Can Tho, Vietnam Day 2-- hospital screenings and more

We've had a busy 24 hours since I blogged you last!

We returned from the first day of screenings and the medical residents and attending surgeons worked together to organize all the patient data and start scheduling the surgeries they will do over the next 2 weeks. 

Drs. Najwa and Ta

Drs. Anna and Wing

blue folders are patients' xrays

My good friend Stacy is a physical therapist in Omaha, and she and I have worked in the International Extremity Project together for the last 11 years. I can't imagine making the trip without her! In our time working in the hospitals in Vietnam, we have made some strong connections with translators and medical professionals from the area. 

Stacy and I worked for the first 3 trips to Vietnam with Phuong as our translator. We got to have dinner last night with her and her son, Phuc. It was great to catch up and enjoy watching her son be a cute little toddler. 

We were up at 6 this morning for our second day of hospital screenings. We screening 50 patients yesterday in around 8 hours, and the hospital director mentioned that there would likely be more today. 

The Mekong River outside my room

Early morning hazy view from my room. 

Early morning Mekong River traffic

The view from my breakfast table! Includes small sweet bananas, dragonfruit (white fruit with black seeds), and salt-pickled eggs. 

Hoa picked me up this morning to go to the hospital, which was a terrific start to the day.

Hoa and Melissa, an IEP volunteer

Here's some video from the morning commute

 

Heading to Can Tho General Hospital

Banh mi sandwich shop outside the hospital

Outside the hospital entrance. 

Hospital entrance. On the left are pharmacies and medical supply shops- families are usually responsible for supplying medicine, medical supplies, food, and daily care for the patients in the hospital.

There was a great turn-out from prospective patients today. We registered 56 additional adult and pediatric patients. Out of the 106 patients screening, the surgeons are planning to do 40 surgeries over the next week. 

I am always interested in the pediatric patients (you know me) and their stories. These first two children came to be evaluated by the team because they have not been permitted to enroll in school because of their limb deformities. The time that the surgeons and physical therapist took to consult with the children and the families was invaluable in making plans for surgical intervention and rehabilitation. 

These 2 days of surgical intake coordination really let my inner (and outer?) bossiness shine

Adaptive equipment-- this chair is operated by moving the steering column back and forth.

Adaptive equipment for this little girl's leg length discrepancy

IEP surgeons help to train the Vietnamese surgeons (in white coats)

Dr. Meir Nyska, IEP orthopedic surgeon from Israel

Consulting

Family members and other interested bystanders watching a screening

On the pediatric side, many potential patients have cerebral palsy, other neurological issues, post-polio syndromes, and foot and leg deformities. On the adult side, post-polio syndromes and mobility issues due to brain injuries and/or limb injuries (congenital and accidents) seemed to predominate this year. Please check on the International Extremity Project Facebook page and website for more photos of the screening day!

I got back from the hospital in a non-scooter way (just a boring old taxi), with just 2 things left on my list for the very brief working time in Can Tho: eat my favorite "sweet rice" dish, xoi ngot, and get a reminder of the relative quiet of Can Tho before heading to the sensory assault of Ho Chi Minh City tomorrow. 

Mission accomplished!

View of city park along the Mekong River

Setting up the Can Tho night market

Can Tho's Ho Chi Minh statue and park along the Mekong River

Nighttime = major outdoor socialization time. Vietnamese homes are not large and so many daily activities are conducted outside, including haircuts, meetings, group exercise sessions...

Dinnertime banh mi chay (vegetarian banh mi, hold the duck liver)

Ahhhh, my nighttime dessert highlight! This is a delicious xoi ngot-- 2 different kinds of  warm glutinous sticky rice (yellow and black), shredded fresh coconut, chopped peanuts, sprinkling of salt and sugar, wrapped in a thin waffle, then wrapped in a layer of edible rice paper. Just about the most delicious thing you can imagine. 

Next to the xoi ngot are roasted potatoes. Also yummy, but they pale in comparison to the rice treat. 

Now I get to take off my administrative assistant hat and get to some serious pediatric speech and language therapy in the next few days (this may be one of the nerdier things you will hear me say)! 

Tomorrow morning, Stacy and I head back to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) for 2 days of working at the Pediatric Hospital #1. We will each see patients (physical therapy for Stacy, speech and language therapy for me) side-by-side with their Vietnamese therapists, do some specialized training with the hospital's physiotherapists in different domains, and each give a lecture for area physicians and therapists. 

Just as in Can Tho, Stacy and I have worked with the HCMC Pediatric Hospital for the last 11 years. I'm looking forward to getting back there to see old friends.