Update from Daniel Patton

Day 2

Puder the Tall

Slept like a log. ‘Puder the tall’ wanted to sleep in a tent on the roof but we were informed the roof floods periodically. So my sleep was in the hospital: top floor- on the floor.

Cold shower. 7:30 staff meeting. Granola bar on the way to the OR.

First case: 28 y/o lady with smashed leg from quake. She had pins with an external fixator on her femur and cast on her broken ankle. She was grinning all the way. 4.5 weeks after the injury we fought the scar already forming. SIGN nail(360×8), ORIF fib w 10 hole plate and syndesmotic screw. I was first assist to dr cummings (LLU grad) and scrub tech. Then carried pt to xray on stretcher. Then carried her to post op care.

During the case, Puder the tall filled the OR door displaying a syringe full of pus to request an Ortho washout for a 12 y/o boy. He was our next case.

Followed by an infected wrist that had been fixed a week bofore. Seeing the sanitation makes me wonder how any of our cases will avoid infection after they leave our care. We write the instructions for follow up and wound care right on their casts.

Walking down the steet after the last case w dr cummings we were impressed by the joyful energy of the kids. Kids darting between the tent city that reently became their home. The sight of a camera brought dozens of kids. Neighbors thrown together by disaster.

Kids grow up but they don’t loose their spirit: checking on the morning case: rod down her femur. 8 screws through her ankle. And tough as nails! She had not asked for the pain meds we had perscribed for her all day!! This would not happen in the US.

I’m off to help in the ER.