Trip Two: Week Six! December 1-7

 Six weeks down... just one left to go! The Christmas spirit is in full swing here on the AFM. From hanging Christmas decorations in the OR using recycled (and unused) items, to celebrating Sinterklaas with the Dutch on board, it has been a festive week! 


Ship Life 

Monday and Tuesday were fairly uneventful after work. I played some games with friends around the ship and continued to prepare for the rest of the work week. 


For the anesthesia in-service on Wednesday, Dr. Davinia (Germany) shared a presentation on in-flight medical emergencies. She touched on what different emergencies could occur, resources that might be available on a plane, and what the responsibility for a medical personnel on board could include. Davinia shared a personal experience where she was on a flight and a woman went into early labor and she responded as a medical professional. It was an interesting presentation and other people joined the conversation, also sharing their personal experiences. 

We started adding a few festive decorations around the OR on Wednesday, including "mistletoe" made of the unused asepto/bulb syringes... I was caught by my friends Michelle (Germany) and Vanessa (Madagascar) for a lil smooch ;) 



That evening, the medical in-service was titled "Transitions, Beginnings, Endings." Psychiatrist Dr. Kaye Zwiacher (Alaska) shared some wonderful truths that were especially valuable as I prepare to depart the ship in a week. One thing that stood out to me was, "we often don't know what our expectations are until they are unmet." This is so true, both in ship life and life back home. 



On Thursday morning, I attempted to go for a nice, peaceful run, but was quickly humbled by 80 degrees, 90% humidity, and zero breeze... even at 5:45am. Nevertheless, it was still nice to start the day moving my body. 

Thursday was the last day of scheduled surgeries. Once we finished the cases for the day, a group of us continued in the Christmas spirit and re-wrote "The Twelve Days of Christmas" with OR/Mercy Ships lyrics, complete with choreography and all. 



The Dutch crew went all-out with their Sinterklaas celebration. On Thursday night, we were instructed to place our shoe outside our cabin with a little note, treat, or poem for Sinterklass and his "petes" to find, hoping to receive a treat in return. It is apparently tradition for the "petes" to play little pranks on the children, because I found my shoe the next morning hiding on top of the hallway phone! On Friday night, the Dutch put on a full Sinterklaas celebration with gifts for all the kids on board, treats, and a video production! It was so fun seeing how other countries celebrate around the holidays and learning some of their traditions. 




 

Our final Funky Friday was this week. Even though we did not have any cases scheduled, we still met in the OR hallway in the morning to say our farewells. Friday was our OR admin Grace's birthday, so we enjoyed a celebration in the cafe together during our (extended) morning break. 
 

I was so impressed by the AFM Christmas market on Saturday morning. Participating crew had set up tables selling baked goods, artwork, crafts, treats, and more. I think it's safe to say my Christmas shopping is pretty much done for the year! 

Sunday was the end-of-year celebration with the OR crew, day crew, and their families. It was hosted at a nearby restaurant on the beach called "Villa Kaya." There was a great turnout, with around 40 people in attendance! After lunch, some of us went for a walk on the beach. It was a beautiful day filled with delicious food and wonderful conversations! 







Surgery On Board

This week was the last week of scheduled surgeries. The final general surgery patient screening day was on Monday morning. We saw around 15 patients that were later scheduled for surgery between Tuesday-Thursday. The final maxfax surgery day was on Monday, with general surgery being the only specialty operating Tuesday-Thursday. 



We started the process of cleaning, sorting, packing, and wrapping everything in the OR to prepare the ship for its sail to South Africa at the end of the year. While there are still patients on board, one OR will remain "open" in case of emergencies, but the rest of the department has begun the packing process. 

 

I have had a pretty busy time on the ship as team leader, but I am thankful to have had this opportunity. The Lord has definitely been using this time to teach me about myself, how to lead, and effective ways to interact with people from many backgrounds, both culturally and medically. I am thankful for the ways He has provided and strengthened me over the past 6 weeks, and I am trusting Him to carry me through until the end! 

OR Recap

This week, the OR performed 18 surgeries between maxfax (on Monday) and adult general specialties. 


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