Clinic Blog: 2011 India 2 Clinic Blog

April 7, 2011

First Day of Clinic by Ercilia

By btaylor1

My story was on the first day of clinic during dispensing.

After the ritual of the mounting of the glasses to the patient, tying the frame, adjusting it , cleaning it and putting the cleaning towel inside the plastic bag with the glasses.

I explained to the patient that the towel was for the cleaning of the glasses.

The patient told me “Namaste “ but continue to talk a lot a little nervous.

Since I did not understand because he spoke Hindu, I asked the local volunteer to translate what he was saying. The translator explain that the patient wanted a case to put the only glasses he had inside the case.

I told the translator to explain we did not have cases and the patient stood still, looking at me and would not leave.

I then opened my backpack and proceeded to give him my own case. The patient then, gave me a big smile and started crying since he was very emotional after I had giving the case that he so wanted. He thank me many times and he hug me.

I then started to cry myself but fortunately I had my sunglasses and they cover my tears.

I will never forget the big happy smile and how it takes to little to make someone who doesn’t have all of the materialistic things we all have and we take for granted.

This was for me a very special moment that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Ercília de Azevedo Camacho

6 Comments

April 4, 2011

Last days in India

By btaylor1

Hello Everyone!

The last few days have been very emotional for our team. Friday was the last day of clinic. After the last patient was seen, we had to start cleaning and packing the equipment to be shipped back home to prepare for a new team. We then packed up our extra stock and sent it on as well. Then it was time to say "Goodbye" to our new found friends, our volunteers and translators. These were mostly young students who gave up there time as well to serve the people of their country. They worked hard to communicate between the patients and the core team and also spent time learning about us, our cultures and our process to help us. We worked with mostly the same crew for the last two weeks and became almost as close to them as each other. We all swapped gifts, pictures and hugs!

We then went back to our hotel, cleaned up and had dinner and our pinning ceramony. We found we had to move hotels for the last night so we then packed up our stuff. There was a mix up with the 2nd hotel, therefore last minute we actually changed to a third hotel. Once finally settled we gathered for our usual games and socializing.

Saturday it was up bright and early for breakfast and a tour of the host clinic. It was amazing to see the clinic that many of our patients have or will be visiting if they were referred for eye surgery. We even were allowed to watch an eye surgery! Then it was on to the first plane ride of our journey home. Once back in Delhi we had a long wait for our 2nd flight and another set of "Goodbyes". Our European members were headed another way for the rest of their journey and our Indian members Amitav and SP were headed another way as well! We can't Thank Amitav and SP enough for all their hard work. Not only at clinic, but behind the scenes in setting up things for us to do, escorting us and watching out for the team the whole time!

Then about the time we boarded the plane for home, we had to taxi for a few minutes longer. A most wonderful thing happened...India won the World Cup of Cricket! India was celebrating again with fireworks going off that we could see from our plane windows. We cheered for our new found country! It seemed fitting that India really had something to cheer for and that we were part of the celebration!

15 hours later, we landed in Newark! The plane ride was long, but so worth it! Right at baggage claim we started our "Goodbyes" again as several members were from the area or had to run to meet their connecting flight! All through the day it was GoodBye at different intervals, but then we all arrived home to big Hellos and special reunions with our families and friends!

The last two weeks have created a life time of memories and special bonds through sharing the hard times of clinic together. I know some of us with see each other again and some will continue to communicate through varies means. But I know all of us will have special places in our hearts for each member of this team and time will has a way of making everything a little rosey through memories. So, hats off to each of you! And don't hesitate to look me up if your travels bring you to Cincinnati! Way to Go OneSight India 2 Team! U ROC!

March 31, 2011

India Celebrates!!!

By btaylor1

Last night was a really cool night to be in India. Yesterday, March 30th, India played Pakistan in a semi-final round of the World Cup of Crickett. Now imagine your country playing in the Soccer World Cup, or in an Olympic game and you were playing against a team that means the world to your country to beat. Now, imagine that your country is india, and you just beat Pakistan!!! It was like the 4th of July and more! Everyone was hollering in the streets, horns blasting (even more than normal) fireworks going off it was pure joy!

The team members of the OneSight crew have difinetly adopted this country. Most the team members were celebrating in the drive way of our hotel for our new found country of India! It was a party and we were so excited to be here! Cars of people just stopped and hollered, cheered, danced and took pictures with us! It was amazing! One of those photographers was from the local paper and you guessed it, we made the paper! But more importantly, the people of India were excited and we were there to witness and yes cheer with them! Special "Way to Go, India" to our team mates Amitav and SP as well as our volunteers and partners!

Go India!!!

March 31, 2011

A few more heart warming captures from our clinic life in Kanpur.

By btaylor1

3 Comments

March 31, 2011

Why they made us colorful? This is happy Holi!

By btaylor1

First of all, I enjoy the clinic very much and really appreciate OneSight giving me this opportunity. I believe this trip is the most fantastic memory of my whole life. I would like to tell everyone at Luxottica China wholesale, about the spirit of OneSight and my experiences in India.

When Alex and I came to Delhi the first day, we arrived during the spring festival of India – Holi. Since the European and American team members came to the hotel at night, we planned to see some landscapes of Delhi. But we could not find a taxi beside the street. We gave up and changed our mind to go shopping near our hotel. We spent 100 INR and take the PoPoPo motor car to the great shopping mall. We are very strange because everyone on the road made their face very colorful, red, pink, blue, yellow, and green… also the car driver. He talked to us a lot in Hindi. We did not understand and just felt this guy was so high and crazy. When we arrived at the mall, all the stores were closed. A security man told us all the stores and restaurants would be closed on 20^th Mar because of the Spring Festival – Holi. We have no idea and have to go back the Hotel... Something happened! Four Indian strangers rush to us and put the red powder on our head and face. We were really scared when they rushed to us. Finally we find they are very nice and friendly. That was a wonderful experience on the first day of this trip.

I searched the “Happy Holi” on Google when I got back to the hotel room. I found Holi - is a festival of colors, celebrated in March or April according to the Hindu calendar. It was meant to welcome spring and win the blessings of Gods for good harvests and fertility of the land. It is the second most important festival of India after Diwali. Holi in India is a festival of fun and frolic and has been associated with the immortal love of Krishna and Radha. The exuberance and the festivity of the season are remarkable. Unlike all the other festivals of India, Hindu Holi festival is one such festival where one can put down the social taboos and indulge in the intoxicating drinks and sweets prepared by using opium. Nowadays, I can image why the guy is holding on to Alex for a long time in the picture below.

8 Comments

March 31, 2011

Luigi with the youngest clinic visitor.

By btaylor1

OneSight clinic will be my lifetime memory. I'm here also for the children. They need to see the world as well!!!

March 30, 2011

Touching Clinic Stories

By btaylor1

Today in dispensing, there was an old woman who had a problem with her glasses. The frames were too loose on her small face. So I adjusted them for her so they sit correctly on her face. Then she started speaking in Hindi to me, but I didn't understand her. The translator explained that she wanted my name written on her hand so that she could pray for me. Her gratitude touched my heart. -Gerry from Italy

Dernière journée du deuxième site de la mission. J' étais responsable de livrer les lunettes choisies aux patients en compagnie d'une merveilleuse équipe. Tout en travaillant, nous remarquons qu'il y a une dame qui attends depuis plusieurs minutes pour avoir ses lunettes. Je la prends donc sous mon aile pour faire en sorte de refaire le processus de vérification au complet. En choisissant ses lunettes, je me rends compte qu'elles sont beaucoup trop grande pour elle. Pour cette raison, je décide de chercher une autre monture plus adéquate. En lui mettant ses nouvelles lunettes mode sur le nez, son visage s'illumine et elle me prends dans ses bras! Elle m'explique qu'elle n'a jamais aussi bien vu de toute sa vie et me remercie d'avoir été la pour elle! Je veux dire un merci tout spécial aux traducteurs sans lesquels nous ne pourrions pas faire un travail pareil! Merci! Edith

March 30, 2011

This is why we do what we do

By btaylor1

I got the pleasure of working with Dr Abby and Dr Billy and Shannon last night after clinic. We assembled 50 hotel staff and we examined them. Due to their schedules they were not able to make it to a clinic so we brought clinic to them! We found there was a large need and we requested that several come to the next clinic to gain referral for cataract surgery that our local partner hospital will perform.

The most touching request was when one of the employees asked if his mother could be examined. Without hesitation, we all said yes and the mother as well as the brother showed up within a few minutes. Come to find out the mother has a -4 and -6.25 sphere and also has cataracts.

It was amazing how the team stepped up to help those that have served us the last two weeks even after a long clinic day where we tore down clinic. I have been on many clinics and I am very proud and honored to have been given the opportunity to work with the India II team! They will always be special in my heart and are a part of my permanent family. You ROC!!!

Rodney Green

PS: I miss all of my friends and LOM family!

March 29, 2011

TOFFEE.

By btaylor1

Toffee, the word that has stayed with me since day 3 of our clinic. Excruciating sun heat was pounding everyone, who was outside.I happened to be selected for the dispensing area. Together with my clinic friends, Annamaria, Sabrina, Geri, Alex and Ally, I was dispensing and adjusting glasses for those, who were fortunate to get a pair with their prescription.For most recipients it was hours of waiting, in most part in a squat-like position, somehow preferred over standing, with no food or water. Close to 40 C...one can imagine.
This 8 year old local boy kept us company almost the entire day.At first he was peaking through an opening in a tent, close to the ground. As the time went on he became less and less intimidated by us, the people, who didn't belong to his world, and got closer and closer to our table. His hair was not brushed, his clothing not the cleanest, he had old flip-flops showing his dirty feet, that were probably more comfortable without them.
All he desired was toffee and he kept asking for it over and over again.
Throuhout our clinic days we have seen many local children. They lack nutrition, they lack hygiene, coming from the " poorest poor ". They came to the clinic with their close ones, parents or relatives, who often don't read or write, whose purpose of life, in my view , is nonexistant.I stop once in a while and with all my memory flashes I keep wondering how much we have changed their lives by showing up here. I'm certain, that most of the people we have seen at our OneSight clinic will remember us for ever...especially those young , thirsty minds of the children. The gift of sight we brough will not be forgotten, together with the taste of so desired toffee.

I dedicate this to all the children I have met throughout the clinic.
Ewa Zawadzki

March 29, 2011

Dr Chris & his story…

By btaylor1

At the second site, in Kanpoor, we had a 60-ish gentleman, Sureesh Pandit, who needed new glasse. His current pair was close to the end, bent, twisted, the whole thing. He went thought the usual process, but we couldn’t find a good match from the inventory glasses for his prescription. He had a much higher correction in his left eye, and we had no good match for this. He came back to the doctor table, saying that he could see much better with his old glasses than with the new ones we gave him. Made total sense, since his prescription in that eye was –6.00 and we had a –0.5. So, we had a Chabella pair made for him, and he was totally satisfied, and truly gracious and grateful.

In the pic: Dr Chrish, My Pandit, and Jolie.

Interesting note on linguistic matches. “Dr Chris”, comes out sounding like “Krish”, one of the dighes gods in the Hindi panoply. The volunteers were really tickled at this, and I soon became “DR Krish”. How cool is that?!.

March 29, 2011

Amazing Onesight from Alex

By btaylor1

Amazing OneSight!
每一天都非常的疲惫，每一天都是新的开始，每一天都有新的挑战，每一天都是如此的色彩斑斓！Happy Holy!
身在异国他乡，从事志愿者工作，给当地的印度人民带来光明，这也许是我一生中做过的最具有白求恩国际救援精神的一段经历！每天起早贪黑，终日暴露在高达摄氏40度的高温里
，长久站立达八九个小时左右，当然也会被印度大哥大姐们身上诱人的味道所陶醉，还有每天也至少要吃三顿饼，经历着来之世界各国文化的冲击，特别是很直观、深刻的感受到了印
度的休闲和美国人的自由，这何等难得啊！
感觉自己，能够坚强的把爱从中国带到异乡；
感觉公司，能够给我们创造如果意义非凡的平台；
感谢老美，能够不嫌弃我十分难看的英语口语；
在此省略一万字......
其实我本来是想慢慢回味，慢慢梳理，然后形成一个系统的东西，展示给国人，特别是我最最亲爱的陆逊梯卡中国区的同事们，但是老美也会搞摊派，本周一定要写，一定要上传！鉴
于每天起早贪黑，实在是又困又累，先写这些吧，明天早上5:30还要起床呢。
我的义诊活动在继续，每天我都非常珍惜，虽然很累，但是还是非常值得！！！
明天我要同每一个人做合影了，先到这吧。
想念中国，想念家人，想念我的常态生活......
Alex在印度
三月二十七日深夜

26 Comments

March 28, 2011

More exciting moments…our second clinic site.

By btaylor1

We are at our second clinic site located in the heart of Kanpur. As you can see, the people in this area have many needs and we are so glad we are here meeting some of them!

We have seen many children and adults with very poor vision or needing surgery. One young patient we saw had a growth around her eye due to a cancerous tumor. She was immediate sent for surgery! We had two young brothers about 9 years of age and 7 years of age and they both had -8 and -7 prescriptions. That means they weren't seeing anything. We were able to provide eyeglasses for both and their faces just lite up!

The days have been hot, about 102 degress F. The heat makes the days long, but not one of us would trade the opportunity to help the amazing people of India. When we get back to our hotel, we are hot and tired, but inspired. It's very hard on the team, but we are doing good things here! We are very grateful that we are able to share some of our stories and pictures with you and very thankful for all the support we are receiving from home. Your thoughts, prayers, comments and emails keep us going! Thank you!

If any of our stories have moved you, please consider making a donation to Onesight at onesight.donordrive.com!

March 28, 2011

Clinic Days

By btaylor1

I, Lynn Duenas, wanted to share a moment that I will remember. A woman that just received sunglasses and readers was exiting the clinic. I was our door guard. She was smiling and bowing her head to me with her hands in prayer. She bent down and touched each of my knees and touched my forehead. When I asked my translater what that meant they said that she was paying respect and blessing me like they do their idols! I know I made a differenct to her and in her life.

Hey out there to our followers, from Peter Heeran---Clinic day 3---March 25^th--- we learned that India`s population is 1.15 billion people. WOW! The Kampur area has around 5 million!

We saw 1817 people for the day and had temperatures around 102 degrees F!

First time I had any issues with some tiny mosquito like bugs bothering me was when we packed up the clinic and went to the bus and the lights on the bus were attracting them so the driver shut the lights off for us. That definitely made it better. Much work was done in the picking area of clinic by two great volunteers Praful (Raj) and Saurab.

Friday after dinner a group of 9 of us we played a great dice game called Farkle then a card game called spoons and then Billy Halpin taught us a sort of card game called “mafia” which requires a narrator and we had some good fun with too.

Saturday March 26^th is our free day. We had breakfast buffet for 8-10AM then met with some of our partner hospital volunteers who were nice enough along with team members Amitav and S.P. to take us on a bus trip to Locknow for some shopping and lunch. The one hour bus ride turned out to be about 2.5 hrs! The fun of slower country roads in another country. I learned that gas in India costs about $6.00 a gallon and some facts about the colors and the Ashoka wheel of the Indian flag. I got to talk to Moona on the bus and saw her photos of her trip with her fiancé to the Himalayas and how most Indian people focus on their education and career before they get married. We got to hit a number of shops to look at saris and scarves but not as many shops as we wanted to.

We also saw many many poor people as well and it is hard for us to wrap our minds around the poverty we see.

We got to have a late lunch at a Pizza Hut too!! Yes, a Pizza Hut in India in Locknow. You could get pepperoni or cheese or some spicy chicken. Taylor and I shared some thai chicken bites and a chickedn tikka masala pizza which was a little spicy. Yehh!!

Back to clinic tomorrow for 3 days in a new location. Can’t wait to see many more patients. Go team Kanpur India!!! peter heeran, albany, ny

Aujourd'hui, en cette cinquième journée de clinique a Kanpur, nous avons apprécié tous les efforts des volontaires, des traducteurs, des membres de l' équipe, des optométristes. Un gros merci a toutes les personnes qui font en sorte que cette mission est possible et réalisable! Nous avons donné notre cent pour cent pour faire en sorte que les patients reçoivent des lunettes de qualité ou qu'ils soient référés aux ophtalmologistes pour un suivi. Je crois que nous avons atteint notre but de donner la vue!
Edith Lapierre

As you all can see, we have been touched bye the people of India, maybe more than we have touched them!

March 28, 2011

Abby’s blog from Emerald 1

By btaylor1

I wanted to thank all of our family and friends for your support from the bottom of my heart. I also wanted to share a story from the Doctor's corner. For those of you who don’t know me, this is my 5^th international mission, and India has been both wonderful and very difficult. There are many cultural differences but the most challenging issues for me have been with the language. I pride myself on being a doctor who is invested in patient education. We have two wonderful team members with native speaking skills without whom we would be lost, but they could never help the rest of us with all of our translating needs. The task of teaching up to 1800 people each day how to use their bifocals is an impossible task. This lack of communication can be a great source of frustration but I had a man in my ocular health line who said, “thank to all of you from my country.” This one comment can make the day seem cooler, and shorter and easier. You all know that it is difficult here. You will hear stories that you do not believe. But we know that it is difficult to be at home working hard, and worrying about your loved ones. Please know that we are safe, working hard and trying our best to make you proud. You have supported us and loved us and we, “thank to all of you from this country!”

Love you all! Abby.

March 27, 2011

Catchup on Clinic new!

By btaylor1

Bonjour a vous tous qui nous suivez sur le blogue One Sight! Voici une belle histoire qui va réchauffer nos cœurs. Une mère est venue avec son enfant de neuf mois en clinique pour vérifier sa vision aujourd'hui. Abby, l' optométriste, lui a passer son examen de vue. Le petit bébé, Shanti, avait effectivement besoin de lunettes pour corriger son problème de vision. J'ai personnellement choisi la petite paire de lunette. Lorsque Léona, notre gérante de mission, lui a mis ses lunettes, le sourire sur le visage de la mère valait mille mots! Nous lui avons également donne de petites lunettes de soleil pour protéger sa vue. La lunette lui allait comme un gant! Bravo!
Edith Lapierre

One Sight clinic has given me the opportunity to come close to the common
people, understand their need and pain & feel their love, warmth and blessings
when they gain their vision back to see this beautiful world again.
I have been in charge of crowd management and thus have seen the pain they carry
with them while waiting long for check up , most of them have crossed miles
walking to our camp with a hope and trust on us and it is indeed a life time
achievement to see them happy and cheerful with a pair of glass on their face -
those frames are not only a pair of prescription lens for them - they are world
of vision back to them which most of them lost years back and had no hope to
regain them due to poverty and limitations.
We have been successful in bringing smile back in face for hundreds of them on
daily basis during this camp days.
I love you all as my colleague and team mates on this wonderful mission towards
a noble cause

Thanks and regards

Regards
Amitav Sarkar
Luxottica India Eyewear Pvt Ltd

As you can see, we have a global clinic sharing our experiences to all our family and friends! Friday was our last day of clinic at our first clinic site. We saw 1,400 patients and tore down clinic. Saturday was an off day and we went to Locknow for shopping! Many of us had Pizza Hut for lunch...yes we are a little home sick!

Today was a new clinic. We sat up and started seeing patients about 11. It was a long hot day! After dinner we did more shopping!

Thanks everyone for your support! Please donate to our Onesight Donor page at onesight.donordrive.com!

3 Comments

March 26, 2011

Amazing Experience!

By btaylor1

Yesterday the March 25th, 2011 was our third day of Onesight clinic at Kanpur in India.We reached at clinic sight at about 8.30 am and when we enter the campus of Dr. Yadvendra Swarup Group of Institutions which is at about 20 Kilometers on Kanpur ~ Lacknow highway in the state of Utter Pradesh in India. About 2000 people were waiting for us in the campus who needs vision care. Every team member was very excited to serve the needy people as it was evident from the people that how badly they need vision care. But it was very tough task to take care of such a strong crowd of 2000 people. So first thing which I did after entering the campus that I helped Ms. Leona our Team leader to control the crowd and arranged them to sit/stand in ques for registration and for issuing of band and registration number as I was knowing the local language. My duty today at the clinic was to guide people referred by doctors to either for IMS/QP/READING or for a Cataract surgery. Every thing started smoothly and routine like previous two days suddenly I saw Dr. Abby was doing check up of a small baby girl of 8-9 months in the arms of her mother. I thought she may have brought the baby for a routine check up for some eye related problem.

Prescription I was very surprised and shocked to see that her power was more than 7.00. I guided her to IMS and gave her Prescription slip to Edith who was in picking. She had a really hard job to find out a small spectacle with such a high power. I guided the women to sit in the waiting area and wait till Edith look for a suitable Spectacle for the baby. Edith did a great job and found a small Frame with required prescription for the baby within 10-15 minutes. When I came out to look for the mother of baby to give the Spectacle and a small Sunglasses I found her no where in waiting area. I ran towards the outside gate to look for the mother and her baby but it was not easy to find them in a crowd of 2000 people. But suddenly I saw the lady walking towards the main outside gate. I ran after her and told her that we have found the Spectacle and the Sunglasses for the baby. Mother was very happy after hearing that we have found the Spectacle and the Sunglasses for the baby. She told me that she had left hope that we will not be able to find a suitable spectacle for her baby hence she was going back home. She came back with me and I took her to get the spectacle. But when her mother came to me with her to Ms. Leona to see that such a small baby of 8~9 months is having power of more than 7.00. She was also surprised and shocked to see that how come such small baby should have such a high power. But at the end we all were happy and satisfied at the clinic that we could find such a small Spectacle with such a high power and could serve really a very needy one ( I am attaching picture of the baby and her mother).

S.P.Chauhan
Team Member

OneSight clinic Kanpur India

March 26, 2011

More pictures to share.

By btaylor1

March 24, 2011

Pete’s Entry

By btaylor1

Hello from India!

It’s been a great trip so far. We stayed at a hotel near the airport in Delhi on the first night and have moved to a super nice place called the Royal Cliff in Kanpur.

We are being fed too too well and keeping our stomachs safe with bottled water.

The food and sites and sounds and colors here are all competing for your attention.

The food has a wonderful taste and we all smell like the garlic naan we eat every night!

It is taking about an hour to drive to clinic each day. We’ve got a nice bus and the team is bonding well. It is so wonderful that people who barely know each other are working together so well. We saw 668 patients the first day and 1380 patients the second day. WOW! Great job team. It has been good that we are getting to see a number of woman at the clinic. We have been told by our Indian team members, Amitav and C.P., that things are changing but many woman in many areas stay at home and would not come to a clinic in the past. It is great to provide care to this population in need. Dr. Billy Halpin

helped a patient at clinic today with +11.00 od and +9.00 os. Billy said he needed around a plus +20.00 and we didn’t have anything that strong. The solution arrived at was to give him a pair he could wear over the original pair and the patient noted a great improvement! Way to go Billy! Peter had a conversation on the first clinic day with a

translator and optometry student in India. Rahul asked if any of the team had been to India before and peter said only a couple had been here before. He asked that he could talk to peter again at the end of clinic to talk about not the negatives that we see but the

advantages we see here from observing the Indian people and culture. What a great dialogue to have.

Clinic site one ends in one day and site two will be closer to us for 3 more days.

In between we have a day off and hope to get to shop.

Don’t forget to donate to Onesight so we can continue this great work for years to come.

Peter, Albany, Ny

6 Comments

March 24, 2011

1st Days of Clinc!

By btaylor1

Our first day of clinic started a little rough. We have been brainstorming and tried a few changes to the process. We saw 668 participants! Day 2 we did some adjusting to the process and we say 1,380 participants! Yea, way to go team in being flexible!

I was so honored on my first day of clinic. I Brenda Taylor was giving out sunglasses after the patients were dilated. Late in the day, there was a beautiful little girl amongst the people. She kept coming over to me to smile. Right before her family was moving on into the clinic, she came back over and tapped my leg. My volunteers said, "She wants to honor you." So I kneeled down on the ground to be at her level and she handed me a coin. My first instinct was to say no, because I know that her family has so little, but the volunteers said I had to take it, she is honoring me. I was so touched I almost cried and then her mother showed her how to folder her hands and say Namaste. I was now crying. I hope that this family is now blessed and honored by their offering.

This is just one story that will be shared with you regarding the wonderful, warm and beautiful people that we have found here in this Amazing India! It truly is amazing!

I would also like to say a special Thanks to my amazing team at home! In past years work teams were encouraged to create a special care package for thier team member on a Clinic. This process has changed so my team created a package to present to me before I left. It has meant the world to me! Of course I haven't read all the letters but, Tonya, Martha and Erich yours rock! Also the suger-free candy and stuff is just awesome...pretty creative EDT's! I love you guys!

Ciao a tutti , mi chiamo Dell’Atti Luigi, sto vivendo un’esperienza di vita fantastica con gli amici di One sight, sono appena trascorsi 4 giorni ma, molti intensi, mi reputo molto fortunato e privilegiato,al momento vi scrivo dicendovi che gli amici indiani sono fantastici, anno poco e’ nulla ma, ti donano tutto, ogni giorni ti fanno sentire uno di loro, offrendoti il loro pasto e amicizia,oggi una mamma mi ha chesto (senza conoscermi) di tenerli il tuo bambino premature…………che amore.un’abbraccio a One Sight Agordo, con affetto e stima,Luigi (finitura metallo, Agordo).

Bonjour tout le monde! La Clinique One Sight bat de tout son plein en Inde en aidant le monde à mieux voir. Je trouve cela fantastique de faire partie de cette aventure. Je vois que nous faisons vraiment la différence dans la vie des gens de ce beau pays, que je découvre chaque jour un peu plus. Nous avons aidé plus de 1300 personnes aujourd’hui seulement. Tous les sourires et expressions de surprise sur les visages des patients valent la peine du travail bien accompli. Merci pour votre support! Edith Lapierre

Little did I know when I started this journey, that Wendy ParsonsBaker would carry me half way around the world to Kampur, India to find a new face. Today was to be my lucky day. Dr. Simona Grosu did a prescription for 70 year old Jamona and was not sure the team would have a pair of glasses for her. Dr Simona remembered seeing me among many glasses that were brought from Utah. My +7.75 prescription was just the thing Jamona needed to help her see clearly. She was so excited when Wendy placed me on her face (as you can see by the photo). I am so happy to have found a new face and want to thank whom ever donated me to OneSight so Jamona could have the gift of sight.

A long awaited stroll outside hotel premises took a little group of us along the main street and not only. Thirsty for local treasures we ventured into the unknown. We were glad to have a local friend who didn’t spare his guidance in the dos and don’ts. The traffic was more than one could imagine, no rules & regulations, Car and motorcycle honking was our best music, We stopped at a corner store for a cold drink only to find out that the glass bottles of Coca Cola could not be purchased unless they got returned. Awesome way of saving the environment…one would think, but it’s all about India, the country that lives in totally different reality than the one we come from. Amazing, overwhelming, beautiful in it’s culture, very fast paced, exciting and cruel in ways how people have to struggle with their everyday lives. This is why we are here, a group of 33 wonderful people from all over the world who are connected in the cause of helping the world see. Greetings to my family & all my friends, especially those who have been a big part of it donating to OneSight cause. Eva Zawadzki

3 Comments

March 24, 2011

Dr. Taylor Tran’s special story

By btaylor1

In the United States, cataract surgery is the most commonly performed surgeries. Usually, when one has a cataract, he or she has a surgery that takes less then 10 minutes, and they come out seeing better, with the help of an implant.

Here, in India, I've seen more aphakic patients then I have seen during my entire career. Aphakic patients have had cataract surgery and an implant was not put in, thus leaving the patient with a very high plus prescription, in the range of +12.00 to +16.00. Without glasses or contact lenses to correct for that high of a prescription, people are able to count fingers from a few feet.

My most memorable moment so far on this trip was an older gentleman with Parkinson's while I was at the ocular health check station. His head was shaking uncontrollably and as soon as he got to my chair, he tried to keep his head still by holding it for me. When I couldn't get a good view into his eye, I asked the translator assisting me to tell him I was unable to do a health check and that I was very sorry. After much dialogue in Hindi, multiple translators, he asked the translators hold his head still. He was very determined to have a health check. Unfortunately, I still could not get a view. I was upset that I couldn't see and I kept apologizing. Instead of being upset, he clasped his hands together and bowed in gratitude. I was very humbled by his gratitude.

His Parkinson's was so significant that the auto-refraction station could not get a reading. I was determined to help him the best I could with glasses. With the help of several volunteers, I got an approximate reading of +14.00 in each eye.

Unfortunately, there are not many eyeglass donations in very high or low powers and I knew that we didn't have anything close to what he would need. Luckily, Jolie received a gift of glasses from one of her clients, +8.00 in one eye and +9.00 in the other, and I remembered seeing that pair. I put the glasses on him. He kept adjusting them and I was worried that he was unhappy because it wasn't strong enough or that he couldn't see any better. The translators assured me that he was so happy that he could see and that everything was so clear. He had the translators tell me how happy and thankful he was for what I had done.

In my mind, I don't feel that I did enough. When it comes to my patients' vision in my own office, I am a perfectionist. This gentleman was still quite undercorrected, and I wished that I had the capability to do more. But he will see more then some fingers wiggling in front of his face. And although it's not perfect, it is better then what he had.

It feels awesome to help someone see again. It feels awesome to give someone the gift of sight, with whatever means we can. We are fortunate at home that most people don't need glasses with a prescription that high, but it also reminds me of the importance of getting glasses donated, regardless of how high or low, because it can and will make a difference for someone else in need, regardless if they're a perfect 20/20

March 24, 2011

Team Picture

By btaylor1

10 Comments

March 23, 2011

Pictures!

By btaylor1

March 23, 2011

Pictures

By btaylor1

March 22, 2011

Sitting Up Clinic!!!

By btaylor1

India 2, Sitting up Clinic

Hello, bonjour, saluto, namaste, hola,

We are here!!! We have landed in Kanpur, and have set up our first Clinic!! What an experience we have had! We started with an empty room and now have stations for refraction, Doctors, IMS and inventory for picking, and chabellas! Let me explain the process that a participant will go through.

A participant will start in Registration where they will fill out general information like name address, gender and age. All of this information will be inputted into the computer so that it can be used for informative statistics about what kinds of prescriptions are prescribed, the age of folks seen and the health of their eyes to know what to expect for the next clinic. Pretty impressive huh???

Next they will move to visual acuities. Here we will determine their basic need, if they see color and depth perception.

Next they will be dilated. For those that don’t know what that is, is we have drops to put in their eyes to make the pupil open up so that doctors can get a good look at what is going on in and on the other side of the eye to determine the health of the eye. This process also helps determine other health issues as well. These areas are being setup outside under large, large tents!

Then they go inside to Autorefraction where the initial prescription is measured for the eye. There are 4 – 5 stations setup for this area with an autorefracting machine. Many of the team practiced this skill, as you have to have the person look into the machine and get the pupil of the eye lined up just so to measure. If you are an excellent gamer…. You would do will at this job!!!

Next the patient moves into the doctor area where they will check the health of the eyes and make any necessary referrals as needed. 100% of our surgical referrals will be met as a promise from our host, what a wonderful thing!!

Next they will move to the IMS(Inventory Management System) station. Here is where the real fun is, because when we have a lot of glasses to choose from; it’s fairly easy in the early days, but in later days of clinic not so much. The patient’s number is typed in and the prescription as read from the autorefraction area comes up. If the doctor changed the script then the new script is typed in and then the system finds the closest pair of glasses we have in inventory. Then that pair is pulled from inventory and the patient moves on to dispensing. We have 5 lanes setup for this area! We will also make Chabellas as needed. There are about 8 tables lined up with boxes and boxes of glasses!

Then dispensing, this is where the patient gets their glasses, and gets to try them on! We will adjust as needed as well and what an experience this can be. For a person getting their first pair of glasses and can see for the first time, wow! It is life changing for the receipt as well as the volunteer! As we start seeing patients you will get to hear our stories!

Along with sitting up the stations, we taped off the areas and set up all the equipment, we also inventoried all glasses and chabella lenses as well as all meds and dilation drops! Wow, were we busy. We left our hotel at 10 a.m. and then left our fully setup clinic at 4:15 pm! Tomorrow the real work begins as we start seeing patients we can’t wait! Please come back to read our stories!

10 Comments

March 22, 2011

Hello, We made it to India!!!

By btaylor1

Hello, we made it!

Hello, bonjour, saluto, namaste, hola

We are here! Boy did we have some fun getting here! Our journeys all started with packing! That was fun, since we had to back for 100 degree weather. So we have lots of long shorts, t-shirts, under clothes, socks and our clinic shirts! We also had to plan and pack for things like colds, stomach issues, headaches as well as food, drink mix etc! Oh, and if we are responsible, we got all that in one suite case that weighs less than 50 lbs as well as a carry on. If you are lucky you were asked to bring equipment which ranged from laptops to tools, to transformers and t-shirts. All in all, it’s fun but a real task as well!

For some the trip started on Friday, Jolie whom is from Hawaii left on Friday and landed in Newark at 11:30 am Saturday. Brenda left Dayton at 6 am and landed in Newark at 8 am, but we didn’t leave Newark until 8 pm! Long day in the airport! Most of the rest of our team arrived about 3. Our team leaders left on Wednesday and our clinic Manager Leona has been here since mid-February!

Chris Martin, one of our doctors had a little trouble getting through security at his home airport. Since his bag was a little too heavy upon check in, he transferred some things to his carry on. When he went through security, he was pulled aside as something came up in his bag search. He had to pull everything out of his carry on so that TSA could go through it. Then, they found his bag of fruit drink….something spilled on the bag was sitting off the alarms. After convincing the TSA folks to clean the plastic bag rather than throughout his mixes, he was finally allowed to go through…. Whew! Moral of this story…don’t get something spilled on your things in your bag! Oh Chris, we are so glad you got that cleared up!

By 8 pm we were all at Newark (except for our European Members who were meeting us in Deli) and boarded our plan. Wow, it was fun getting through that line as well! The first few hours on the plane weren’t bad. We had some great movies to watch and books to read! Airplane food well it’s not like my cooking! But we were well nourished and ready to sleep. Let’s just say, 14 hours on a plane is interesting. Poor Stacey, I woke up to realize I was sleeping on her shoulder…sorry Stacey!

We arrived in Deli at 8 pm Sunday night! Most of us were just amazed at the sights, sounds and smells of the city. We maneuvered through the airport with Abby leading the way and Tom helping as well. Once through customs and gathering our luggage, we were in the lobby looking for our ride to the hotel. For a few minutes it was pure terror when we couldn’t find our ride, but then Pete saw the sign. Mr. Wendy for Luxottica was a pretty site, although we were all surprised that Wendy was a guy…even Wendy herself!

The ride to the hotel was long, but once we were there and checked in, we were all happy campers. We all met for dinner and we were to bed early as we had to get back to the airport early the next day to fly to Kanpur. Once in Kanpur, we were finally a full team, as our leaders met us at the airport with horns blowing.

We have moved hotels, we are now in a brand new hotel called the Royal Cliffs and it is beautiful!

We were given our room assignments and off to nap. We then met up for our first team meeting and dinner! What a long first few days! But we are all here and doing well. India is incredible and our hosts are just wonderful! We can’t wait to share stories and sights with you, so please come back each day and see what we do and whose lives we change! It’s life changing!

PS, Please check back for pictures, I promise to have them but having some technical difficulties!