Operation Smile:
We left the Chulalongkorn Hospital in Bangkok, with a van filled with surgeons, anaesthesiologists, scrub nurses, aid-people and me. Great spirit, atmosphere was filled with laughters and joy. The trip is quite long up to Mae Sot, count about 6 hours, and all the stops, Thai people HAVE to eat and I promise you, they would eat all the time if they could.
We arrived late afternoon
at the Centara Hotel Mae Sot Hill Resort and I like these old fashioned hotels, where time almost stands still since the 70s’?. We called it a early night because of the long day and we needed to be fit for fight for the screening.
Screening is the day
when the doctors will see all the future patients. there are medical check ups, filling out documents and scheduling. As someone from the outside observing this work, I was amazed about the efficiency and the patience and everything proceeded in serenity and peace.
All the days of this mission were very long, tiring and tremendously rewarding. Because of 140 surgical operations, with days that starts at 8.00 am and finishes about 12.00 am. The team work under a very stressful schedule but handled with efficiency and grace.
The people coming for the surgeries,
suffer most of cleft lip and palate, however you will even see operations taking place with people suffering also difficult burn wounds. The patients coming to the Mae Sot mission are mostly Karen people who live along the Burma – Thai border.