One of our Elders had abdominal pain with difficulty urinating
and called our mission president’s wife, which is the protocol here. The next
day the mission doc, who lives in Manilla, began treatment for a urinary tract
infection. WE had zone interview training just a few days after and the
Elder didn't look very good but had just begun the meds. Two days later
he looked even worse according to the mission president’s wife who was in town
with the president for interviews. He
went to the best hospital here called Silliman founded by an American many
years ago. It is also a University - very well known in the
Philippines. Elder had a ruptured
appendix which had been encapsulated by his bowel to contain all of the
infection (pus). They opened him from his rib cage down to his pubic
bone. Surgery started at midnight and lasted a couple of hours. We
heard about it Sunday morning and rushed there after church to find him in a
ward of 8 other people, a man whose face had been traumatized by some kind of
hook while he was drunk, small children with high fevers, an old woman coughing
up nasty stuff, and others who were extremely sick. No AC so all were
lying there without covers and only partially dressed. It looked like a
scene from an old movie. Families surrounded the beds and missionaries
surrounded Elder’s bed. His companion, a Tongan from Australia who is
brand new, was staying with him that night. He said he didn't dare sleep
when he saw a 14 inch rat (sure he was exaggerating!) slither out of the food cart and another running
along the floor against the wall. The nurses go from patient to patient
and rarely washing their hands. Mission rules are that we only have
private rooms but none were available until the next morning.
Elder Anderson and I spent several hours each day with him
sometimes spelling the elders for a few hours so they could get some work done.
They loved showering in the private room since it had hot water!!
The private room was clean with an excellent bathroom (or comfort room as
it is called in the Philippines), had a hard chair and a small hard bed for the
elders to sleep on.
Let me list just a few of the interesting things
different from what we are accustomed:
•
no silverware on food trays – it was
given upon check-in and had to be washed by the patient or family after each
meal.
•
no water delivered to the room daily
•
we received a daily hand written
prescription for the meds for the day and had to go purchase them each morning ourselves.
If we didn't get it done, the meds were not given. The hospital
pharmacy had only a few of the meds – Elder Anderson went outside the hospital to
a local pharmacy or two daily to pick up others paying the 6000-9000 pesos in
cash, usually, to obtain them.
•
glass IV bottles
•
IV tubing never changed until I requested
it - (demanded may be the more appropriate term since they didn't seem to
respond quickly to this request)
•
IV site not changed, even though I
requested, until his fever spiked and the doctor thought it might be the cause
of new infection. (It wasn't but sites should be changed every 3 days)
•
Elder was not gotten out of bed by staff
and we were told he was to stay in bed. Elder A and I got him up each day
and they were horrified that we walked him down the hall. It caused a
real stir at the nurses's station. When his fever spiked, the dr. said it
was the third day so he should probably get out of bed more - that he had
ordered it but the nursing staff said he had been refusing to get up. I
very nicely said, "He doesn't refuse anything! He is so good to do
whatever is asked. We have had him out of bed while we are here."
•
The IV pump is the first pump I ever used
almost 40 years ago.
•
Nursing staff only does what they are in
the orders written by the doctors. Certainly
are not encouraged to think and act for themselves.
•
Intake and Output not measured even
though the docs were concerned about his urine output once the catheter came
out.
•
On the final bill which must be settled
prior to leaving, we noticed they charged for the ice used in the ice pack, for
a gown change after he soaked it with sweat when his fever broke, change of
pillow case, any gloves used (they didn't use gloves to change his dressing or
empty the drain that was inserted into his abdomen.)
•
hospital bed was manual - had to turn a
lever at the foot of the bed to raise and lower his head.
•
no call button for the nurses station
•
major surgery and a week in the hospital
cost about $4,000 US. What would that
have cost had it been in the US?
This list could go on and on. It was a blessing that we
could be there to get the meds, walk him and just offer support. The drs.
were both very nice and when the decision was made to send him to Manilla for
recovery (the church has a medical recuperation center there) upon his
discharge, one of the docs said he was flying there on Sunday and would escort
him if we could get the ticket. We did and the doc met us at the entrance
to the passenger only area that afternoon.
 |
| Our surgeons. The doctor on the left accompanied Elder to Manilla. |
So much of the equipment reminded me of my early practice as a
nurse – 40 years ago!!
Elder has recuperated although he lost a lot of weight and it
has taken him a good month to fully regain his strength.
 |
| One of Elder's many nurses. There were many male nurses here. |
 |
| Elder and his companion who is brand new to the mission |
 |
| The missionaries had taken Elder's clothes home and we had purchased this T-shirt and shorts for him to walk in so his backside was covered. All he had to wear for the ride home. Also did not have a razor there to shave!! |
 |
| Elder and Elder Anderson relaxing while I prepared lunch after sacrament meeting prior to him flying to Manilla. |
While the facilities and equipment is a few years behind what
is current in the US and even in Manilla, he received good care. We loved the doctors who operated on him and
all of the nursing staff were very nice and eager to please and accommodate our
desires within their bounds.
