On the last surgery day we will only operate on cleft lips. Cleft palate surgeries take longer for post-op recovery and the surgeons want to follow them for more than the one day that is the usual for cleft lip surgeries. Tomorrow we will have the last chance to see the patients, at the closing clinic.
This young boy will have his operation in a few hours.
Here he is after a few hours following surgery
Do you have any 21 year old daughters? Or 21 year old girl friends? What would the first 21 years have been like if they had an unrepaired cleft lip? This young life will be so different beginning tomorrow. So many possibilities. Thanks be to God.
Anna Romero hasn’t experienced any teasing, any ridicule at this age. Maybe her parents have received the stares, the whispering, the “those poor parents ” comments.
On her way to surgery.
On her way to a new life!
It has been a great seven days of surgery as the local Miller Hospital; OR staff and the Rotaplast team worked so well together and are sad to “say goodbye ” to new friends many of whom will stay in contact through facebook, and possibly work together again next year. For Victoria Slama (in the middle) this is her 44th mission! Anesthesiologist Michael Johnston (in the green) has been on several missions to Cebu and was here in 2015 when they operated on the 1000th in Cebu. Lovele, head Miller Hospital OR nurse (second from the left) leads a great staff.
Time for a break for the PACU (post anesthesia care unit) staff. They have recovered all 103 of our surgery patients and prepared them to return to the hospital ward. Pictured left to right, Rotarian Theresa Rezendes, patient transporter Rotarian Gary Nangle, Tracy Liu, and Jeanne Petro. Theresa and Gary are from Boston Rotary District 7930, the sponsoring district for the mission.