A memo had been sent out to wear black. Lacking black scrubs myself, I got creative and adapted as much as I could to the occasion. L to R: Dr. Luis, Dr. Travis (Samaritan's Purse PRP), Dr. Gerardo, Dr. Osiris, me, Dr. Scott (family med resident short term), Dr. Gloria (Ortho doc, was at LdL for one week), Dr. Javier
I have learned so much over the past month from working with Luis, Gerardo, Osiris and Javier at Loma de Luz. I have enjoyed getting to know them and it has been one of those unexpected blessings of my time here. They provide invaluable insight into the Honduran medical system. I'll express my surprise or disbelief at a patient's story, to which one of them will react with a "welcome to our reality" response of some sort.
One such patient had presented for evaluation multiple times with symptoms that indicated biliary etiology. However, the patient was adamant that 14 years ago her gallbladder had been removed and would point to a transverse incision scar on her abdomen to emphasize her protest to our differential. After multiple visits without improvement in her complaints she finally consented to pay for a CT scan and brought us the images. Upon personal review a thickened and inflamed structure resembling a gallbladder was appreciated buried under her liver. We may never know what was actually done 14 years ago, nor why nothing had been done in the interim 14 years. But she had surgery this past week, and after putting up a fierce fight her right upper quadrant finally gave up and yielded to our persistence, allowing removal of the insulting structure. After 14 years, she is finally able to hold to hope of healing. While pending pathology, the rest of us hope for some answers.
Another patient was booked for a planned cesarean for this past week. After multiple miscarriages (4x), this young mother had been worked up and diagnosed with Lupus. With the correct working diagnosis she had finally been able to carry her babies to term resulting in two live births, sadly neither of which had lived beyond day 5 of life. Now in her 7th pregnancy, needless to say all hands were on deck in preparation for this cesarean delivery.
Due to the high risk of the surgery, mom had been given general anesthesia, therefore baby Millie* had been taken to dad immediately from the OR for skin-to-skin. Today baby Millie* continues to do well, has been weaned off oxygen completely and is not showing any sign of infection. Mom and Dad continue to be hyper-vigilant of their little one requesting to stay at the hospital until a home pulse ox gets delivered this coming week being brought from the States by a visitor to LdL.
* = name change; Millie short for Milagro (Miracle)
Much Love.