District 5330 CHIPs Rotaplast Mission to Peru
By Linda Denver

Wednesday, after a few hours of sleep, we headed for our hospital, the largest in Peru. It is the National Hospital which provides service to the poor and needy in the country.  The buildings are national monuments so there is no allowance for expansion. New buildings will be placed behind the complex. The facilities are over 40 years old, poorly maintained, open-air, with small working spaces.

The Lima Rotary Club hosted our lunch at their weekly meeting. The District Governor and his wife also attended. John Lohr and I from the Murrieta Club presented Friendship Exchange Flags from our clubs to the Lima Club to the President.  The Rotarians and hospital staff are so appreciative of our mission and have welcomed us with warm smiles.

District 5330 CHIP’s Rotaplast Mission to Peru, Day 2

It is hard to keep back the tears as I see so many people with oral defects. And even more when I see the intensely dedicated doctors and nurses who are evaluating them. Today we had what is called "clinic". That is where the potential patients go through a process of evaluation. Here is the order of the evaluation steps:

1. Register with the hospital,
2. Register with Rotaplast. Two bilingual interviewers recorded the cleft palate and lip defects.
3. Have picture taken with file number for "before" picture and for identification.
4. Visit a team with a doctor, nurse, and anesthesiologist. They decide whether or not the patient is eligible for surgery. 3 such teams worked simultaneously
5. Visit the pediatrician.
6. Be placed on the surgery schedule.

Sounds simple but we saw over 100 patients who were accompanied by their families in eight solid hours. Our mission team of 28 people was assisted by several local Rotarians who helped with translating along the route. They were invaluable. They also provided lunch, snacks, and beverages.

District 5330 CHIP’s Rotaplast Mission to Peru, Day 3

Well, today, we had our first "baby"! There were 15 total surgeries among the 3 operating rooms starting at 7:30 am. The patients had stayed the night with their parents in the same bed.

We had puppets, crayons and "Mickey Mouse" coloring pages, balloons, cars, dolls, building blocks, and decks of cards ready to go. One little 17 month old boy, Roger, was the last on the surgery list. During clinic yesterday, his parents stood out because of their native clothing. Today, they were so tired and tense from waiting all day. So we kept him distracted for hours so that he would not cry and to give his parents a break.

Finally it was his time to go to surgery and I watched from the observatory above the OR. I broke down crying because of the change he will have in his life because Rotaplast came to Lima today.

I went to see his parents but his mom was exhausted. We were leaving as I asked the OR nurse to take a picture of him before I left. I will see him, awake, alert, and repaired in the morning!

Most of the children were under 3 yrs old so I was a true HAM with the puppets. I even had two little boys racing cars on the floor. they had so much pent-up energy. As the patients came from surgery, they were wrapped in beautiful quilts made by women of a Rotary club in Maine.

Tomorrow is another day of surgery. Sunday we have a day off and a tour of Lima. Then 5 days of surgery next week. My Spanish is getting better each day. More tomorrow.

District 5330 CHIP’s Rotaplast Mission to Peru, Day 4

Some pictures…

District 5330 CHIP’s Rotaplast Mission to Peru, Day 5

Today was the second day of surgery and most of the patients were between 7 and 18 years old. Balloons were very popular but the puppets were still a hit, even with the teenagers. As one 15 year old was being rolled to surgery, he called to his mom to take care of his puppet. It was the first thing he asked for after surgery as he was returned to his bed. And with the infants, they were enthralled with the shiny eyes and movement.

District 5330 CHIP’s Rotaplast Mission to Peru, Day 6

Today was the last day of surgery. Total: 92 patients with 120 procedures during the week.

The Rotaplast Director bought a cake and we celebrated with all of the hospital staff that has helped the team all week. Team members in the OR brought gifts for all of their assistants, too. As the last two patients were in recovery, the head nurse and quartermaster started packing our boxes which means tomorrow will go faster when we leave the hospital. Also, tomorrow, all of the people who received surgery will return to "clinic" to be seen by the doctors and surgeons to evaluate their progress. Then we return to the hotel

I am going with one of the Rotarians, Leslie, from the Los Alamos de Monterrico Rotary Club to a home for children who are going through cancer treatment (chemo, radiation), similar to Ronald McDonald House. The Rotary Club has been supporting them for several years. The team members from the Rotary Club in Vero Beach Florida are giving the home the left-over puppets, and I will add the other toys that I didn't use. No sense in bringing them home. I'll have more room to bring back gifts (from shops with the same UPS truck...). Afterwards, we are going to a nice restaurant with authentic food.