Screening Day, February 20

Today was "seeing patient" day! The group was very enthused and energetic, and the walk to the hospital went very quickly. Patients were already patiently waiting to be seen. To those of us who are new to this mission, it is humbling and amazing to see the trust that these people place in us.

Out of the organized chaos of setting up work stations at a site that hadn't been used before, the patient faced the following steps:

1. Registration

2. Surgical evaluation

3. Anesthesia evaluation

4. Dental evaluation

5. Pediatric evaluation

6. Scheduling for appropriate procedure

Patients who have been scheduled for surgery then needed to meet with a medical student from this local hospital to complete their registration. (Educating these students is also part of this medical mission,)

It was a long day for each of these patients, and their extended family. Some have traveled long distances to be seen. I was so impressed and in awe of their patience and graciousness. I left at 4:30 p.m. because my job was done, and many of these families were still waiting for their surgical schedules.

At the end of the day 71 patients were assessed. Some were directed to physicals at the hospital for admission tonight for surgery tomorrow; some where scheduled for surgery later in the week, with the local Rotary Club assisting with housing for those who needed it; and the remainder, who were not appropriate candidates for surgery at this time, were sent home with the possibility of being seen next year.

Kathryn Wallace, Volunteer