2-19-2011

WHAT A DAY!
Today was our screening day... we screened 199 children and adults!  The majority of the patients were burn care patients.  It was amazing to see the diversity of these burns, some were very severe and some were very minor, and could not be treated, unless with lasers.  We woke up at 6ish after turning our lights out at 3am, stuffing backpacks with toothbrushes, and toys.  We then hopped on the bus and met a line of roughly 70 people waiting to be screened.  Immediately we whipped out beach balls and jump ropes and played with the kids, which was so much fun... the "street kids"or as we called scoochers (they always wiggled their way into things) and were attention hogs.  After coloring and playing outside for a few hours we grabbed our dental hygiene poster and went to work!  We gave about 10 presentations throughout the day, and passed out a couple hundred toothbrushes to eagerly awaiting patients and families.  As the day grew hotter we moved inside and intermixed with screening where we passed out stuffed animals, played with balls, dispersed toothbrushes, and calmed down fussy babies.  We got to listen in on the surgeon's conversations as they talked through each patients' circumstance and ways to approach their injuries.  The atmosphere was hot, tired, and a bit overwhelming by 7 o'clock, when the screening was over.  It was an amazing way to interact with the culture, and we look forward to playing with the patients more throughout the week.  To finish off a long day we took a Tuk Tuk ride to the FCC restaurant and enjoyed a wonderful dinner.  Time to get some sleep, tomorrow is a big day full of team bonding fun!


Carly and Anna