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Clinic Blog: Paraguay Clinic Blog

July 30, 2010

Goodbye Paraguay

By gschenk

Attached is a photo of the complete OneSight and VOI team giving our farewells to Paraguay. 

July 29, 2010

Paraguay the final chapter

By gschenk

Hello Paraguay friends and families,

We have just finished our wonderful clinic full of many great moments, stories, and people.  For the final two days, it has been quite busy with seeing patients at the eye clinic and for the VOI surgeons at the hospital.  In total we helped 10,319 people helping them all receive the "gift of sight", and VOI doctors perfoemed 162 cataract surgeries.  VOI told me that the many of the patients had the most need that they had seen,  so these people truly were given the "gift of sight". 

The team have been given a royal farewell by the mayor, and all the Lions in Piribebuy and San Lorenz.  The military band played for us and the local dancers gave us an awesome performance even danced with all the international flags fro m every country that our team came from.  We felt so honored and blessed to be there.  Friday all of the team members will be traveling home to their families and friends, traveling overnight to arrive home.  We all are happy to go home, but we also feel like we are living a home away from home. 

Our fundraising efforts from our friends, families, co-workers, vendors and our own team has been outstanding.  We set our team's goal and met it with a lot of excitement.  We have raised over $20,000, and want to thank you all for helping us reach such a large goal.  As Janet Duke would say, "it is all for the babies". 

To share with you some of the dear people of Paraguay, and the team, Jeff Miller from Luxottica Retail has provided us with a breathe taking link for you to see.  Click on this link below, or copy and paste the link into your web browser.

http://luxtube.beluxonline.com/?ID=930

 

An heart felt thanks and farewell from the Paraguay team in Paraguay.

July 27, 2010

Paraguay last 5 days

By gschenk

Hello Paraguay followers, We havebeen very busy even though you have not heard from us.  The internet has been sleeping but we have not. On Friday, we saw just under 1200 people and the VOI surgeons did 20 + surgeries.  The OneSight team was able to start observing surgeries which was very exciting for those who wanted to witness it.  It is amazing to see what can be done the delicate eye.  We are now seeing many families that have multiple family members with eye problems.  All were very greatful and happy to receive their glasses or have surgery.

Over the weekend we were able to see some beautiful scenery and tour an ancient church built in the mid-late 1700's. We were hosted by the Lions from San Lorenz and Piribebuy in two different dinners.  Local entertainment from dancers and musicians were awesome.  Everyone enjoyed the culture of Paraguay this weekend.  We also had lunch at a Pizza Hut.  Americans are the only ones who have pizza sauce on their pizza.

Our photographer from Luxottica has come for our second week to film some of the local stories.  His first story is of a very friendly, happy man who has not much in his belongings as he came to clinic with no shoes on, and has lost his sight 3 years ago.  He was at the clinic on Monday morning, got cataract surgery Monday afternoon and today Jeff experienced his first time to see along with learning about his life.  He is very appreciative along with all his family and he is looking forward to cutting his grass with his machetti.

Tuesday at clinic, we saw 1780 people, passing our goal, and had to turn down about 1000 people.  Many patients are coming that did not come last week because of cold weather.  Also many walk in's are coming as we are on the radio and the word is getting around about us.  We are trying to help as many as possible with the help of all our student and local volunteers as they are working as hard as we are.  One girl is coming to clinic to help even with a sprained ankle.  We are also getting help from the military who are at the clinic.  Besides, directing the patients and traffic, they are helping with translations, and even picking glasses.  Today the American Ambassador came to the clinic. she was overwhelmed with all we are doing.  She even went to the hospital to see the surgeries.  We all felt important to have her there. She even dispensed some eyeglasses.

Chabella's have been a big hit with helping many with high cylinders.  Not just children and women are getting them but even adult men.  They are very happy to have the glasses.  We have made a couple hundred chabella's so far.  The surgeries are also climbing in numbers as their have been over 150 surgeries so far. 

The clinic have also seen cases like a young man, 16, who severly injured one of his eyes in a motorcycle accident.  Motorcycles and scooters are the most common form of transportation in Paraguay.  Many injuries have  been seen, with many causing total eye sight loss.  Some of the cases could of been saved if the people did not wait so long for treatment.  It is a shame to see this, but we are trying to help them at least see with their "good" eye. 

 

 

 

July 22, 2010

Paraguay Day 3

By gschenk

Another exciting day in "chilly " Paraguay.  Everyone is dressing in layers and we all feel like Randy (Ralph's brother) in the "Christmas Story" but we were able to do a lot . We were able to help 993 patients while the surgeons did 19 cataract surgeries. The cataract patients from yesterday were seen in post op today, and all are doing well and very happy of their new found sight.  Tomorrow we are expected to see 1500 patients and 20 surgeries are scheduled.  Following are some wonderful stories from our team members with some photos from today.

Scott says:  I personally carried a few pairs of glasses to Paraguay from my patients back in Wisconsin.  I told those patients back home that I would take a picture of the person who receives their glasses and email them a picture after I return home.  The picture from today's blog shows one of the receipients.  He was in his mid 20's and had never worn glasses before.  He received a pair of immaculate -13.00's.  He was beyond excited and gave everyone hugs as his eyes filled with tears. 

From Mita and Julie:  During a dilated fundus exam to check the health of the eye, Mita examined an aphakic patient (one who has had cataract surgery but never had a lens implant to replace the old lens).  The patient was a 91 year old with a very old, scratched, and dirty pair of glasses with a prescription of +12.50 diopters and +3.00 add in both eyes.  He had no vision in his right eye and +15.00 in the left eye.  Julie wrote a prescription for a +15.00 for the left eye and Jon actually found a pair of glasses with a prescription of +13.50 with a small astigmatism for the left eye.  Carol adjusted his new glasses, and he just smiled and smiled. He blessed us, gave us hugs and thanks, made us all feel warm and connected to our One world! 

July 21, 2010

Paraguay (second day) 7/21/2010

By gschenk

Today was a busier day with seeing 870 people.  All are4 getting into the groove and working as a team.  This is a good team.  Also VOI doctors are working better, helping thise patients who came to clinic yesterday.  What an exciting event for s person to get their sight back.  One of the patients who got their cataracts removed was our visitig volunteer Pati's grandmother.  Also Pati's mother is volunteering at the hospital.  With Pati and her mother volunteering has given all of us a closer sense of what is truly happening to these beautiful people of Paraguay.

We have our new chabella recepient spokesperson.  Hermicina is an adorable elderly lady, age 89 who came to the clinic.  When Gina was helping her receive her glasses in dispensing, it was noticed that she needed higher perscription.  The best solution was to make her Chabella's, so Jim Davies made a pair for Hermicina and she was so happy.  Gina was able to help her see as she was walking with a walking stick and could not see her way. Hermicina showed her honor to OneSight and to America for coming to her country to help her people that she was wearing a knit hat with the letters USA, and the American flag stitched on it. 

We saw a little 6 year boy, Oderio, who had drooped eyelid that was causing him not to see out of his left eye.  Bahgat examined him and his eye was healthy so his eyelid was the then only problem.  Baghat was able to get a prescription for him to see 20/20 and he was referred to the hospital for the eyelid surgery.  With Bahgat catching this Oderio will be able to go to school and grow up to be in healthy boy. 

July 20, 2010

Day One of clinic & surgery 7/20/2010

By gschenk

Today was day one and the team from VOI was very busy, as they had 20 patients already scheduled for cataract surgery from a OneSight clinic in 2007.  They have been waiting for a long time for their surgery and most were in tears when they left.  From today´s clinic there will be 16 scheduled for surgery.  So VOI are already on a roll.

 

The main clinic also went to a great start after orientation.  Approximately 500 patients went through and many heartfelt stories have already been told.  There was one young woman in her early twenties and her only glasses were broken a month ago in an automobile accident.  Her vision was so extremely poor that she walked around the clinic very cautiously.  Ray Dennis dispensed her a pair of glasses but noticed that things were not right for her as she still could not see clearly, that he reviewed the situation in our new station called, RX Trouble Shooting.  From this new station, he was able to have her be rexamined again so that she was able to receive a stronger prescription.  This worked, and she left the clinic hugging and crying with joy.  Ray saved the day for this young woman.

 

The team is in high spirits even though Paraguay is having a cold spell.  We are wearing many layers as it is in the 40´s, but there is hope as next week it will be in the 80´s.  We will believe it when we see it but mainly feel it.  Piribebuy is a small town about 2 hours east from Asuncion.  The scenery is beautiful but unique as on the rolling hills you will see many palm trees along side corn fields.  Dorothy we are definitely not in Kansas.  

 

Today we met a girl named Pati, and she was volunteering as a translator for our Doctors while they were writing the prescriptions.  She was incredible and instantly stood out as a valuable asset to our clinic.  She was born in Paraguay and now lives in Virginia. She is visiting her family in Piribebuy, and was called just this morning to assist.  Her mother is also a translator at the hospital for the surgery center.  Although she is on vacation from school, she has volunteered to come back for the rest of the week and give of her time.  How inspiring is that!   Thank you Pati, as you are helping both your homelands- Paraguay and US!

 

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July 20, 2010

Paraguay Clinic Begins Today

By gschenk

Members of the Paraguay Clinic team arrived safely and will begin giving the gift of sight today.