The plan was for 3 surgeries ( I know the surgeries are few in number, but lengthy in the Operating room). I made rounds with the surgeon on our patients from yesterday to see how they were feeling. I am so amazed that with the extent of the surgeries, that they don't have more pain. Here in America, we go through lots of narcotics post op, but here, IV tylenol is the primary medication!
Lots of follow up care is pivotal in the patients recovery success. The primary surgeries are palate repairs, LeForte facial surgeries ( which is upper and lower jaw surgery and re-alignment). We need to stress to the patients the importance of keeping the head elecated, to control swelling, use of ice, nutritional intake for healing, and good oral hygiene to decrease risk of infection. My issue, is finding someone to help interpret the instructions. I am lucky today and most of this week, as one of our patient's sister speaks wonderful English. We also have the instructions printed in Vietnamese, but stressing the importance of following the instructions is vital.
Our 2 patients looked great; swelling was minimal and pain was non-existant. They smiled, bowed and thanked us for what we are doing for them, which makes being in this humid climate, more bearable.
I then observe in the Operating room and I make several visits to the patients during the day. I try to do pre-op teaching as well the the patients beforehand, so they know what to expect after surgery. Our average patient age is 16-19 yrs old.
Lunch of rice and beef was waiting for us, along with pineapple and watermelon. Dinner tonight will be at one of the Vietnamese surgeons homes. She will be cooking for us all, so I will try to take many pictures of that experience.
For all my "nurse friends", the conditions here are not at all what we work in. Open windows with fans in the OR, mold on the tile walls, due to the high humidity, OR staff wearing flip-flops in the OR vs closed toe shoes. My list could go on and on. I have asked about there infection rate but I don't thinks they keep stats on those things. I do know that pTients are tested for hepatitis and HIV, pre-operatively.
The question is alway on my mind how the Vietnamese view Americans. Is there any hostility because of the Vietnamese war? I read that USA lost 58, 000 men, but Vietnam lost 3.2 million people. I need to check those stats as I am not sure on the truth of that information. When the Vietnamese staff are asked how they feel they say" what is past is past". Vietnam's biggest worry now is China. Vietnam has been threatened by China wanted to take the islands off Vietnam, that sit in the South China Sea. I also found out that Vietnam has a vast amount of untapped natural resources (such as oil), that is another purpose of China wanting to essentially, lock off Vietnam and isolate them, by taking the coastal islands. The locals are very afraid of China and what they could do and wonder if America would help them , if any war starts. We never hear of this in the States, so all this is very interesting to me.
Wow, a long post today. Below are pictures of some patients from yesterday, construction being done in the hospital, our washroom that we need to use ( and I try to avoid), the nurses changing are with there garments hanging to dry ( as they wash up after their shifts). I need to get ready for dinner. Will talk later.
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