Pediatric Patient in San Pedro Sula


From the desk of Dr. Williams, 

So as many of you may know, I began last week doing eye-glass brigades to one of the biggest hospitals in Honduras. The interesting part of this is that we aim to serve the hospital personnel; nurses, technicians, administrators, doctors- really, anyone associated with health. Ron White from Vision for Christ is an oculist that works in Ocala, Florida who has been bringing eye glasses around the world for many years. Our first brigade together was in the early part of last decade, right here in our jungle hospital. I’ll never forget when an 80 year old village lady received her first set of glasses. She looked around and was moved to tears at how clear she could see with these glasses.

Since then, Ron has helped our hospital gain favour with the bigger public hospitals in our northern area. In fact, Ron and I have served the three of the areas biggest hospitals in the last 3 years, visiting them twice a year. Consequently, hospital staff come to know of our gratefulness of their labour and get to hear of our mission and vision. When we refer patients or advocate for them personally, we have seen God’s favour being imparted to our beloved people that we serve. Today, I received an email from one of the higher ranking nurses that we served on this last brigade in Hospital Mario Catarino Rivas in San Pedro Sula. Lic Leonor Ortega is a surgical instrument nurse in the operating room.

I have to go back to the beginning of this year when we heard of Miguel Orellana, a 12 year old diagnosed with a grapefruit-sized tumor in his lower bowel. He was operated and had the tumor removed and was left with a Colostomy- a hole in his inguinal area that was used to defecate. So for the next 6 months, at least, he will have to have a bag of feces with him at all times. When our team first saw him, this area was infected and looked like it would get complicated and serious. Dr John Tucher and his wife Ana Tucher along with Zach Gray, Tabitha Heirs, and Chepa LeBlanc were with me on one of my monthly trips to a remote part of Honduras (Las Minas). Since then, the mother has kept me informed of his progress and I was able to see him a couple of times after that first visit.

Honduras is undergoing a crisis in public health and though he should have had his colostomy removed, (allowing him regular usage of his rectum) he had been scheduled for surgery for PERHAPS THE MIDDLE OF NEXT YEAR. We anticipated being at MCR hospital on the 26 and 27 of November with our eyeglass brigade, and so hoping for God’s favour, I asked the parents to have Miguel present at the ER.

Following are the pictures of his surgery as he was not only evaluated but also operated on Friday! He is recovering beautifully and today was put on liquid diet. Tomorrow I hope to see him and extend my gratitude to the surgical team that so lovingly intervened on his behalf. Thank you Lic Leonor Ortega, Dra Rina Cartagena (pediatric surgeon), Dr Samuel Coello, Lic Toty Bermudez et al.

Written on December 10, 2012.

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