Who are the people of CAMTA?

Today was a big day for a CAMTA volunteer. Have you ever seen the Spanish language blog called http://www.camtaparaquitenos.com/? A year ago after Mission 2008, Pablo Montuahano Sosa who had received a hip from CAMTA wrote and offered to help. He's been posting to the blog for months. Pablo reported on the post-operative recuperation of the patients – his peers. But today was Pablos' turn to receive his second new hip. He is 45 years old and has suffered for years with early osteoarthritis caused by dyplastic hips from his childhood. Below is the story of the care this carpenter received in the operating room at the Tierra Nueva today.
Here below is Pablo with his leg being draped for surgery.

During the surgery I got this shot of the operating team and the instruments. It was different – being able to show a patient pictures during his own operation. Most wouldn't be interested but Pablo sure was!

Here's Pablo resting with his oxygen during the surgery. He received mild sedation but he also translated for Dr. Orlando of the Tierra Nueva who scrubbed on the case with Drs. Ed Masson and Greg O'Connor.

Meanwhile over in the pediatric theatre, Debbie Jaraway RN has been scrubbed on a long case of a teenager who needed his acetabulum adjusted so his femur would bear properly in the “socket”. This took some hours but Debbie is a competent and happy opeating room nurse. In her “real” life she is the charge nurse in pediatric orthopedics at the Stollery Children's Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta.

On the left is Dr. Luis Piedrahita. He's showing Medical Student Sheena Sikora, pediatric orthopedics! She hasn't chosen a specialty yet but she soon will need to make some decisions. Sheena is attending the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta.

And now for two students. Darcie Stein and Jenna Coulombe are attending as non-health care students. Jenna has just received her degree in Human Ecology from the University of Alberta. She has a Spanish course under her belt and she's being trying a little conversation during the day at the Tierra Nueva. Both she and Darcie who is a first year student at the U of A are experiencing a lot during this mission! Below are some shots as Eileen Guilfoyle shows them how to gown for a surgical procedure.

Here's how you get your sterile surgical glove on!

Here's Darcie learning that you have to keep those hands tucked!

And here's Jenna also getting gowned and gloved. Note that oversize surgical gown – it's just for trial purposes. We'll give her the right size tomorrow when she really gets to scrub! She won't operate — just watch and we hope she'll learn a lot!

After every case there are a “ton” of instruments to wash in the “kitchen”. The kitchen is really the CSS or Central Sterilization and Supply Room. It's about the size of your kitchen and it is where the instruments are washed, wrapped and re-sterilized. I was particularly pleased with this shot of a number of the team members after the last case was done for the day. Here they are from left to right: Dr. Marc Moreau, President, (it's 11:45PM and I'm going to bed, I'll finish tomorrow)

Here are Joanne Stein and Clare Gallant, who are both lay-participants “doing the dishes”. It's a tough task in a hot room with bloody instruments. Koodoos to them for their on-going effort!

And finally to finish off — here's a shot of Pablo Montohuano on the ward just 6 hours after his surgery! He's already been walking three times!!!! We sure wish our patients in Edmonton could do that on their first day! With him are from left to right: Dr. Greg O'Connor, Dr. Ed Masson and RN Mae Pascoe.Mae is from Edmonton and she is a ward nurse with CAMTA. She's quiet but not afraid to work!

Thanks all and we'll have more for you tomorrow!John Lilley, Secretary of CAMTA