Following a Patient Through Surgery

Jim Arthur telling of his experience of following a patient through the surgical process, from beginning to end.

Today, Tuesday the 23^rd, I was again struck by the dedication and skills of the team of people who make up M.O.S.T.. I saw 18 month old Glendy have her cleft palate repaired by the team led by Dr. Brian Andrews.  Looking at the top of Glendy's  mouth, you could see the hole in the top of the palate, and the entries into the nose were visible in the gap. Because of this she would never be able to be at ease eating in public because some of the food would come out of her nose. The cleft would make her voice sound funny when she talked causing her further grief. Slowly Brian and his team isolated the muscles under the tissues at the edges of the cleft and sewed the two sides of each together. Repair of the rearmost muscle will improve her ability to swallow. After 3 hours of surgery, Glendy had a roof in her mouth and moved to the recovery room.

Glendy was agitated and unhappy as she came out of the anesthetic. The nurses  assisted by non-medical members of the team struggled with her to keep her from hurting herself and to prevent her from pulling out her iv tube or pulling off the monitors. She couldn't be released until she could maintain a proper oxygen level. It was slow to come up, and she struggled long and hard. Eventually tender loving care calmed her, and after an even longer time her oxygen level came up. It was a challenge for all concerned, but Glendy left the area calm and with a brighter future ahead of her.

I saw several other children come through recovery from surgery today. It was a moving day, one I wll long remember.

Brian Andrews, Daniel Jorgensen, Kirsten Boyle, Reinhard Juraschek

BJ Wagner, Krasi Hristov, Marilyn Wurth

Glendy before Surgery

Glendy after Surgery

Jim Arthur

Submitted by Jim Arthur

Jim Arthur’s bio

“I had the privilege to watch Dr Cable in Surgery today (Sunday).  I left impressed by his skill and with the thought in my mind that I have often paid to listen to skilled artists perform music or watch skilled actors perform on stage. Today I saw someone just as skilled or more so, than I have paid good money for in the past.”

Jim is a retired Geneticist with Hy-Line International, breeder of laying hens. Jim has been a Rotarian for 11 years in the NW Des Moines Club.  For his Club he has been involved in both international and local grants. Currently he is involved with a District Simplied Grant, purchasing meat for the Urbandale Food Pantry.  This permits meat to be included in emergency food packages for people in need each month. This is particularly rewarding because it allows being physically involved with getting to meat to the Food Pantry.

He also enjoyed being a part the water purification project directed by Bob Main in Xicotopec three years ago,