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!