Hello, friends, it's Moi here!
I'm happy to be back (albeit very jet lagged) from my trip! I was in the Philippines last week, on an internship I got after applying for it way back in January or something. There, I hung out with this organization that helps with the treatment of eyesight in select developing countries. Not only does it treat eyesight - it's main goal is to educate on modern and cost-efficient treatments. They do so on an airplane that functiones as a hospital, if you can believe it. Check out the diagram below, it's a legit thing!
For me, I was able to observe patients and gather information on them whilst learning alongside some junior doctors.
The classroom (background) is a 48-seat lecture room in the front of the plane, which is the only place that actually looks like an airplane. There, doctors conduct presentations, discussions, and demonstrations as well as stream live footage of surgeries going on in the operating room.
The lazer treatment room is a multi-functional room, where patients wait and are screened once more to ensure they are in good-enough shape for surgery. It functions as a waiting room, but also is where patients can be brought for lazer eye treatment. Also, there's an educational tool - a simulator for intraocular surgery. If one looks through the microscope, it is a surprisingly lifelike simulation of what an eye surgeon would see.
The operating room can fit around five to six people at one time. There are cameras and microphones there that stream live to the classroom, and so those in the classroom can ask the surgeon questions as they operate. Along the hallway, there is also a window that one can see into the room as well. A sub-sterile room is directly attached for storage and sterilization of instruments.
The recovery room is where patients are prepared for and recover from surgery. It has three beds: the closest to the OR is the patient that has just come out of the room (either under local or general anesthesia), the second bed is for a patient who is recovering from the anesthesia (is stable enough to leave), and the last bed is for a patient being prepared to go into the operating room. This is where local nurses are trained in patient care.
There is a really organized flow, as there is not that much space between each section at all. Only 1-2 people can fit in the hallway alongside all these rooms.
It was so wonderful, I got to meet so many brilliant doctors as well as many patients.
Probably one of the most significant things I discovered about this organization was that they are much more than what is on the surface. Most peoples' initial impressions are a group of doctors who come into a country, helping a handful of people with their shiny western ophthalmology tricks, then leave. That is far from the truth. Instead, they come and teach lasting skills to doctors, nurses, technicians and all the hospital staff who are involved in eye health, leaving all their knowledge there.
"Imagine the world around you in darkness. For millions of people this darkness is a reality. Blindness takes away so much more than vision. It can impede your ability to gain an education. It can prevent you from finding employment. It can lead you and your family into a life of poverty."
Vision is within reach.
Well, that was a good start to the summer! I hope all of you guys are having a good one. This has been my vacation time; I'm going to have to work on school for most of the summer, but hopefully I can squeeze in a bit of time for some art. (Gotta finish someone's birthday present!)
I hope you enjoyed this journal, I just had to share it with you guys!
I must go now, I'm coming down with a bad flu;