Coming back from MedCAP

Checking up on a recovering patient

What's been going on in this part of the world?!? Well I recently was mentioned on Project HOPE's Blog!   And if you haven't taken a moment to check out the following links, I strongly encourage you to do so:

Project Hope Website

Pacific Partnership Blog

US Navy

We returned to the USNS Mercy ship on Saturday June 9th and man this ship feels super full!!! The Intensive Care Unit has been incredibly busy recovering Indonesian patients who are arriving directly out of the Operating Room. Since arriving back from the Islands, I have been recovering the pediatrics’ clef lip and palates. From this experience, I can possibly see a potential future career with Pediatrics! Here's a YouTube video of an example of the amazing work taking place on the ship. The staff have been recovering patients who have lost a significant amount of blood in surgery and we have become the ward for post-op staff members and for other ship related injuries. If you are a navy sailor this would be the ship you would want to get hurt or sick on.

Port of Sangihe on June 3, 2012

I may share this a few times during this experience but I can honestly say that I will never complain about working 4 days in a row again! Here on the USNS Mercy while stationed in a mission port each person works a 12-hour shift each day. On a lighter note, the limited bed and living space on the ship now feels luxurious after sleeping on a cot with a mosquito net and food cooked in mass for 1000+ people tastes amazing again after eating Meals Ready to Eat (MRE's) for 6 days!

This mission has taught me a great amount of humility. While on the MedCAP, I treated many patients with TB, leprosy, tumors, goiters, deformities, and ulcers. The Indonesian patients are thankful for any service and help provided by the USNS Mercy because access to medical care and healthcare providers is limited. The nearest hospital or clinic could be 200 miles away and transportation is often by boat yet even in those facilities, they have limited capabilities. On the island if you need blood it's a donor to recipient donation only, because there is not a supply held up in blood bank. Essentially one has to trust that their family member is healthy and compatible. WOW!!!

 We have had some unexpected weather the last two days and today I am a little sea sick!

Talaud Islands, Indonesia

In the helicopter on our way to the Island

We are on day three here at Talaud Islands with the MedCAP and the crowd has been lining up since 4 am. Yesterday if i am remembering correctly, we saw 273 people! Here on site we have dental, optometry, medical, physical therapy, laboratory, and pharmacy. 

Check out a video of the “Blackjacks” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21 used one of their MH-60S Knight Hawk helicopter to provide supplies in Indonesia!

The kids are so fun and full of life. They laugh at me as I attempt to speak words in Indonesian but then help me out too!

Last night the translators took us into 'town' to the market. I bought some mentos from a shop!! My tagalong children pulled me in every direction to their friend’s shops. Then the kids walked us home to the school singing jingle bells in English.

Our sleeping quarters - cots and mosquito nets

Then we took our cots with our mosquito nets outside to sleep. I actually slept because it was cooler. Still hot but not as bad. Well we had an early morning wake-up call. Monsoon style rain! It turned into the first shower we all took! Shampoo and all in our bathing suits! And we washed some of our shirts claiming the change in downpour was The cycle changing.. Wash, rinse, spin!

Today June 5th we saw 350+ patients! I was in the triage area doing vitals and basic assessments. We noticed a large percentage of our population had blood pressures > 230/120 and they were wanting to go to optometry for blurry vision. So… I taught the waiting crowd about high blood pressure, prevention, signs and symptoms, and treatment. They were very receptive and asked good questions. Later I worked with a local nurse to improve the education for tomorrow to alter it towards Indonesians. 

The Chief cutting up coconuts for our team

Tonight the translators and the head of the district here arranged a bus and some cars to transport our team to the beach!!! We had so much fun it was like a spa for us! As I was getting out of the water I was stung by a jelly fish. That was not so fun... It was like a sudden burn by an iron. The welts formed on the inner side of my right upper arm and across my chest. One of my corpsman offered to pee on it, but I opted out. :) The swelling is down and the stinging is gone now and it's time to attempt sleeping outside again! Hopefully no rain!!!!

 Here's a fun article on the Pacific Partnership site!

Getting ready to land in the Talaud Islands

We've arrived in Indonesia!

The Feast at the Mayor's

We have arrived! Waking up to lush hills was a wonderful welcome to Indonesia. On June 1st we on loaded our first patients and translators. I was so anxious and and extremely excited to recover my first patient out of surgery. I was assigned a 41 yo male who was scheduled to come out of surgery around 1130.... 6 hours later as my shift was coming to and end he arrived. I ended up assuming care and responsibility for him for 2 hours. My corpsman did a great job assisting me and we  both learned a lot about recovering a pt straight out of the OR and running a nerve block. 

 

I also had the opportunity to assist in recovering a 4 month old post lateral clef lip repair and little ear tubes! She was beautiful and being a part of a life changing surgery for her was very special. We had her in the ICU just to make sure her airway was stable. She recovered like a champion and began feeding after two hours!!!

Yesterday I got to get off the ship and foot a breakfast at the mayors house.  We ha a full spread of authentic food and great hosts. It seriously prepared me for the humidity and heat of the next  6 days. That was the first day I have ever set foot in another country!!!

Practice makes perfect!

This morning I am going to my first MEDCAP Medical Civic Action Program today for 5 nights!!! We are being flown in the helicopter to our site!!! This is all a very exciting adventure. It's going to be hot. We are expecting to see 300+ people a day. This island has no doctors and one nurse for 83,000 people. Pray for safety and some cool breezes!!!!