The team loads onto the bus for the final trip to the hospital. Setting up closing clinic on the fly is similar to setting up opening clinic. We locate our supplies, set-up the registration desk and examine rooms and quickly establish the work flow.Some patients greet us on the steps of the hospital, others inside the lobby while still others are on the 5th floor ward were they’ve been staying depending on the complexity of their surgery and the necessity of post-op care.
Soon, all our patients are moved to the first floor where a number system has been established corresponding to a patient’s chart so that he/she can be seen by the surgeon who performed the surgery.
Dr. Mark Fisher holds Komal. One would never know that Komal once had a cleft lip. His perfect little face glows.
Dr. Gary Salomon examines a hand repair as our little patient looks on. Some of our patients were seen and discharged yesterday and others from the ward this morning. As our patients and their families leave this morning, they shower us with gifts of beautiful bangles, lots of hugs and warm good byes.
Shalini even learned a phrase in English….”I will miss you.”