{"id":3275,"date":"2024-09-03T17:10:50","date_gmt":"2024-09-03T17:10:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/missiontoheal.org\/?p=3275"},"modified":"2024-09-27T15:42:16","modified_gmt":"2024-09-27T15:42:16","slug":"volunteer-reflection-adeline-domkam-uganda-ii-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/missiontoheal.org\/volunteer-reflection-adeline-domkam-uganda-ii-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Volunteer Reflection: Adeline Domkam – Uganda II, 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"
Adeline Domkam, FNP, a nurse practitioner from California.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Attending a Mission to Heal medical mission in Uganda was a dream come true. This was made possible through the scholarship granted to me via NIFA. It was a humble and learning experience throughout the two weeks spent. Everyone made me feel welcome. I have gained <\/span>valuable knowledge that will help me as a first assist now and in the future as I complete <\/span>the clinical hours required for graduation. I assisted the surgeons in most cases. If I was <\/span>not assisting directly, I would be acting as a circulating nurse; giving the opportunity to <\/span>the local doctors to learn how to do the procedures on their own.<\/span><\/p>\n I was impressed by what M2H is doing in the remote areas of Africa. Dr. Glenn and the <\/span>team are not just helping the residents achieve a better quality of health, but he is also <\/span>training doctors to provide the same treatments to help their community and to maintain it. <\/span>M2H is helping change lives with most procedures done under local anesthesia <\/span>except for ketamine given intravenously to a 9 and 10-year-olds during hydrocele procedures. All procedures were done under a sterile environment with fast recovery <\/span>period and prophylactic oral antibiotics were given after each procedure. Unlike the <\/span>USA, so little is used such as instruments and supplies to achieve the same quality of <\/span>results. I have observe procedures in the USA surgical suites where a team is comprise <\/span>of a surgeon, a first assist, a scrub tech, Anesthesia and a circulating nurse for cases <\/span>like hernia repair, or amputation. Patients were happy following their surgery and <\/span>wouldn’t feel any discomfort after and on day one post-surgery.<\/span><\/p>\n We used both MSU to drive to Muko on the first week and to Kamwezi on the following <\/span>week. Kamwezi was a long drive that went by very quickly because of the scenery. <\/span>While the scenery was immersive, the roads were bumpy.<\/span><\/p>\n After the introduction led by Dr. Glenn each week, we joined the staff and began <\/span>screening at the clinic until we identified surgical cases. Several cases were identified at <\/span>both locations (Several inguinal hernia, umbilical hernia, keloid on different parts of the <\/span>body, anal fistula, chronic toe infection, skin tag, hydrocele, lipoma on different parts of <\/span>the body, abnormal growth on upper lip). All cases were discussed with Dr. Glenn and <\/span>all patients were consented prior to proceeding with the operation. While some cases <\/span>were done in the local theater, others were done in the MSU OR because Dr. Godfrey <\/span>from Mparo was willing to learn more and trained other doctors like him. I remember a <\/span>52-year-old soon-to-be married male with a sizable lipoma on his forehead and an older <\/span>woman with a sizable growth on her upper lip that were both removed. I could see the <\/span>excitement on their face after their procedures due to the noticeable change on their <\/span>facial features. Another older woman with the chronic toe infection could walk again <\/span>without pain after she received the toe amputation. I gained new insight on Hernia, <\/span>Hydrocele, Cryptorchidism, Neglected Tropical disease and Thyroid lectures presented<\/span><\/p>\n by Dr. Glenn after lunch each day. During clinic, Dr. Glenn identified actinomycetoma <\/span>on a patient that was chronic for 15 years at Kamwezi; it was my first time coming <\/span>across a particular disease unlike parasitic elephantiasis that I have seen in the past. <\/span>Nothing could be done due to lack of prosthesis at Kamwezi. It was a complex case <\/span>because patient will need to travel to Kabale for the procedure; where prosthesis can be <\/span>made for him and have family member care for him while he is there recovering, which <\/span>is not that easy.<\/span><\/p>\n When I arrive at Kigali airport on Sunday, August 11, 2024. It was very uneventful. I <\/span>asked myself whether or not I was in Africa because, in my experience traveling to <\/span>Cameroon, there are a lot of hustlers looking for money to carry luggage. <\/span>We spent the night upon arrival to Uganda and the weekends at Albertine Hotel. <\/span>Hospitality, food, and cleanliness were fantastic. The only con I had with the trip was the <\/span>stairs at Albertine Hotel. We went on a tour to a safari at Queen Elizabeth National Park <\/span>on the first weekend, which made a memorable and an unforgettable trip.<\/span><\/p>\n I hope to attend another M2H trip in the future and spread the word about the <\/span>organization that is helping shape the health industry in Africa. I know Dr. Glenn has <\/span>been in most places around the globe helping people like he is doing right now. I want to <\/span>thank Dr. Glenn, both Dr. Plurad, and Kristen who guided me on how M2H is run and <\/span>supported me during this learning experience despite her many roles with M2H, all the <\/span>doctors who let us use their facilities, and the patients who allow us to treat them. Lastly, <\/span>shout-out to NIFA who made this exposure and experience possible for me.<\/span><\/p>\n Yours Sincerely,<\/span><\/p>\n Adeline Domkam, FNP-C<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Adeline Domkam, FNP, a nurse practitioner from California.\u00a0 Attending a Mission to Heal medical mission…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3301,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3275","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n