Day Two
July 9, 2000

First day, first case

First day, first case

Rodrigo walked bravely back to the operating room just a little after 8:00 am Sunday morning. The seven year old boy was surrounded by his grandmother and several members of the hospital staff as they undressed him, put him in a surgical gown and led him back to the Quirofano 1 (operating room 1).

The Quirofano 3 (Operating room 3). The green liquid in the basin in the foreground is cleaning solution for medical instruments.

Dr. Manny Pena performed the hour and a half surgery to repair both a cleft lip and cleft palate. Pena explained the boy's age was one of the factors in choosing him to be the first surgical case of the day. (Click to see the video)

Pena described his first case as a success, saying that while it was a hour and a half long, and longer than the typical first case, it gave the team a chance to work together and start the teamwork that will carry the group through the next week of surgeries. (Click to see the video)

Program Director Sue Ellen Ruggles (r) reviews patient schedules with Cynthia Abraham (c) and Kath Schrage (l)

While the doctors operated, the other members of the team made preparations for the recovery of the patients. Coordinating the efforts of both the volunteers and the local medical team is Operation Rainbow Program Director, Sue Ellen Ruggles. And while this is the 4th mission to this hospital, there are still last minute instructions and changes necessary to communicate.

One of the new additions to the team this year is a laptop computer and portable printer. This gives Operation Rainbow the ability to provide post operative instructions, on paper and in Spanish, to the families of the patients. The instructions are based on protocols established by Operation Rainbow -- but are also customized to the specific needs of both the Operation Rainbow volunteer surgeons and the local medical custom here in Villahermosa.

Operation Rainbow volunteers work on all kinds of care for the patients and families. Not only is it necessary to provide pain medication and other medically supportive medications, but several of the team members created handmade armboards -- stiff splint-like braces -- that keep the littlest patients from pulling at the stitches in their mouths.

During a break in the surgeries, a team member takes a moment to reflect and rest.

Operation Rainbow often makes these armboards from cardboard boxes used to transport medicines and other supplies to the mission location.

The Operation Rainbow team was able to complete 9 of 10 surgical cases Sunday. (For a complete patient list.) The tenth case was canceled due to medical concerns.