Clinic in Ben Tre

Today was our first full clinic day in Ben Tre. Our hosts in Ben Tre are the commission for poor and disabled patients. For many of our team new to this experience, today brings excitement, anxious nervousness, and fear of the unexpected. No matter how much training we did since January, nothing prepares you for putting all that into practice. We arrived at clinic 8:00 am to an already packed waiting area. Patients were invited by the commission and have been eagerly awaiting this day.
The first hour is always the most chaotic. Coordinating the station set-up, organizing the best work-flow, working out the kinks in the planning, and then beginning to see the patients. I am pleased to say that the chaos existed but was significantly better than expected. We started checking in patients by 9:00 am by performing physical assessment techniques and patient interviews. We then transition each patient to a medical clinic room where a differential diagnose is made, followed by a definitive diagnosis from Bac Si Ha. After treatment is rendered in the medical clinic, the patient is directed toward our physical therapy area where we provide them the working knowledge on how to strengthen the affected areas. Finally, patients finish up in our pharmacy area receiving all the needed medications. This entire process is taxing on all involved, but the rewards of seeing the poorest patients get the best possible quality of care, fuels you for 12 hour day. We ended clinic at 8:00 pm with the following results: Registered medical patients: 79, Prosthetics fit: 29.
This is an amazing accomplishment for the first day. Typical years see about half those numbers on day 1. I guess all the training did pay off

!

Mission Component Begins

The time has come for the team from Temple Pharmacy and the team from Mercer University to begin their 3 week mission. Mercer landed at 10:30 PM and our team was awaiting them at the airport. Tonight we will travel by bus to Ben Tre, a small city about 2.5 hours from Saigon. Tomorrow has a lot in store.  First off faculty from the mission will have a welcome meeting with the city officials. Following, our whole team will visit an orphanage and vocational school. Finally we will head back and sort the many, many bags of medications, medical supplies and prosthetic supplies. The logistics of a mission this size takes careful planning and great attention to details.

Today is also a special day for my Dad will will celebrate his birthday!!  Chuc Mung Sinh Nhat Bo!!!

Wonders and Oddities of Da Lat

Da Lat is the region known as the Mountain Highlands. The culture in this part of Vietnam is unique and one that must be explored. Beginning with Thung Lung Tinh Yeu. (The Valley of Love), where it is said that couples from around the world come to proclaim their undying love for one another. The gardens of the Valley are vibrant and aromatic. Here the locals are not used to seeing people from The United States often, and make a point to request a photo to be taken with them. I guess Meghan's blond hair was an instant attraction.
Moving onto the cultural center, one can experience the ancient craft of making elaborate clay pots and intricate embroidering. But a visit would not be complete without the Massage Ca (Fish Massage). The fish foot massage looks intimidating at first glance. You stick your feet into a tank of clear water and wait while hundreds of tiny fish approach your feet. If you can handle the initial tickling (Dhimo), the fish exfoliate all areas of your feet and calves. You exit the tank with skin so soft.
The outdoor market place is a scene for socializing, shopping and of course tasting the local dishes. I got to experience one of my favorite meals, So Huyet, (Blood Clams). Its been 2 years and it taste just like the first time.
This areas grows the fruit and vegetables that are shipped daily to Saigon and Hanoi. It is the only place in Vietnam that permits the growth of strawberries. Fresh picked and delicious.
Lastly it is home to an amazing waterfall which is as peaceful as it is powerful.

The Mountain Highlands of Da Lat

Our journey from sea level at Mui Ne continued to the Mountain Highlands of Da Lat. Along the so-called 3 hour drive (which in reality is about 6 hours), we experienced much nature has to offer. A switch back road, barely wide enough for 2 vehicles, allowed us to travel up 1500 meters above sea level. We stopped to witness natures awesome power from afar seeing a large storm approach from approximately 1 mile in the distance. As the storm got closer and closer, we quickly made it back to our van, just in time for the downpour to start. Temperatures in Da Lat are significantly cooler, around 65-70 degrees F. Homes along the road are modest to say the least, most farmland. We were invited onto a locals property to see how the mountain people live. Chickens, pigs etc....
Continuing on of treck, another unexpected event took place. (Bang, A Flat Tire on our vehicle). I was narrow minded thinking that this tire change would take a few hours, and much to my surprise, a quick phone call to the Vietnam equivalent of AAA changed our tire and we were on our way in 20 minutes. This gave us a unique opportunity to drink caphe sua da at a roadside cafe. best we have had since landing in Vietnam.

Experience Mui Ne's Beauty

The clinic component of our mission will start in a few days. We will work for close to 20 straight days, with a possible rare day off.  It would be very difficult to experience much of the natural beauty of Vietnam during that time so we decided to use the first few days to tour a few different areas of the country. Our first stop was in Mui Ne. It is a sun splashed, resort town that contains the largest naturally occurring sand dunes in Vietnam. During certain seasons, this area is affected by typhoons, and the natural shape of the coast line provides the ideal situation for the powerful winds to create this spectacular site. Upon arrival 20 local children of all ages surrounded us, offering the use of their homemade sleds. As far as the eye can see, "pink" sand is mountainous with steep slopes that our new young tour guides were eager to teach us how to conquer. Sand filed crevices later, our team seemed to enjoy this new experience.

Best Way To Toughen Up The Stomach

Four out of Six student team members have never been to Vietnam and were warned from people in the States not to eat street food. Don't get me wrong our Hotel food is fine, but the real traditional local treasures are found in street cafes. We figured the best way to start off this adventure was to be bold with our first meals in order to get their stomachs used to the every day food that makes this country such a treat to visit. Our first dinner at a local Saigon eatery consisted of Chim Se (Sparrow Bird), Balut (Fertilized quail eggs), Frog, and an assortment of fresh vegetables. Chim Se is eaten whole, including the head, beak, and body. Although it is decidedly my most favorite meal, by the looks on a few team members faces, maybe they would disagree. I am excited to say that all of our team tasted the local foods and their bellies survived the experience. Traveling here for most of them will be a once in a lifetime experience and they are not shy about making ht most of it, including the food choices.

First Stop in Saigon

Upon arrival in Saigon, I wanted our group to experience what is known as The War Remnants Museum. We will be traveling through villages of Southern Vietnam, to areas that were affected during the "American" war. We will be treating patients that continue to suffer the lasting effects of war, including amputees from land mines, and patients and off spring affected by Agent Orange. Agent Orange, Dioxin, was used during the war to defoliate plants, and trees, presumably to aid our troops in defending the South. Dioxin is the most devastating chemical ever to be discovered. It is estimated that over 44 million liters of Dioxin, and 56 million liters of other dangerous chemical were sprayed over the country of Vietnam. 2-4 million Vietnamese natives plus countless other members of The United States military and other nations military were exposed to it. The eco-system has been damaged, patients DNA were permanently altered producing birth defects, cancer and other malformations that are still witnessed today.  It is disturbing to look at the photos documenting the effects of the war. It reminds all of us that war, for whatever reason, has its consequences. Right or wrong, humanity is permanently affected. We should not forget our United States military and their families that were subjected to the physical and mental consequences. We are hear also to aid the Vietnamese patients that have been affected. What modest assistance we can offer does not make a dent in the situation, but we are here to help regardless of political views. We bring a humanistic approach to this mission, and gain a perspective otherwise unnoticed by many!

A 3-Hour Tour

With an 18 hour layover in Doha, Qatar, we were fortunate enough to be offered a complimentary city tour offered by Qatar Airways. Doha, the capital of Qatar has a population of 2 million with only 25% of that being native to the country. The remaining 75% are foreigners doing business in this up and coming metropolis of the Middle East.

The government provides free healthcare, education, utilities etc... to its natives. Since there is an abundance of petrol and oil, one can purchase 5 liters of pertrol for the same price as 1 liter of water.

It is a booming city that  resembles Manhattan with gorgeous skyscrapers, luxury hotels, and high end boutiques. There is a market that sells all local goods and is a busy and bustling area in downtown.

We were strolling through the market place and came across a local Pharmacy. Upon entering, with our Temple Pharmacy team shirts, I engaged in a conversation about the practice of pharmacy in Qatar. The only medications that requires a prescription from a licensed physician are antibiotics and steroids. All other available medication can be purchased over-the-counter. There was an abundance of natural products and well-known medications available in the States, albeit under vastly different brand names.

The Pharmacists was impressed with our ultimate goal of traveling to dedicate our time, resources and energy for helping improve the lives of patients around the world.

Departure

Today is the day. Our team arrived at Philadelphia International Airport at 7:00 am (well most of us) to check in for our 10:30 am flight to Qatar on Qatar Airways. The fly time to Qatar is 12.5 hours.  Each of the checked luggages, 15 in total, contained the missions medication, supplies etc...
In order to be most cost-efficient, we have an 18-hour layover in Qatar and are planning on a city tour before the next leg of our journey from Qatar to Ho Chi Minh city (8 more hours).
That will bring our total flying time to 20.5 hours and total transit time to 38.5 hours.
Its a small price to pay to experience what lies ahead!!!!!

Months of preparation

The 2014 Vietnam Mission students were carefully selected in January 2014 to participate based on unique skills, characteristics, and strengths. After selection, students met for 1 hour each week to start preparing for the challenge ahead. Preparation included learning basic Vietnamese language skills, sharpening up their clinical skills including blood pressure and blood glucose measurements, injection technique training, and basic orthopedic disease state diagnostics.

Culminating with a mock clinic, assisted by past Vietnam Mission members Viet Nguyen, QA Pham and Chi Nguyen, who played the part of our patient population.

Finally, purchasing and packing of the medication and supplies.

Im very proud of all their hard work and dedication. The time has arrived. You will do an amazing job!!!