Navigating teams

This week there is an ENT brigade here at Hospital Loma de Luz. Again I have not schedule any elective cases to give them as much access to OR space and time as possible. Thankfully emergencies have been gracious as well. It's a rather large team, with four attendings, three residents, two nurses, and two ancillary. All here to help patients in Jesus' name. Amen!

We invited them for a hike Sunday evening recognizing that would be the only time this team would have to get to appreciate where they are this week. They definitely weren't smiling like that on the way up! Thankful they enjoyed the experience in the end.

The week has been a bit crazy. Really kind of impossible to organize the chaos. At times, I would be worried that we weren't turning over the ORs, and getting the next case in quick enough. Or worried that we hadn't prepared the list of patients for them well enough. And perhaps both of those would be true, but they were all very calm and patient through it all. They never were upset we couldn't match what they were accustomed to in the United States.

Karla trying to keep up with the ever-changing OR schedule board.

So many hands for such a small work-space. I have been appreciating the refresher course for walking my way around the neck. In return, they appreciate knowing there will be surgical post op care for all of these patients.

Jake set up a table in his office and is currently sharing it with Craig. Craig made a career out of sharpening surgical instruments in the US. We are definitely making use of his skills this week. Scissors that actually cut?! and osteotomes that actually split bone?! I'm so excited.

Much Love.