Apologies for the bombardment of cute babies picture but just keeping my promise to take a moment to play with one cute kid/baby each day. This is an awesome boy that I met on day 3 of clinic. Very happy and friendly. He accompanied his mom to the clinic for chronic back pain & headache; conditions that affect majority of the population in the Province of Kao Bang due to the difficult, labor-intensive lives they endure.
Chilling with Courtney, during a lunch break...We were talking about Ashley (Courtney's sister) and spontaneously decided that WE ARE BRINING BLUE STEEL BACK..... Hope you enjoy this Ashley! :)
The most precious little girl that I met on day 2 of clinic. She has the most beautiful eyes and just angelic in general. Her mother brought her in for concern of poor weight-gain. Her laboratory test results were normal. She will be fine with some nutritional adjustment/supplements.
One of the Medical Asistance team member spending time bonding with the patient. We have amazaing volunteer group this year.
Twinsies, I found these 2 little cuties toward the end of the 4th clinic day. I was pretty excited to get to play with them...not sure if they feel the same way...lol.
This little cutie came to clinic with his mom on day 5 of clinic.
This boy is definitely the bravest patient I have ever met. He sat there and let me draw his blood without even blinking. He was hesitant at first but after his dad told him to be brave, he just put out his arm and did not even complain once. This is the after-picture.
This cute little girl is the last of the babies-series. Met her toward the end of clinic on Friday.
Severe bilateral foot-deformity on a 70+ old patient. She presented with Baker's Cyst to left leg which we attempted to drain. The deformity of her feet and chronic backpain/leg pain were so debilitating that she now has difficulties moving about and take care of herself. The team was able to sponsor for a walker for her. We definitely need a podiatrist to come with us next year since deformities like this is a common occurance in this region.
The first two days of mission work was physically demanding but nothing I can't handle...so I prayed for more challanges, I prayed for God to break me down and show me the meaning and purpose of this mission. And of course, God is always faithful. The following day, I encountered this patient, a 7 year old girl with epilepsy, developmental delayed, and large left facial mass. This child was brought to the clinic by her mother for...HELP. The mother then proceed to describe classic symptoms of seizure, for which she reported that the patient is NOT on any medication.
I sat quietly, observing my patient. She is shy, quiet, and avoidance of eye contact; though no audiometry was available, preliminary clinical evaluation indicates that she is deft, and she is able to speak. To make matter worse her family is in such poverty that both parents have to work daily in the rice paddies to provide for the family. She stay at home with her grandpa who can hardly move around. It breaks my heart to think that this little girl had suffered epilepsy all her life without any medication or treatment. She struggles everyday almost-alone, the constant care and supervision she so needs is seemingly impossible.
At the end of the day, we can only take care of her the only way we know how...we cried with her (and her mom), prayed for her, and most importantly we loved her.
We arranged to bring her back for a consultation with our ENT and Plastic surgeons to see if mass on her face can be surgically removed and repaired. Please pray for everything to go smoothly, for her life to be improved even in the smallest way; and that our patient and her family will find peace and comfort always...
CAPTIONS/STORIES TO BE POSTED LATER...
