As you may know, I sometimes help some doctor friends by taking some patients and their families to meet visiting medical brigades.
This week included such an occasion, but had a lot more to it than usual.
The group that is currently visiting San Pedro Sula (a three-hour bus trip from here to the hospital there, then three hours to return home, of course) comes here every year to perform heart surgery on kids (as many as 25 operations during the week they are here) - all free of charge.
One of the patients scheduled for surgery on Saturday is a ten-year-old, named Edwin. Please, of course, pray for him, his family, the surgeons and the surgery.
There is, however, another patient and family that need prayer. Today was when I took Edwin and his family to the hospital to meet the brigade. It was actually supposed to have been yesterday, but my doctor friend gave me the contact information for ELKYN'S family, instead of Edwin's, and I accompanied ELKYN and his family all the way to San Pedro Sula and took them to the main doctor in the group before anyone knew he was the WRONG patient!
Here's the thing, though: Elkyn, who's just turning five, HAD already been evaluated by this group and DOES have a heart problem, but they had already determined that the damage to his heart muscle was such that it was irreparable and they had already had that conversation with Elkyn's parents.
Needless to say, his parents HAD sounded surprised when I called them to tell them to pack a suitcase and get ready to meet me at the bus terminal to go to meet the brigade for surgery.
Also, needless to say, it was very difficult for the doctor and me to have to tell them that the whole trip had been for naught and that there was still nothing that could be done for Elkyn.
All of that made yesterday's trip VERY long and tiring AND made it necessary for my local doctor friend to find the RIGHT patient - Edwin, so I could make the trip AGAIN, today, with the right family
This week included such an occasion, but had a lot more to it than usual.
The group that is currently visiting San Pedro Sula (a three-hour bus trip from here to the hospital there, then three hours to return home, of course) comes here every year to perform heart surgery on kids (as many as 25 operations during the week they are here) - all free of charge.
One of the patients scheduled for surgery on Saturday is a ten-year-old, named Edwin. Please, of course, pray for him, his family, the surgeons and the surgery.
There is, however, another patient and family that need prayer. Today was when I took Edwin and his family to the hospital to meet the brigade. It was actually supposed to have been yesterday, but my doctor friend gave me the contact information for ELKYN'S family, instead of Edwin's, and I accompanied ELKYN and his family all the way to San Pedro Sula and took them to the main doctor in the group before anyone knew he was the WRONG patient!
Here's the thing, though: Elkyn, who's just turning five, HAD already been evaluated by this group and DOES have a heart problem, but they had already determined that the damage to his heart muscle was such that it was irreparable and they had already had that conversation with Elkyn's parents.
Needless to say, his parents HAD sounded surprised when I called them to tell them to pack a suitcase and get ready to meet me at the bus terminal to go to meet the brigade for surgery.
Also, needless to say, it was very difficult for the doctor and me to have to tell them that the whole trip had been for naught and that there was still nothing that could be done for Elkyn.
All of that made yesterday's trip VERY long and tiring AND made it necessary for my local doctor friend to find the RIGHT patient - Edwin, so I could make the trip AGAIN, today, with the right family
If blueberry muffins have blueberries in them, what do vegan muffins have?