Photos Dec 7-9: Ethiopia, coffee and Germany!

December 7-9

December 7-9, 2017

As usual, the middle of our week quickly moved to the end of the week!

We had ORs and clinics and evaluations at the School for the Deaf.  We left very late on Friday night; those of us flying into Philly were greeted by a surprise snow storm with close to 5 inches of snow!  Many of us enjoyed a layover in Frankfurt with a side trip to the little town of Russelsheim for coffee, pastry and a walk through the local market.  And of course, we brought lots of delicious Ethiopian coffee home with us!

Our week’s activities included 109 ENT patient evaluations, 28 ENT surgical cases, 15 Orthopedic surgical cases, 110 Audiology evaluations, 24 ear molds and 52 hearing aid evaluations.  We had 20 attendees in our Safe Peds Pediatric Anesthesia Refresher course. Not bad for a week’s work!  We already have dates set for our next trip in April!

Home Sweet Home!

But what is this white powdery stuff falling from the sky?!

Photos Dec 5-6

December 5-6, 2017

December 5-6, 2017

We have had a full and busy week so far.

Tuesday we had 7 ENT cases and 3 orthopedic surgical cases at Cure, our audiology team saw 33 new students at the School for the Deaf and did evaluations on their hearing.  On Wednesday, the Cure ENT team did 5 complex surgical cases, several orthopedic cases, and 2 of our surgeons went to a local Government hospital to assist the Ethiopian ENT surgeons with 4 surgical cases.  The audiology team continued evaluations at the School for the Deaf.

We completed our 3 day intensive review course in Pediatric Anesthesia for 21 anesthesia providers on Wednesday.  This course was designed specifically for low-income countries and is a superb refresher course.  We had 6 instructors and students of various levels of training.  It was enthusiastically received.

Thursday we will have surgical cases at Cure, follow up clinic at Cure, and educational session for the Ethiopian ENT residents, and a training for new instructors for our Pediatric Anesthesia course. 

We have had a chance to re-connect with old friends, make new friends and plan for future educational and clinical activities.

Dec 3-4 photos

December 3-4, 2017 Ethiopia

December 2017

The Healing the Children ENT team has arrived in Ethiopia! 

Our team consists of 4 ENT surgeons, 3 Audiologists, and OR nurse, our Executive Director, and me.  We have an Ethiopian Anesthesia resident joining us for our anesthesia teaching program, and a US anesthesia resident is here for the month also working at Cure and will be working along with us.  We hail from Philly and Pittsburgh, New Jersey, Delaware, Texas, Kansas City and Miami!  All of our travels were uneventful and everyone and everything arrived safely.

Sunday we relaxed, unpacked, picked up and moved equipment, did some touring, some of us went to church and generally enjoyed the 75 degree sunny weather. 

Monday was our first clinical and educational day.  The ENT and audiology teams saw patients at Cure.  Approximately 75 patient were evaluated in clinic, over 20 surgical procedures were scheduled for the week, 30 patients received audiology evaluations and 15 hearing aids were evaluated/distributed.  Cure is always a welcoming place to be and it was wonderful to see old friends. 

Two of our ENT surgeons also went to see patients at a local government hospital with the local ENT surgeons.

The anesthesia team conducted day 1 of a Pediatric Anesthesia refresher course developed jointly by the AAGBI (Association of Anesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland) and the WFSA (World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists).  This is designed as an intensive hands-on refresher course for low- income settings.  It is a well-organized course and is well received.  This course has only be given a few times in Ethiopia but is much needed.  There is a similar course for Obstetric Anesthesia which is being given in another part of Ethiopia this week.

We’ll enjoy some dinner and rest tonight.  Tomorrow – surgical cases at Cure, the audiologists will go to the School for the Deaf, and we’ll continue our pediatric anesthesia course.

Good morning from Ethiopia!

Our whole team arrived safely, with no issues!
Sleep was wonderful after 24+ hours of traveling, and Ethiopian coffee is delightful as well!
Today - some of us are going to church and then collecting equipment and setting up for the week for clinical activities and teaching.

On the road again!

Heading home

We are in Germany, about to board for our flight home! Our flight from Addis was uneventful. We had a long layover so we left the airport via train and went to a little town where we have been before. We had a long walk along the river, visited the farmer's market and had breakfast at the local bakery where we have been before.
It is sunny and early spring here - hopefully will be the same at home!

Ethiopia Farewell!

Our week in Ethiopia is coming to an end.
Our course ended yesterday and was fabulously successful.
Our audiology team saw children at Cure and two schools.
Our ENT team took care of lots of patients in clinic and the OR.
We gave anesthesia support to the Cure OR.
We made new friends and saw many long time friends.
Soon we are heading to the airport; tired but happy!

Teaching pediatric anesthesia

March 21-22

Tuesday March 21

The ENT team was in the OR at Cure doing 3 OR cases; One of these was a patient who had a tracheostomy (surgical hole in the neck) that was able to have this removed and closed.  Our anesthesia resident also helped care for 4 orthopedic and burn patients and supported the whole OR. 

The audiology team was at the School for the Deaf where they saw about 25 patients, fitted hearing aids, and instructed them in the use of a new audiometer.

The Safe Peds team taught the first day of the 3 day course reviewing the basics of pediatric anesthesia.  There were 22 participants in the course from hospitals all around Ethiopia.  We had lectures, discussion groups and skills practice stations.  We had some wonderful conversations between participants and faculty about many topics related to pediatric anesthesia.  The course continues for two more days.

Most of us had dinner in the hotel and prepared for Wednesday.

Wednesday March 22

The ENT team was in the OR at Cure with 3 cases and there were also burn and orthopedic patients.

The audiology team went to a school where they had previously screened all of the patients for hearing loss.  They brought hearing aids for those students previously identified as needing them.

Our pediatric anesthesia course continued with topics like ENT, eye, and cleft palate surgery; seizures, cardiac disease, and other emergencies.

Half of the group went to a local Cultural center for dinner with traditional meals and dancing.  The rest of us had dinner at the Indian restaurant with some old ENT, Orthopedic and surgery friends!

March 20

Photos Ethiopia March 19-20