HF Guatemala

Volunteer Insight - Day 5: Naila Khan

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 10:31:00 -0600

Bittersweet. That is what today was. Thanks to all the teamwork, we were able to see over 1900 patients. Indeed, this was a successful trip. At the same time, I feel a little sad. I will surely miss these Guatemalan people-their sincerity, humility and gratefulness. Today we saw a young boy with a congenital disease that caused his skin to constantly rip and bruise and he had infections all over his little body. Seeing that alone was painful but even more so was his reaction. As he sat on the examination bed with doctors and students treating his wounds with ointment and wrapping him with gauze, his reaction for his mom was heartbreaking. He was in pain and cried desperately reaching for his mother. I do not think there was a single dry eye in that room. This is the beauty of human relations and medicine-they are universal. I have learned so much and this trip has been amazing. I sure hope I can return again one day.

Volunteer Insight - Day 4: Naila Khan

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 10:27:00 -0600

Highlight of today: I gave a shot! It was so awesome! This trip has been amazing and I have gotten so much hands-on experience. Also, in these few days, I have realized how valuable our hands actually are. They are an indispensable tool that allow us to feel and detect any abnormalities. Another thing I have realized is that we have minimum resources and not many supplies, but the challenge is just that. We need to use all that we do have effectively and smartly to help these people out.

Volunteer Insight - Day 3: Naila Khan

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 10:25:00 -0600

I learned so much today. I was lucky to shadow physicians and witnessed many interesting cases: an elderly woman came in with an earring embedded deep inside her ear, saw many children with scabies, felt and detected three cysts, two tumors and three hernias, saw an old man bitten by a dog with an open wound for a year, a man with a football-shaped pupil, a preeclamptic woman urgently in need of a Caesarean section, saw crazy infections and many more cases. From a medical perspective, I learned “why” something happens and “how” to treat it. With over 450 patients seen today, no doubt it was a successful day.

Volunteer Insight - Day 4: Dr. Zujajah Shaikh

Sat, 09 Mar 2013 09:52:00 -0600

Pharmacy is phun.

Or so I’m trying to convince the Humanity First students. Over the last few days the pharmacy has served not only as a powerhouse of drugs, but also as a staging area for supplies and at times a resting area amidst all the action. The pharmacy sees almost every patient that walks through the doors, and when each of the 400 patients we see a day is receiving an average of 2 to 3 scripts, the pharmacy certainly makes for an exciting (albeit overwhelming) environment.

Fortunately, our workflow has been almost seamless thanks to the never ending energy of the students. From the “runners” who quickly grab the required meds, to the “fillers” who are always on top of creating commonly prescribed pre-packed med bags, all the way back to the “counselors” who instruct the patients on what meds they’re receiving, how to take them, and most importantly - what they’re for.

After four days of continuous drug exposure, I would like to believe that the students will forever know how to appropriately dose amoxicillin, how to reconstitute a suspension, the difference between ranitidine and loratadine and above all, that pharmacy can really be phantastic!

Volunteer Insight - Day 3: Maria Qadir

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 21:58:00 -0600

Today, the clinic was full of adorable little children, and even more sick patients than the day before. Around noon, my favorite Guatemalan child walked into the clinic. Hair gelled, starched khakis, orange polo, a navy blue sweater, as soon as he walked in, I knew we had a connection. I spent the entire day chasing this child, taking pictures with him, and even making him cry. Aside from that, we reached a record breaking number of 450 patients today, an accomplishment I’m so incredibly proud of for our Humanity First team.

We saw such a variety of patients today, from a 70 year old man with a one year ulcer on his leg to a six year old Guatemalan dwarf, something Ive never seen before. Today was absolutely amazing. Everyday I wake up thinking that nothing can beat the day before, but everyday, I’m proven wrong.

Volunteer Insight - Day 3: Dr. Zujajah Shaikh

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 18:43:00 -0600

Tres veces al dia.

The three words I must have uttered over 300 times today, script after script calling for Motrin for individuals with muscle aches, arthritis, or any other pain. Despite the plethora of prescriptions filled and patients seen, one patient in particular stood out today. An 8 year old Guatemalan boy came to the pharmacy area carrying his script for an antibiotic and cold meds, nothing surprising about that, until I read the patient history indicating he had muscular dystrophy. The boy showed no sign of his illness until he walked away from the pharmacy and I noticed his gait. I later came to find out from the physician treating him that the boy does not go to school simply because he cannot walk there.

And suddenly, something as seemingly obvious as “taking the simple things for granted” has a whole new meaning.

Volunteer Insight - Day 2: Katie Ramos

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 09:33:00 -0600

Tuesday was another great day in clinic. My biggest accomplishment was learning how to take blood pressure. Although I was pretty incompetent at first, Dr. Bokhari took the time to make sure we felt somewhat confident while working with the patients. Besides medicine, I was most excited about coming to a Spanish-speaking country to work on the comprehension and speaking abilities. I was able to counsel some patients on the dosages and directions for the medications they were given and then today, I was able to talk a lot with patients for registration. One of our translators even complimented me on how well I understood everything.

Although I have been in Spanish courses for the past 3 years, it is a completely different experience when working with actual Spanish-speaking patients. This just gave me more motivation to become a physician as well as utilizing my Spanish degree by helping in a Spanish-speaking community in the future.

Volunteer Insight - Day 1: Zenat Hussani

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 10:15:00 -0600

I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to see in the clinic when I walked in, especially because it was the first day. The line was already extremely long and this was a great sign because it reassured me that there are numerous people who are in need of assistance. Not only was there a line to see the general doctors, but the lines for pediatrics and dentistry were quite impressive. I was first placed into dentistry so I was in for quite a shock.

Dr. Chaudhry was one of the friendliest dentists I’ve met. He was really down to earth with the patients and had their best interest in mind. I was not expecting to see that many teeth being extracted. I was asked to help with gathering the instruments, assist in clearing the mouth of excess blood, and help inform the patient on general dental hygiene such as brushing the teeth. Some people don’t even know how effective simply using a brush with water is on the impact of preventing cavities. What surprised me was when such young children came in and thought it was so normal to get three teeth extracted. One child came in and asked to get four teeth pulled. He got them pulled but he also had 5 more which needed to be taken out but this was not possible in this clinical setting. The lack of oral hygiene was disheartening. It showed that these people simply had not been exposed to the consequences of not brushing daily. Removing these teeth helped to alleviate a lot of pain for these people and remove infected teeth which had grown cysts at the end of the roots. This was a great way to start the trip and it also gave me a reality check on how much I had to clean up on my Spanish.

Volunteer Insight - Day 2: Shazia Ijaz

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 18:37:00 -0600

As exhausted as I am right now, this day has been yet another amazing experience with Humanity First. After not nearly enough sleep, each and every dedicated team member worked from 8 am to 6 pm running the clinic. Luckily, we were in an air-conditioned building that kept the heat from adding to our exhaustion, but the 10 hours on my feet seemed to last forever. At the same time, the day seemed to end much sooner than it should have. Getting the opportunity to see numerous unusual and amazing medical cases kept all of us motivated throughout the day. The instance that sticks with me the most is when a small baby came to the pediatrics room because he was wheezing and having trouble breathing. After giving him a breathing treatment, we sent him on his way. His mom brought him back, though, after his breathing worsened. He was having so much trouble that we had to arrange for him to be taken to the hospital. While that was going on, though, Deeana was giving him another breathing treatment. His frail body was motionless and his eyes were barely open. His small hand grasped Gabriela’s finger, but his grasp slowly loosened. Watching this made me realize the fragility of his little human life. We were able to stabilize his breathing and send him to the hospital, but have no way of knowing what happened next. I can only wonder how he’s doing now.

Volunteer Insight - Day 2: Dr. Ahmad Chaudhry

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 18:39:00 -0600

My first day in the dental clinic in Guatemala was tiring but exhilarating. I was told that it would be busy but as I walked into the medical/dental clinic building, there were close to 150 people waiting for us. I could only imagine how many would end up to see me.

We quickly put the finishing touches on the setup from the night before and started letting patients in. The students I was working with were great, jumping into every aspect of patient care. And the translators we had, a law student from a local university, was just as enthusiastic.

We got into our routine and were taking care of the needs of our patients: Extractions for most, exams for some. Most knew exactly what they came for: Getting rid of their troublesome, painful tooth and in many cases teeth.

The most disheartening part of the day was seeing young kids, sometimes as young as 3 come in with multiple badly decayed teeth. We did our best in resolving their acute needs but their extensive pathology would have to be treated later.

One five years old boy sticks in my mind. He was one of three kids in the family, all with some form of baby bottle caries. His four front teeth were all abscessed. The mother stated he would cry from the pain and could not eat. The brave boy let us remove all four front teeth and the infection without shedding a tear. I only wish his little brother of would be spared the same fate. That is why each patient got not only a lecture on good oral hygiene but a toothbrush and toothpaste to put it into action.

In all we saw over 50 patients. Though it was exhausting, the students and helpers made the day speed by.

Volunteer Insight - Day 1: Dr. Ahmad Chaudhry

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 18:20:00 -0600

The day started early: 4:30 AM. I headed to LaGuardia airport and then to Houston. As I settled into my seat on the plane, I took off my glasses and placed them in seat pouch in front of me. The quick 2 1/2 hour flight was spent sleeping.

As we began our descent, I realized my glasses were gone. Surely, they just fell down on the ground. As I contorted myself to check the floor by my feet, no sign of the glasses. As the passengers departed from the plane, I calmly got down on my knees one more time to get a better look. But still nothing.

By now, everyone was off the plane, except the four flight attendants. I explained to one of them my dilemma, while still down on the ground. Maybe the glasses had slid forward during landing, maybe they slid to the left side of the plane during a turn in descent. Still nothing. A male steward picked up a small bag in the distance and yelled, “I found them”. But no, they were not mine, just a pair of sunglasses lost by someone else.

By now, I was getting concerned. I needed the glasses to perform my dental procedures: The whole purpose of this trip. Could surgery really be done without glasses? I didn’t want to find out. I went back and forth, still looking, still nothing. By now, the cleaning crew for the plane was starting their work, the flight attendants, still helping me look.

Not wanting to delay things further, I decided to give up. I’d give my address and if someone found them, they could mail them to me. Certainly, that would do little for me in Guatemala.

As I was about to get off the plane, a flight attendant announced, “I found them”. This time, it was really them. Saved! Thanking them profusely for their efforts, I put my glasses on and saw myself off the plane. Disaster averted!

Volunteer Insight: Dr. Hajirah Saeed

Sat, 26 Jan 2013 22:04:06 -0600

Volunteer Insight: Dr. Hajirah Saeed :

hfgiftofsight:

Between October 15th and 18th Dr. Bouchard and I from Loyola, and Drs. Djalilian and Mehralian from UIC went to Guatemala to perform cataract and pterygium surgeries. The group was led by Dr. Ahsan Khan through the non-profit organization Humanity First. This was the first time that Loyola has participated in a collaborative mission trip involving ophthalmologists from several institutions. We also worked with Guatemalan ophthalmologist Dr. Rudy Gutierrez and his team of residents and fellows. With collaborative efforts like these, we are able to provide a wide range of services, and learn and observe the surgical techniques of others.

Prior to our arrival, the Guatemalan team of ophthalmologists screened and triaged patients so that when surgery week arrived, we were most efficient in delivering surgical care. While operating rooms were running, other patients who desired ophthalmologic consultation were seen and triaged as well. Perhaps most importantly, with this collaboration, and with ophthalmologists on the ground in Guatemala, we were able to ensure follow-up care for our patients and develop a foundation to continue work that truly allows a level of access to care for these patients. Furthermore, these trips are incredible educational resources. The pathology that is seen is vastly different from what is typically encountered for us in Chicago. Several factors play into this including geography, climate, and access to care. We can’t change the first two, but we can work to increase patients’ quality of life by allowing them access to care they may not have otherwise been able to procure.

Collaboration with Guatemalan ophthalmologists also greatly aided in breaking the language barriers so that optimal care could be provided for our patients. Despite limited Spanish-speaking capabilities from out Chicago team, there are some gestures that transcend language. It was apparent that pre-operative excitement and renewed hope for better sight was translated into post-operative grins of satisfaction and fulfillment of that hope.

For me personally, I hope to keep my actions rooted in the values of social equity while at the same time seek excellence in medical knowledge and its translation into patient care. Trips like these allow me to continue down this path and satisfy my intellectual curiosity while stimulating it, engage my manual dexterity while deftly honing it, and furnish me with deep personal satisfaction while renewing my sincere dedication.

Here’s to continuing to reinforce the humanity and dignity of patient, practitioner, and profession for years to come.

Humanity First Guatemala Prepares for 2nd Annual HF Medical Outreach Camp

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 19:27:10 -0600

A team of medical and student Humanity First volunteers will be returning to Guatemala for the second Humanity First Medical Outreach (HFMO) trip from March 2 to 10, 2013. They will participate in a week-long medical mission to provide basic primary care to those in need. The volunteer team includes experienced physicians as well as a pharmacist, and undergraduate students from the Humanity First Student Organization at University of Michigan.

Humanity First Guatemala is preparing logistics for volunteers to again, open and run a primary care clinic in underserved communities of Guatemala to provide free health-care to local citizens. Students are preparing hygiene packs, vitamins, and over-the-counter medicines to patients to distribute to locals. They will also shadow the US and Guatemalan medical professionals as they conduct medical and dental exams.

The HFMO 2013 team will be lead by Dr. Amin Bokhari, who was a member of the first HFMO camp last year. He initially joined Humanity First as a member of the immediate disaster response team for the Haiti Earthquake in early 2010, and has been volunteering with Humanity First since then. He will be joined by Dr. Rafi Malik, who has also been active in providing medical care through Humanity First, and traveled to Haiti three times. This year’s dental clinic will be led by Dr. Ahmad Chaudhry, and pharmacist Dr. Zujajah Shaikh will be running the mobile pharmacy with the assistance of students and local translators. Pediatrician Dr. Salma Aftab will also be returning to provide care to local children. This knowledgeable team of health-care professionals will not only be providing medical care to locals, but also teaching students about the basics of their fields through hands-on experience and discussions.

As always, all volunteers are all enthusiastic and excited to join Humanity First to provide basic medical services to underserved individuals. To support their efforts in Guatemala and to make a donation, please visit their fundraising page.

hfgiftofsight: Humanity First USA’s Gift of Sight 2012 trailer....

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 21:26:26 -0600

hfgiftofsight:

Humanity First USA’s Gift of Sight 2012 trailer. Complete documentary coming soon.

hfgiftofsight: HF Guatemala returned to Salud y Paz en...

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 17:03:57 -0600

hfgiftofsight:

HF Guatemala returned to Salud y Paz en Chichicastenango for the one-week Gift of Sight post operation follow-up clinic. Forty-three surgery patients returned to Salud y Paz to receive their check-ups.

Humanity First, USA: Gift of Sight: Volunteer Insight: Juan Nuñez

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 17:03:16 -0600

Humanity First, USA: Gift of Sight: Volunteer Insight: Juan Nuñez:

hfgiftofsight:

During my flight back to Los Angeles, I had some time to reflect on the Gift of Sight mission this year, and I’m already missing Guatemala. I’m missing my new friends and old friends, I miss Salud y Paz, and most of all, I’m going to miss David Gonzalez. For those of you who don’t know David,…

hfgiftofsight: Scenes from Gift of Sight eye camp.

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 17:02:27 -0600

hfgiftofsight:

Scenes from Gift of Sight eye camp.

hfgiftofsight: The Gift of Sight team has been invited to an Guatemalan Association of...

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 17:02:03 -0600

hfgiftofsight:

The Gift of Sight team has been invited to an Guatemalan Association of Ophthalmology (AGO) program this evening in Guatemala City. Speakers will include Dr. Rudy Gutierrez, President of AGO, Dr. Charles Bouchard, Gift of Sight lead ophthalmologist & Chairman of the Ophthalmology Department at Loyola, and Dr. Ahsan Khan, Gift of Sight Program Director.

hfgiftofsight: Scenes from the 2012 Gift of Sight eye camp.

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 17:02:00 -0600

hfgiftofsight:

Scenes from the 2012 Gift of Sight eye camp.

hfgiftofsight: Around 1.4 million children are blind....

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 17:01:43 -0600

hfgiftofsight:

Around 1.4 million children are blind. Approximately half of all childhood blindness can be avoided and treated. Make a contribution to help restore vision and give the gift of sight.