Three Perspectives from Patient Screening

Missions start with two days of patient evaluations to identify those we can help with surgery. The team screened 71 patients and identified 38 for surgical procedures. Amy, Nancy, and Jonah share their perspectives.

Amy Levin, SLPP — Returning Therapy Staff

I love being a part of the surgery intake process. Everyone has a role to play to keep things moving smoothly.

• The Vietnamese and IEP medical students and residents follow their more experienced surgical mentors in patient screening, frantically scribbling notes for diagnostic testing, specific surgery plans, and post-op recommendations.
• IEP intake volunteers take photos and videos of each patient’s lower-extremity issues for the doctors to review. Others shuttle paperwork between our intake station and the three patient-screening rooms.
• The Vietnamese nurses shout each patient’s name loudly enough to be heard over the busy crowd.

These people who were previously strangers to one another get into an impressive rhythm to be as efficient and as effective as possible.

Intake Paper Wranglers: Amy, Dan, and Nancy

Nancy Samuelson — First-time Volunteer

The waiting room was bustling as we arrived at Can Tho Central General Hospital on the first day of screening. Patients and their families anxiously waited for us to call their names to be seen by the team of IEP doctors. The intake team quickly fell into a fantastic rhythm, which continued the next day as we processed the patients’ details, photos, and videos for the medical team to use.

Patients ranged from infants to older adults, most with supportive, smiling family members helping them navigate this overwhelming process. The youngest patients’ sweet faces lit up when our youngest team members, Ziggy and Magnolia, brought them small gift bags with an IEP stuffed bear. Many kissed and hugged their new bears as they waited to be examined. All showed courage, although I assume some were scared to go into a room full of doctors, nurses, and interpreters examining them.

Official Bringers of Bears

The amazing IEP medical team worked non-stop, collaborating on each case to identify whether they could provide the patients with life-changing surgeries. The hospital staff was amazingly gracious and helpful, working tirelessly to help process the patients.

On our way to lunch, we found a permanent sign commemorating IEP’s work at the hospital over the past 25 years. Experiencing the amazing work of the IEP volunteers and hospital staff for the first time has been life-changing, and I feel lucky to be a part of it.

Madison and Jenni, Nursing Leaders

Jonah Mullens, DPM — Returning Medical Staff

We saw another 40 patients on Saturday and scheduled another 20 surgeries. The highlights are when we get to see post-operative patients from previous missions.

Today, we saw a woman who had surgery 20 years ago. She wanted to come back and tell us that because of the surgery, she could get married, have children, and run a successful business. She was so grateful that her family wanted to donate to IEP! She only wanted to say thank you and take pictures with our team.

The most challenging part of our trips is telling people we can not help them. Some of the patients travel for three days to be evaluated. Everyone has very high hopes that we can help them. We wish that we could help every single person we see.