last night in Rwanda with wonderful friends

our last night in Rwanda started out with a party in our suite ( Michelle and i had a big room) and then we went to dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant the Sola Luna.    We ended the night playing a dice game  called Farkle and laughed the night away.   The young girls went out til 4am but i was in bed by midnight.

Patton women  Paige, Judy Kay and Ceeya

Pat and Sarah at dinner

Ernerste and Jean Paul;  2008 patients who are committed to Team Heart

My roomie Michelle and our Minnesota girls  ( with Jackie)

Paige, Vanessa and Leslie;   the Minnesota girls who taught us how to play Farkle

Some thoughts as we end

Susan, Dr Pat Come ( our cardiologist) and my " work wife" Alysia of MGH at the thank you party

I sit trying to up date this Blog and realize i have been so busy working i have had little or no time to do this....now 2012 is over and i am totally exhausted but very satisfied that our hard work has changed the world for 17 patients and 35 team members.
  I am always deeply touched by my experience here.   It is hard and wonderful;  gratifying and at times discouraging, but very important.   I have met people who have sweated hard work and hugged with deep meaning.    I will board a plane in 24 hours and touch down to my reality but hopefully with a new perspective.   Stuff like this changes your life.......

more pictures of my time with team heart

Ceeya, King Fisal Hospital administrator, Connie and Judith

Suellen teaching 

Celeste and Jean Di Dieu,  our newest Red Sox fans

Our previous patients ( including Alice our first women patient of 2008) encouraging our current pts

Judy Kay and Fredrick

Dr Tom Matthews of Colorado with Theopista

Bonnie,  pharmacist of the year!

some of our team members at the thank you party at the Top Tower

Kevin McWha and Pat with patient Theonste

one of my favorite pictures   Marcelline and Alysia of MGH  ( and it is her birthday!)

our two men ( most were boys)  Theonest and Fredrick

Kevin , Jolie and me

lunch which was always wonderful and hot

more Pictures of the last day....

Ceeya and our 3 valve pt. Diodonne going over the valves

Listing to Diodonne's heart;   for some reason he loved this picture and wanted a copy

Jean Di Dieu of 2009 visiting and asking about Babaa

Team Heart founder Leslie Sabatino packing up

Our last Day of Team Heart 2012

Team Heart 2012  

Well we said good bye to our patients today and it was with a mix of sadness and happiness.   We have successfully operated on 17 patients in 2012 and all are doing well.   They have gone from frighten patients to fun and loving individuals who have bonded with many of us.   Many stand out for their struggles in surgery and post opertively.   Many stand out for their quiet coopertive manner.   All have shown us that we can never give up on the human spirit and the miracles that can happen when so many have one goal.    Time will tell to the success of our " class of 2012" but today a " graduate of Team Heart 2009" came to visit.  His name is Jean Di Dieu ( tall guy on the right next to Ceeya) and he is in his 3rd year of university and doing very well.   He talked to our pts and told them they will feel better and live a better life.   I truely believe this too and i do hope to see some of these patients next year!

some pictures from the ICU

michelle and marcelline

Angela and Frederic

dieudonne and celestine and jean de dieu visiting in ICU

JP Rwanda!

Another day with Team Heart

 Hard work needs decompression time and we find this when we share meals together.   This picture was taken at one of our favorite pizza joints.

 sign language works well and the rise of eye brows is the Rwandan " yes" but these are a few words that are universal to surgical recovery.   As Connie stated, Amazi is like air to these patients and we learn this word very quickly.

Richard came back to visit ( he had a long journey as he lives near the Congo border) and he brought us a wall picture his sister had made.   It was beautiful and touching.   This kind of thing can make a tough day a little easier and bring you back to why we are there.

Richard ( 2011) returning with a gift to Team Heart with his caretakers .

Teaching is a  very important part of our mission.  Here Placid ( nurse from Rwanda) Paige ( graduate nurse) and I join forces to recover 16yo Alexi.  He was quite amazing watching him and his big personality come to life.   When he was told his operation was over he wanted " all this out" ( the lines and tubes) and a Fanta soda.   This was maybe 3 hrs following his surgery .