance. For us that means longer days – build up of instruments while patients wait – not a problem as all pitch in to help support their fellow colleagues cleaning, wrapping and prepping for the next. Many hands they say makes light work …and so it is. Paradoxically while one group wait the others..recovery, ward and physiotherapy were afforded a little more time with each patient – never a bad thing.
In spite of the issues we have been able to complete 27 surgeries – that’s a big impact on the 27 families and extended brethren. Pretty good!
Catch up with you tomorrow for day 6,
True North Mission Society
