Sunday, February 10, 2013

A note from Chip, February 10, 2013

February, 10, 2013, Team Heart surgical trip number six. 

As always, the team has exceeded all expectations. This is not easy, as expectations have become quite high during our past trips. The coming together of this disparate group of individuals, from 8 or 9 different states and 18 hospitals, united by a desire to help those less fortunate, manifests itself in ways expected and totally unexpected. Everyone works incredibly hard and without complaint. A 17 yo patient had some problems in the middle of the night, and, when I threw on some clothes and ran out, there was the Top Tower bus full with OR nurses, anesthesiologists, surgeons, at 3 a.m., all not just ready, but eager to help. All ended well, fortunately.


We hope to do sixteen heart operations, and one pacemaker insertion in our eight days of surgery. All has gone well up til now.



In reflecting on our now six years of experience with having the privilege of doing this work, I think I can sum it up by saying: "If not this, what? If not now, when? If not us, who?
Thank you to all who are here with us, and to all who are supporting us back home. Our success is your success, and it has been the highest honor of my life to do this with all of you.
Chip


Chip, Cardiologist Patricia Come, Jeanne DeCara at the Premier showing, Courage of Hearts, a film by Michael Fasciano

Surgical Team Bobby Oakes, Chip Bolman and Terra Lawson, work with theater nurses from King Faisal Hospital in Rwanda. 



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