Dr. Estaban

Greetings!  Another wonderful day in paradise.  

Yesterday was a very busy day.  The clinic and the SWAT team saw approximately 300 patients. The Optical Clinic is especially in great demand.  Larry and his team are doing phenomenally, Heather, Lindsey, Ryan, and Jonilee, plus a couple of Costa Rican recruits.  Lots of smiles and gratitude in optical.  In addition, Jonilee has assisted in several eye surgeries.  She is as competent assisting surgery as she is the best Travel Agent on the planet.  Larry said to me yesterday, "She's like a cat.   You just throw her up in the air, and she always lands on her feet." 

An interesting Non-PETA approved analogy.  

The pharmacy is running incredibly smoothly.  Tom Robinson and Jim Wrass with the assistance of Tom Galvin have done a great job.  Tom R. expressed to me how nice it is to have a second pharmacist on the team.  In all his trips, this is the first time he has had this luxury.  He expressed to me that in the past, he has awakened at night thinking about the responsibility of distributing the meds safely with the huge volumes and non-professional staff. This year Jim is there reviewing crucial dispensing information with the interpreters making sure that the meds are taken safely.  Tom and Jim are great examples of how team members are taking very seriously their responsibilities to provide great care for our patients.  

Phil Neff has been instrumental in incorporating some efficiencies into pharm such that they appear to almost effortlessly stay up with the flood of prescriptions sent their way by the docs.

Yesterday morning, Quique and I went to the Main Hospital in Cartago and presented a Medical Lecture, "Ocular Emergencies for Primary Care," to the Family Practice Residents.  The Residency Director, Dr. Gomez, is the president of  The Costa Rican Christian Medical and Dental Society and a great guy.  They were very appreciative of the lecture and of our team coming to provide care for needy Costa Ricans.  We learned that there is a three year wait to see a government ophthalmologist.  

We went to the lecture with Dr. John Longworth, a  former missionary kid who went into medicine partially due to his exposure to Medical Missions teams.  He remembers as a kid counting out pills in pharmacy.  He now provides free medical care each week to all the missionary families.   He is highly regarded in the Costa Rican medical and missionary communities.  He arranged for Dr. Dan to present a medical lecture on Thursday to the residents and doctors at the main hospital in San Jose on "Evaluating and Managing Back Injuries." Quique is very appreciative of the flexibility of the team to serve in these capacities in that it develops key relationships in country for future ministry.

When I returned with Quique from the lecture, the clinic was running full steam.  Dan, as the Medical Director, was in charge in my absense - - and frankly, I don't think I was missed at all.

So much for feeling needed.  What a great team we have!  

Best of all, great care is provided to needy people and the people in the community are incredibly appreciative of Manantiel De Vida hosting the clinic. 

Gotta go.  Another day in the Clinic.

Steve S.

Pictures:  Sophie, Jack, Family Photo, Triage Lines