TERRAMOTO!!!

Wednesday is a market day in Nuevo Progreso, so clinic was busier than usual. There was a crowd waiting to register and Sor Veronica was at the head of the line, calling names and giving direction.We had three operating room cases today: removal of a scalp lesion, tonsillectomy and cholecystectomy. The list was completed by 10:05. 

Line up for registration on Wednesday morning

Sor Veronica calling names for clinic patients

On the way back to the dorm I worked up the courage to try a bit of ice cream from the street vendor. Small serving but tasty, and for Q2 you can't beat the price. 

 I like the pictures on his cart at least as much as the ice cream.

 The earthquake struck about ten minutes later. It was a pretty vigorous shake, lasting about fifteen seconds. I kept expecting the quaking to diminish but it got stronger until the walls were perceptibly moving and a couple of the big terra cotta flower pots on the sun deck tipped over. 

As I type, this plant is being watered by our afternoon down pour.

 No structural damage, no injuries for patients or staff. Tara Starr, one of our ophthalmologists, had to complete a blepharoplasty by flashlight. No one was undergoing cataract surgery at the time.

Tara looks pretty relaxed (and just plain pretty!) after performing surgery under trying conditions.

A couple of bottles broke in PACU and a package of Beaver blades fell on the floor in the operating room. At the behest of the local authorities we spent two hours at the soccer field, a precaution against after shocks. We felt pretty silly when we came back to find that the Guatemalan doctors had been seeing patients all along. It's been quiet all afternoon so I hope the excitement is over. 

A member of the Hospital de la Familia board of directors accompanies each team. Bill Stewart is our board member. He's a great guy, neither as old or as rich as Montgomery Burns. Their political views do align pretty closely,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltCIEbLMaQg

so it was a bit of a sad morning for Bill. Better luck next time, Bill! (Not really).