Post by tomcamp on Oct 21, 2006 6:44:34 GMT -5
In May of 2003, I met a baby named Jose Jimenes in Limon, Honduras, at the Carolina Health Foundation Clinic. His mom, Betza, had brought the baby in to be checked because the baby was born with a severe cleft pallate and cleft lip and was undernourished from the inability to suck adaquately. He also had chronic upper respiratory infections from the aspiration of milk into his lungs. Jose was about 6 months old but appeared much younger.
On this particular mission trip, Dr. Jerry Boshell, orthodontist/dentist from Jasper. Ala. was on board. I consider it another one of God's many miracles to provide just the right people with the training needed on each mission trip. Dr. Boshell took an impression of Jose's mouth and built a feeding device to allow Jose to suck, allowing milk to go into the stomach and bypass the cleft pallate. This would give him some time until surgery could be arranged.
I came home after that trip and felt there had to be a plastic surgeon from the U.S. going into Honduras and performing surgery on these babies. Birth defects are common in 3rd world countries due to poor nutrition, little or no prenatal care, lack of midwives and poor birthing conditions.
The saying "survival of the fittest" can apply to many of these babies in remote villages in Honduras. In some 3rd world countries, a child born with cleft pallate and cleft lip is scorned and separated from the "normal" children. The child is not allowed to go in public without a paper bag over their head and they are not allowed to go to school. If U.S medical teams do not find these children, they risk dying from malnutrition or pneumonia. If they do survive, they are set apart from their neighbors and friends and sometimes family and are given poor, if any, education.
I did not know who, where, or when someone could help Jose but I knew I should pursue the possibility. It took only a few days to be put in touch with Dr. Gordon Robinson, plastic surgeon, in Birmingham, Ala. Dr. Robinson has been going to the American Fruit Hospital in Coyolus, Honduras, for over 20 years and performing hundreds of surgeries on babies just like Jose. Coyolus is in the northern half of Honduras. As I talked with Dr. Robinson, I realized that if we could get Jose and his mother to Coyolus, Jose would have a chance to be a normal child. The logistics of travel in Honduras is difficult and coordination between our mission teams, the Cruzadas staff in LaCeiba, and the Carolina Health Foundation in Limon is essential.Dr. Robinson and his surgical teams go down 2 times a year, usually in September and in January, February or March to perform surgeries. As of September, 2006, Jose has had 4 of the planned 5 surgeries and is a thriving child accepted by other children and people in the village. He is quickly becoming normal size for his age and is much healthier now. This is just another of the many miracles we see as we go into Honduras and give of our time, knowledge, and resources to show the love of Jesus to these wonderful people.
Peggy Polhemus, R.N.
On this particular mission trip, Dr. Jerry Boshell, orthodontist/dentist from Jasper. Ala. was on board. I consider it another one of God's many miracles to provide just the right people with the training needed on each mission trip. Dr. Boshell took an impression of Jose's mouth and built a feeding device to allow Jose to suck, allowing milk to go into the stomach and bypass the cleft pallate. This would give him some time until surgery could be arranged.
I came home after that trip and felt there had to be a plastic surgeon from the U.S. going into Honduras and performing surgery on these babies. Birth defects are common in 3rd world countries due to poor nutrition, little or no prenatal care, lack of midwives and poor birthing conditions.
The saying "survival of the fittest" can apply to many of these babies in remote villages in Honduras. In some 3rd world countries, a child born with cleft pallate and cleft lip is scorned and separated from the "normal" children. The child is not allowed to go in public without a paper bag over their head and they are not allowed to go to school. If U.S medical teams do not find these children, they risk dying from malnutrition or pneumonia. If they do survive, they are set apart from their neighbors and friends and sometimes family and are given poor, if any, education.
I did not know who, where, or when someone could help Jose but I knew I should pursue the possibility. It took only a few days to be put in touch with Dr. Gordon Robinson, plastic surgeon, in Birmingham, Ala. Dr. Robinson has been going to the American Fruit Hospital in Coyolus, Honduras, for over 20 years and performing hundreds of surgeries on babies just like Jose. Coyolus is in the northern half of Honduras. As I talked with Dr. Robinson, I realized that if we could get Jose and his mother to Coyolus, Jose would have a chance to be a normal child. The logistics of travel in Honduras is difficult and coordination between our mission teams, the Cruzadas staff in LaCeiba, and the Carolina Health Foundation in Limon is essential.Dr. Robinson and his surgical teams go down 2 times a year, usually in September and in January, February or March to perform surgeries. As of September, 2006, Jose has had 4 of the planned 5 surgeries and is a thriving child accepted by other children and people in the village. He is quickly becoming normal size for his age and is much healthier now. This is just another of the many miracles we see as we go into Honduras and give of our time, knowledge, and resources to show the love of Jesus to these wonderful people.
Peggy Polhemus, R.N.