By Britt:
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Yesterday morning I headed up to Montrouis to work with Dr. JA, a long-time ER doc from Missouri. He has been coming to Haiti since 1999 and actually has a house in Montrouis - on the beach. I enjoyed working with him and a nurse from South Carolina; we did 11 operations from 10am - 2pm. I wasn't able to get many photos; I guess I wasn't as concerned about this blog post as much as I should have been.
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The first operation is the one that my mom really wants me to tell about. She keeps laughing about it. It was a hemorrhoid surgery. But I think she wants me to go into a little more detail than that. We started by taping the poor guy's butt to the table, but in the painful process of fixing it, his muscles ripped the tape off. So the nurse, named Liz, and I held his cheeks so Dr. JA could get him sewn up. I don't really need to go into any more detail, I'm sure you have a very nice visual by now. It was ... interesting. Let's just say I'm glad I don't have hemorrhoids. :) (blushing)
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Some of the other operations include: several keloid removals, a ganglionic cyst, a few lipomas, a skin tag, a lipoma-like growth on the middle of a man's forehead, and a blood tumor on a guy's wrist. We didn't know it was a blood tumor, so right after Dr. JA incised, blood started streaming out - he closed it up quickly. Unfortunately there's nothing that can be done for the guy, at least not anywhere around here. I guess in the states it would be a huge procedure requiring a vascular surgeon to go in and do some major reconstruction.
`
I got to numb up a few before the procedure and sew up several afterwards. It was a fun day, a nice change in pace. I brought a lady along who had a fairly large lipoma on her shoulder (photo above.) It went down very deep - I'm pretty sure I could have stuck my entire fist in the hole that it left. Not like I'd ever want to do that though. :)
`
I liked the ganglionic cyst, I understand that there is a pretty large risk of secondary infection when you open them up (especially here) and that lots of times they return anyway, but it is really interesting seeing what comes out of those - it's a clear, jelly-like substance contained in a really fibrous sac. The old-fashioned way to get rid of ganglionic cysts is to smack it with something really hard and heavy, like a Bible. I'm not sure I'd ever test out that theory, but if you decide to and it works, let me know. The cause of ganglionic cysts is not known. One theory suggests that trauma causes the tissue of the joint to break down forming small cysts, which then join into a larger, more obvious mass. They can be very painful, especially with joint movement, and affect the tendon sheath. Okay, now I'm starting to sound like a textbook.
`
This is my last week of school before spring break. I am really excited for a break and for the fact that I will finally be completing my chemistry course. I am more excited for a visitor that is coming on Friday. I met him in May when he was here on a mission trip with Mark Fulton. His name is Chris. We have been exchanging email and phone calls for a few months. I'm looking forward to hanging out and hope to get in on some medical action somewhere.
`
Yesterday morning I headed up to Montrouis to work with Dr. JA, a long-time ER doc from Missouri. He has been coming to Haiti since 1999 and actually has a house in Montrouis - on the beach. I enjoyed working with him and a nurse from South Carolina; we did 11 operations from 10am - 2pm. I wasn't able to get many photos; I guess I wasn't as concerned about this blog post as much as I should have been.
`
The first operation is the one that my mom really wants me to tell about. She keeps laughing about it. It was a hemorrhoid surgery. But I think she wants me to go into a little more detail than that. We started by taping the poor guy's butt to the table, but in the painful process of fixing it, his muscles ripped the tape off. So the nurse, named Liz, and I held his cheeks so Dr. JA could get him sewn up. I don't really need to go into any more detail, I'm sure you have a very nice visual by now. It was ... interesting. Let's just say I'm glad I don't have hemorrhoids. :) (blushing)
`
Some of the other operations include: several keloid removals, a ganglionic cyst, a few lipomas, a skin tag, a lipoma-like growth on the middle of a man's forehead, and a blood tumor on a guy's wrist. We didn't know it was a blood tumor, so right after Dr. JA incised, blood started streaming out - he closed it up quickly. Unfortunately there's nothing that can be done for the guy, at least not anywhere around here. I guess in the states it would be a huge procedure requiring a vascular surgeon to go in and do some major reconstruction.
`
I got to numb up a few before the procedure and sew up several afterwards. It was a fun day, a nice change in pace. I brought a lady along who had a fairly large lipoma on her shoulder (photo above.) It went down very deep - I'm pretty sure I could have stuck my entire fist in the hole that it left. Not like I'd ever want to do that though. :)
`
I liked the ganglionic cyst, I understand that there is a pretty large risk of secondary infection when you open them up (especially here) and that lots of times they return anyway, but it is really interesting seeing what comes out of those - it's a clear, jelly-like substance contained in a really fibrous sac. The old-fashioned way to get rid of ganglionic cysts is to smack it with something really hard and heavy, like a Bible. I'm not sure I'd ever test out that theory, but if you decide to and it works, let me know. The cause of ganglionic cysts is not known. One theory suggests that trauma causes the tissue of the joint to break down forming small cysts, which then join into a larger, more obvious mass. They can be very painful, especially with joint movement, and affect the tendon sheath. Okay, now I'm starting to sound like a textbook.
`
This is my last week of school before spring break. I am really excited for a break and for the fact that I will finally be completing my chemistry course. I am more excited for a visitor that is coming on Friday. I met him in May when he was here on a mission trip with Mark Fulton. His name is Chris. We have been exchanging email and phone calls for a few months. I'm looking forward to hanging out and hope to get in on some medical action somewhere.
~Britt
