"No matter how poor patients sometimes are, almost everyone wants to contribute in their own way."
Anje Post, volunteer doctor
Hi everyone! Over the past six months, from September through February, I (Anje) worked as a volunteer doctor at Hospital San Miguel. When I was asked whether I would like to share something about this, I was of course very happy to do so — but where should I begin? So much has happened…
At the end of August, the time had finally come. After a year full of preparations, fundraising activities, and countless arrangements… I boarded the plane to Ecuador! Of course, beforehand you try to imagine what it will be like and what you will experience. Truly everything is different: the weather, the heat, the people, the language, your living space, the kitchen you share with the rest of the staff, your work — really everything. I would therefore like to take you along to a few situations I experienced here, both work-related and personal, which I feel truly represent my time here.
During one weekend, a very seriously ill patient was admitted. We had transferred her to another hospital, but she was refused there. Eventually she returned to us, and we tried everything we could with the resources available, but sadly she passed away… Moments like that really make you realize how limited the resources are here and how extremely well organized healthcare is in the Netherlands. At that time, for example, there was only one ambulance for the entire region from Puerto el Carmen to Lago Agrio — already a four- to five-hour drive along the main road. If that ambulance happened to be in Lago, you simply had to hope it could come. Even then, it could take another ten hours before reaching a hospital that might be able to help further — and even that was often uncertain.
Time for some free time: once again I had the brilliant idea of getting up early to go running. The alarm went off, but I was far too comfortable in bed, so — just like a few weeks earlier — I didn't leave until eight o'clock. Lesson learned: by then it is already far too hot outside, and the people you meet look at you with pity. After forty-five minutes of stumbling along, I returned to the hospital and now know for sure: running in the morning is only possible at six o'clock!
An emergency patient was announced from Tres Fronteras, Peru — there had reportedly been a hunting weapon accident… When the patient arrived, we immediately saw that the story was different from what had been told over the phone. It wasn't the hand but the elbow. Completely wrapped, yet blood was still seeping onto the floor. An IV was in the other arm. He had first been treated in Peru, and it quickly became clear that he needed surgery. An X-ray revealed six pellets still lodged in his arm. He had already traveled about seven hours by boat to reach us, and we were now ten hours after the accident — a high risk of infection. I was responsible for the anesthesia/sedation, while Pao and Jacob operated together. He remained admitted for ten days and recovered remarkably well. When I saw him for a follow-up a few weeks later, he was already able to use his elbow again.
Another emergency: a young boy who was struggling to breathe. Situations like this can be tense, with so few staff members and limited resources. In the Netherlands, intensive care specialists, an anesthesiologist, and a pediatrician would already have been involved. Here, we have to manage together — and that is also what makes it so special. One person runs to the pharmacy, another to the oxygen equipment, and together we make it work.
The importance of togetherness: the Monday before Christmas, Dayana, the receptionist, came up to me and said, "Doc, shall we have a Christmas BBQ with the team tomorrow (Christmas Eve Eve)?" In the Netherlands it would be impossible to gather people on such short notice, but here almost the entire team showed up. Wonderful — no fully packed schedules! Dayana prepared a beautiful Latino BBQ: a whole chicken, half a pork loin, a piece of beef — everything went on the grill at once and came out delicious an hour and a half later! We quickly forgot that during one turn of the meat almost everything briefly landed on the sidewalk… The evening, of course, ended in style with karaoke. Any idea how we know 'Libre soy, libre soyyyy'?
On Sunday clinic day, we were surprised with four pineapples and a large bag full of bananas. The husband of a patient was grateful for our care and had brought them from his farm. So kind! No matter how poor patients sometimes are, almost everyone wants to contribute in their own way.
I am extremely grateful to Carolien and Jacob, as well as the entire team, for their trust and for all the special situations we were able to experience together. I hope to return someday! For now, I remain involved by managing the social media. Do you have tips or things you would like to see? I would love to hear them!
Anje
