giovedì 11 dicembre 2014

Surgical Marathon

In Meru we are both listening to a wonderful presentation on the role of radiology in abdominal trauma. It is now time for questions and contributions from the listeners, but for me it is already very late and I need to come back to Chaaria before it rains.
I wisper to Dr Nyaga: “I must take off. See you tomorrow morning at 7 in Chaaria, as usual”
“Yes, I will come. Just one thing: on top to the gastrectomy we have to do, I have thought of inviting another patient who has a very big goiter, but cannot afford the prices of the other hospitals. Is it ok with you? The tests are already done; she is euthyroid and all the other lab results are within range”
“Wow, for us it is a great honour to collaborate with you also on that matter, if tomorrow you have time for 2 operations in Chaaria. To help people who are financially unstable is always our priority. Let’s hope it will not rain and the patient will arrive in Chaaria in good time”.
At 6.30 am we are already in theater. Everything is set. The patient for gastrectomy is being intubated, while the sterilization staff is about to re-sterilize the set of instruments for the possible thyroidectomy.
By coincidence, Dr Nyaga, Dr Khadija and the patient arrive to Chaaria together.
“So she has made to reach here! She was really serious and motivated to come!”
So we divide the duties: Dr Nyaga and Dr Khadika start scrubbing immediately, while I open the file and admit the lady due for thyroidectomy. Soon after I join the colleagues in theater.



We work well on the patient with the abdominal malignancy: the environment is conducive, calm, full of respect and cooperation. Mbaabu manages the general anesthesia without any complication, while Makena is completely in charge of the situation as a scrub-nurse. Time passes by quickly and we finish the operation in a blink of an eye.
While our staff follows the waking up of the patient and prepares the theater for next procedure, we have time for some tea: we spend few minutes together sharing our ideals and our dreams for our patients, and we realize that we are driven by the same goals.
It is soon time for the thyroidectomy: Dr Nyaga performs it perfectly, quickly and with no blood loss at all. For Dr Khadija and me it is a very important occasion for learning more about the operation.  
The patient had reached Chaaria at 7 am, and at noon she is already operated and awaken in her bed.
“God bless you Dr Nyaga, for the great job you are doing for our patients. Words cannot express fully what we feel, but we wish you to know that we are extremely grateful and moved”


Bro Dr Beppe Gaido


Nessun commento:


Chaaria è un sogno da realizzare giorno per giorno.

Un luogo in cui vorrei che tutti i poveri e gli ammalati venissero accolti e curati.

Vorrei poter fare di più per questa gente, che non ha nulla e soffre per malattie facilmente curabili, se solo ci fossero i mezzi.

Vorrei smetterla di dire “vai altrove, perché non possiamo curarti”.

Anche perché andare altrove, qui, vuol dire aggiungere altra fatica, altro sudore, altro dolore, per uomini, donne e bambini che hanno già camminato per giorni interi.

E poi, andare dove?

Gli ospedali pubblici hanno poche medicine, quelli privati sono troppo costosi.

Ecco perché penso, ostinatamente, che il nostro ospedale sia un segno di speranza per questa gente. Non ci sarà tutto, ma facciamo il possibile. Anzi, l’impossibile.

Quello che mi muove, che ci muove, è la carità verso l’altro, verso tutti. Nessuno escluso.

Gesù ci ha detto di essere presenti nel più piccolo e nel più diseredato.

Questo è quello che facciamo, ogni giorno.


Fratel Beppe Gaido


Guarda il video....