Our 2024 Guatemala Cleft Trip: Day Three of Surgery

Hola from the wonderful charity hospital in Antigua, Guatemala where LWB is holding its 2024 cleft surgery trip. Today was a very full day of surgeries, with 12 children going through our operating rooms.

One of the happiest babies of the day was 5-month-old Jimmy, who had charmed everyone on intake day.

Jimmy had a little bit of a wait since he was second on the OR schedule, but our volunteers kept him happy and engaged in the courtyard with lots of bubble blowing.

His mom was understandably nervous as she waited for the moment that our anesthesia team came to take her little boy back to the OR. We assured her he would be in very good hands. Just look at those tiny toes!

Dr. Ness performed Jimmy’s unilateral cleft lip surgery, and just a few hours later he was alert and playing with his new toys on the ward. Doesn’t he look fabulous?

We’d also like to introduce you to 5-month-old Jeremy.

His lovely mom told us that she didn’t have any complications during her pregnancy, but she did deliver her baby at home as there was no time to get to a hospital. When she saw Jeremy for the first time, she was shocked to see her son had cleft lip.

Neighbors told her that it must have happened from her being exposed to an eclipse, but she said she didn’t believe that as she had stayed safely inside when it happened! Jeremy’s father has members of his family who were also born with cleft, so doctors have told her it is most likely from genetics.

Jeremy’s mom was so excited when she received the call that her son would be having surgery with the LWB team coming to Guatemala. She knows this operation will change Jeremy’s life completely and is thankful for everyone who helped make it possible.

Six-month-old Harriet was one of Dr. Tollefson’s patients today. Her parents were overjoyed that she was accepted for surgery as they worried people would continue treating the daughter they love so dearly in an unkind way.

Harriet’s parents traveled a long distance to see our team. During intake on Sunday, Harriet wasn’t afraid of anyone, smiling throughout the whole exam.

Harriet’s father told us that he tries his very best to support his family, but it is very difficult at times. He works in the fields picking cardamom, and when the season ends in January he has to figure out how else he can earn money to feed his wife and daughter. He dreams of his little girl growing up and being a good student someday, as he didn’t have that opportunity. He had to stop school in 6th grade to go to work, and he is determined his daughter will have a different future.

We all smiled this morning when Harriet showed up for surgery with her hair in a tiny ponytail. She kept it perfectly intact during surgery, as you can see as Nurse Max walked her back to the PACU!

It was a very emotional moment when Harriet’s mom was allowed to go back to recovery and see her little girl for the first time. We think the picture speaks for itself.

Before we end for today, we want to update you on little Elly, who certainly has given all the medical staff here at the hospital a few more gray hairs. She is the tiny baby who refused to wake up for us after her surgery yesterday. She would open her eyes for just a few moments and then immediately go back to sleep. For five long hours.

Elly’s O2 levels then became very unstable, so she was placed on oxygen throughout the night.

All day long today, we took turns holding this precious baby to make sure she was stable. We are very happy to report that Baby Elly is back up in the 90s for her oxygen levels and no longer needs supplementation.

We’ll be back tomorrow with more news from Guatemala! THANK YOU for all the great wishes being sent our way. Twelve more cases are on the schedule tomorrow, including Ronald (who has waited 52 years for his cleft lip to repaired). We can’t wait!

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