Wednesday, May 21st, 2025 – Day 4 – Preparing for 20 surgeries today. The 14-year-old boy came back today for his 1st evaluation post-op. He went from just being able to see light or dark to now 20/70. Imagine how life-changing that will be for a teenager who was practically blind and not able to go to school, to now being able to have a normal life.
We also had a patient travel with another local non-profit from the Amazon forest. Originally, there were three patients, all who were practically blind. As they were preparing to travel to FIBUSPAM for the cataract surgery, they were persuaded by their village shaman that he could restore their vision with herbs and rituals. Luckily, one of them decided to come for the surgery instead. After surgery, the small group was hosted overnight by Olga, one of the managers at the hospital. We would soon find out the next day that his sight was restored.
After some much needed coffee, we were pumped for the rest of the day… especially with the anticipation of getting to watch GAME 1 of the Knicks vs. Pacers at a local burger bar after a long day of surgeries!
The Medical/Pediatric team had a super productive day as well. Dozens of patients were already in line when they arrived at the site. After a short setup, it was GAME ON!
It was a day full of surprises! The team diagnosed a child with a fall-on-outstretched-hand (FOOSH) injury that had happened over a week ago. His joint was swollen, painful, and limited in its movement. The child was placed in a sling and brought to FIBUSPAM hospital, where they found he had a significant fracture. Despite financial difficulty, he was supported and treated and is now in full recovery.
The icing on the cake would have been if the Knicks had won! LOL
