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Celaya Mexico Mission trip Day 1

 

We arrive at Del Bajio International Airport at 9:30 PM. We breeze through custom without any issue. We meet Miss Dora from the Celaya Rotary club who has a big sign “KONDROT” with her. She can not believe we get through custom so fast. Last year, the doctor was held up at custom for three and a half hours with questions about permits to bring in all the supplies. I was prepared and printed out multiple copies of our invitation letters and permits and made sure we have everything in order in case we get help up.

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Celaya, Mexico

Here we are getting ready for Celaya Mexico.

The supplies from SEE arrive at our clinic. Four huge boxes first and I manage to transfer them all into 3 big suitcases. It is quite a challenge but I use all the tricks known from all the years of traveling to stuff them all neatly into the expandable bags while keeping a keen eye out for airlines’  the weight limit of 50 pounds per bag.

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Thanks to Douglas Laboratories!

We received a pallet of essential vitamins and nutrients to be distributed on our next mission. Nutritional deficiency is one of the leading cause of blindness. Thank you, Douglas Lab!

 

Thank you, Douglas Labs!

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Special thanks to Katena Surgical Supplies!

Special thanks to Gordon Dahl and Katena Surgical supplies for their generous donation of much needed surgical instruments!

Much needed eye surgical instruments. Thanks Katena!

I had a very pleasant surprise on my return from the Liberia Surgical Mission when I opened the package from Katena!  These instruments are very expensive (over $500 each) and essential for doing efficient surgery.  We will be more prepared for our next mission to Mexico April 13-15th!

Thanks, Katena!

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Monrovia Day 5 report

Today is our last day here in Liberia. I must admit I am walking around the waiting area and it seems like there are more people on the last day than on the first day! How could this be? We worked very hard every day from early morning to late night and people are still waiting in long line. Some has been waiting for days.

Words travel fast and as people hear that we are here to do eye surgery, they are coming from far away to get the care.

Take a look at the waiting area this morning and tell me if you agree with me.

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Monrovia Day 5 morning reflection

Sitting in the lobby, I hear from Joe Sackor, our coordinator for this mission talk about the praise from the patients sitting outside the operating room. They sit there waiting before and after surgery. We are too busy to visit with them so we don’t get to hear these things first hand ourselves. We barely have just a few minutes in between operation to look at people eyes to give the go-ahead to get them scrub up for surgery. We don’t even have time for lunch let alone time to chit chat with anybody.

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Monrovia day 4 report

Finally, we get into the groove of things. It is rocking and rolling for the Kondrot Eye team today. There is not stopping the surgeon in charge. One cataract after another comes popping out and there’s no stopping Dr. Kondrot now. He is full of energy and keeps at it like the Energizer bunny!

The day starts as usual with the wild ride to Redemption Hospital. Take a look at this high occupancy vehicle.

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