F.O.R. - Friends Of Rudy
















ANNUAL REPORT

FRIENDS OF RUDY NICARAGUAN HEALTH, INCORPORATED

OUR MISSION

To bring medical aid to the great numbers of impoverished people in Nicaragua who have limited access to health care, while sharing medical techniques with our local counterparts.

FEBRUARY 6, THROUGH 14, 2009

WHEN OUR TEAM WAS IN NICARAGUA IN 2008, ILANA KUTINSKY, DO, DISCOVERED SEVERAL YOUNG ADULTS WHO NEEDED RHYTHM RESTORED TO THEIR HEARTS.  WITH THE BLESSING OF FOR NICARAGUAN HEALTH, SHE INITIATED A PROJECT SHE NAMED:

RESTORE THE RHYTHM (SALVANDO CORAZONES) SAVING HEARTS

NINE YOUNG ADULTS NEEDING ABLATIONS WERE BROUGHT TO BEAUMONT HOSPITAL IN ROYAL OAK, MICHIGAN IN LATE AUGUST, 2008.  ALL AIRLINE EXPENSES WERE PAID BY MR AND MRS. JON AND MARYANN PHILLIPS.  ALL ABLATION EQUIPMENT USED IN AUGUST WAS DONATED BY BIOSENSE WEBSTER.  AN IMPLANTABLE DEFIBRILLATOR WAS DONATED BY BOSTON SCIENTIFIC.     

YOUNG ADULTS AND A PARENT WERE HOUSED IN HOMES OF HOST FAMILIES:  SANDRA AND JOHN PARR, WILLIAM AND MOLLY DEVLIN, STEVE AND SAMAR AJLUNI,  MRS. DOLUNT, KIERSTEN AND ALAN TABOR,  DAVE PARR, MICHAEL POKORSKI AND LESLEY AND JAY KUTINSKY.

THOSE VOLUNTEERING THEIR MEDICAL SERVICES WERE:  THE CHIEF OF CARDIOLOGY: DAVID HAINES, MD; K. CHING MAN, MD; DAVID NORI, MD; KENNETH ZIDE,  MD; MARK KENNEY, BSN; MELISSA MILLER, RN; TRISHA EARP, RN; JERRY KOVACS,  RCVT; BEAUMONT DIVISION OF ANESTHESIA;  DAVID PARR, TECHNICIAN, BIOSENSE WEBSTER.

MILITARY HOSPITAL

RENE DARCE, MD:  MEDICAL DIRECTOR

HUGO ARGUELLO, MD:  DEPUTY DIRECTOR

INFORMATION BY ILANA KUTINSKY, DO

WHEN DR. KUTINSKY RETURNED TO NICARAGUA IN 2009, SHE WAS ABLE TO ASSEMBLE AN ABLATION  LABORATORY  AT THE MILITARY HOSPITAL IN MANAGUA. THE LAB. WAS CAPABLE OF PERFORMING RADIOFREQUENCY ABLATIONS.  EQUIPMENT WAS DONATED BY DR CHRISTIAN MACHADO FROM PROVIDENCE HOSPITAL IN MICHIGAN AND ILANA KUTINSKY FROM BEAUMONT HOSPITAL. ONE PACEMAKER FROM ST. JUDE WAS IMPLANTED IN AN ABLATION PATIENT. 

THOSE FROM DETROIT ASSISTING DR. KUTINSKY WERE: MARK T. KENNEY, BSN; DANNY R. HOLMES, RCIS; DAVID PARR, TECHNICIAN

PHYSICIANS FROM NICARAGUA THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE PROJECT WERE: DRS ROLANDO JIRON, DANIEL MENESES, PABLO HURTADO AND EMILIO CISNEROS.

TWELVE (12) PATIENTS RECEIVED ABLATIONS IN THE NEWLY DONATED ABLATION LABORATORY IN NICARAGUA.

CENTRO NACIONAL DE CARDIOLOGIA,  MANAGUA

NELSON SALAZAR, MD.  DIRECTOR

RODRIGO BOLANOS, MD

BRAD BOLEN, TECHNOLGIST SUPPLIED INFORMATION

12 PACEMAKERS WERE DONATED BY MEDTRONIC AND IMPLANTED BY DR ROD BOLANOS, CARDIOLOGIST FROM PINEHURST, NORTH CAROLINA.

ALL UNUSED LEADS AND ACCESSORIES WERE RETURNED TO MEDTRONIC.

ALL PACEMAKERS WERE PLACED IN INDIGENT PATIENTS.

CENTRO NACIONAL DE OFTALMOLOGIA (CENAO), MANAGUA, NICARAGUA

FRANCISCA RIVAS, MD.  DIRECTOR

RETINA SURGERY

RICHARD MINTON FEIST, MD SUPPLIED INFORMATION
AREK O.  PERSAUD, MD;
 JACOB YUNKER, MD

ABRAHAM DELGADO, MD; ALEJANDRA ALEMAN, MD.

AND RENE PILANTE, MD. 

DRS. FEIST, PERSAUD AND YUNKER SCREENED 110 PATIENTS.  THEY PERFORMED TWENTY EIGHT (28) VITRECTOMIES AND DID ONE HUNDRED  FIFTY (150) AVASTIN  INJECTIONS.

12 VIALS OF KENALOG WERE DONATED FOR USE IN VITRECTOMIES.  ONE VIAL CAN BE USED FOR 10 TO 12 SURGERIES.

THE USE OF VITRECTOMY MACHINE AND SUPPLIES WERE DONATED BY ALCON MEDICAL MISSION PROGRAM.

OUR PHYSICIANS WORKED IN CONJUNCTION WITH ALEJANDRA ALEMAN, MD AND RENE PILANTE, MD.

HOSPITAL AMISTAD JAPON- NICARAGUA, GRANADA, NICARAGUA

JUAN BARRIOS, MD, DIRECTOR  and YELBA LOGO, MD,  DEPUTY DIRECTOR

OPHTHALMOLOGY

MICHAEL ALSTON CALLAHAN, MD. SUPPLIED INFORMATION

JOHN STEVEN PARKER, MD.

MARK DRABKIN, MD.

NICARAGUAN DOCTORS:

JOHANNA RAMIREZ,  MD

THERESA BALDIZON, MD

LEANDRO CHAMORRO, MD.

ANESTHESIA:

JERALD CLANTON, MD; HARDY GORDON, MD; BRIAN BARKI, MD;  JOE STOWELL, CRNA

SCRUB NURSE:  ASHLEY SELLERS

BIOMETRY

LYNN GUZMAN, KEITH HODGE

TRANSLATORS:  KOULA CALLAHAN AND ANNA MUNOZ

VOLUNTEERS ASSISTING:  BONNIE PARKER, APRIL JACKSON

PURCHASE OF AN INSTRUMENT SET WAS ARRANGED BY DR. DRABKIN AND FUNDED BY FOR NICARAGUAN HEALTH.  IT WAS PRESENTED TO

  JOHANNA RAMIREZ, MD.

SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT FOR SURGERY. WERE DONATED BY ALCON MEDICAL MISSION PROGRAM, ALLERGAN, OCUSOFT,   MAP INTERNATIONAL

SURGERIES PERFORMED

Cataracts-41, Strabismus-6; Corneal transplant-9; Lacrimal duct repair-1.

 We evaluated well over 100 patients on Sat. AM and 30-40 every day Monday-Thursday and 20 on Friday.

Surgeries were performed by Drs. Callahan, Drabkin, Chamorro and Parker.   

GASTROENTEROLOGY

TIMOTHY DENTON, MD SUPPLIED INFORMATION

GUILLERMO GOMEZ, MD

CARLOS TALAVERA,  MD

MAGDA BURGOS  TRANSLATOR 

A TOTAL OF 43 PROCEDURES ACCOMPLISHED

ENDOSCOPES 30
COLONOSCOPES 7
RECTOSIGMOIDOSCOPES 1
ESOPHAGEAL VARICES     2
POLIPECTOMIAS 2
DIALATION OF ESOPHAGUS        1


GASTRO INTESTINAL EQUIPMENT  WAS DONATED BY DR. DENTON

ORTHOPEDICS

MIKE BRAGER, MD. SUPPLIED INFORMATION

ELIE KHOURY, MD

JUAN BARBERENA, MD 

THE SURGICAL CASES WE DID WERE: 

9 Total Knee Replacements
1 Intramedullary nailing tibia fracture
1 Open reduction / Internal fixation elbow fracture
1 Open reduction / internal fixation distal femur / knee fracture
1 distal femoral osteotomy for valgus malalignment (pediatric)
1 foot tendon transfer for acquired planovalgus deformity (pediatric)1 closed reduction / casting for ankle deformity
 

We evaluated and treated approximately 125 patients in clinic for various traumatic, degenerative, and congenital problems.  

OBSTETRICS/ GYNECOLOGY

DAVID HACKNEY,  MD SUPPLIED INFORMATION

DANIELLE PATTERSON, MD SUPPLIED INFORMATION

CARLOS ERNESTO QUIJANO, MD, DIRECTOR DEPT. OF GYNECOLOGY

YELKA MARTINEZ BERMUDEZ, MD, MARBELY RODRIGUEZ, MD,

TRANSLATORS: NILSA OCASIO, RN and ANA BURGOS

Drs. Hackney and Patterson reported treating 128 patients in Ob/Gyn Clinic. Dr.Patterson did 2 surgeries: one colpocleisis on an 83 year old woman with complete prolapse. She also did one suburethral sling on a 53 year old woman with stress incontinence. 

Dr. Hackney had shipped two used, but fully functioning “Philip ALT 5000” ultrasound machines. These  were donated by University of Rochester Medical Center. He alloted time  for teaching Drs.Quijano and Bermudez their function.  Four ultrasounds were performed on pregnant women on Friday.  Dr. Hackney continues to e-mail with Dr. Bermudez on operation of the machines.

Drs. Hackney and Patterson  brought their own antibiotics: Bactrim, Flagyl, Doxycycline.  They had to order locally: Clotrimazole ovules and Metrol ovules.  Tylenol, Ibuprofen and Vitamins which had been donated in the US were acquired from Alabama Granada Clinic.  Found no herpes cases, so acyclovir they brought was not needed.

Drs. Hackney and Patterson each donated a unit of blood at the local blood bank. 

PEDIATRICS

LISA HACKNEY, MD. ;BRYANT E. BENSON, MD. AND SUZANNE GOKEY, RN

VOLUNTEERS: LAVERNE RAMSEY, SUPPLIED INFORMATION

LINDA KUSH; ALLISON, MELISSA AND REBECCA PARKER

TRANSLATORS:  ADELA LACAYO AND THELMA LACAYO

Three Hundred and thirty three  pediatric patients were seen and treated.  Meds were prescribed and  toys were given.

DENTAL CLINIC

  Iradj Sooudi, DMD.  SUPPLIED INFORMATION

Noel Lopez,  MD  Oral Surgeon

assisted by Dr. Ivania Mendez Bermudez, Granada

Dental assistant Delmis Murillo Acevedo, Granada  

85 patients were examined, 52 male, 33 female

SERVICE PROVIDED BY DENTIST:

·         19 extractions and surgical procedures

·         39 patients received fillings.

·         27 patients received oral  prophylaxis.

·         10 patients visited us for dental consultations.

·         Oldest patient seen was 66 and youngest was 04 yrs.                                                                           All patients received toothbrushes donated by Colgate and tooth paste with verbal and illustrated instructions for better oral hygiene. 

“Moral and emotional rewards for my services are beyond the word satisfaction.  I got more out of this than I truly provided for the wonderful people of Nicaragua”. Iradj Sooudi, DMD.

ALABAMA GRANADA CLINIC

NICHOLAS LOON, MD. NEPHROLOGIST/ENDOCRINOLOGIST

                    WEILY SOONG, MD. ALLERGIST; ELQUIS CASTILLO, MD. ONCOLOGIST

JUDY LOON  CRNP; JANET REEVES, CRNP; CLAIRE GORDON,  PHARMACIST

 CLINIC DOCTORS: RENE CASTILLO AND SILVIO PICADO, MD

 

VOLUNTEERS TRANSLATING:

LOWELL SMITH, RN; NILSA OCASIO, RN; JANET SANDINO; CECILIA BURGOS

CLINIC MANAGERS: ABBOTT WILLIAMS & CHERYL WILLIAMS:

 LORI FEIST, RN., LAURI SOONG, DEIRDRE LOON worked triage.

562PATIENTS WERE EXAMINED AND APPROPRIATE TREATMENT ADMINISTERED. 

OF   562:  283 WERE NEW TO OUR CLINIC.  INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY CHERYL WILLIAMS

 DR. NICK LOON WORKS WITH THE DIABETIC PATIENTS, HIS SPECIALTY.  HE CLOSELY EXAMINES AND, IN HIS TEACHING MODE, SHARES HIS KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNIQUES OF TREATING DIABETES WITH DR. CASTILLO, ONE OF OUR ALABAMA GRANADA CLINICA DOCTORS. 

JUDY LOON, CRNP, SPECIALIZES IN TREATMENT OF DIABETICS. SHE CONDUCTED A SEMINAR ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON FOR DIABETIC PATIENTS.  NUTRITION WAS THE FOCUS OF THE SEMINAR AND SHE USED POWER POINT AND TELEVISION TO REACH HER AUDIENCE.  INFORMATION ABOUT DIABETES WAS AVAILABLE IN SPANISH. FORTY TWO PATIENTS WERE IN ATTENDANCE. 

BESIDES SEEING AND TREATING PATIENTS, ONE OF OUR GOALS IS TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE OF NEW TECHNOLOGY WITH THE NICARAGUAN DOCTORS.  DR. SOONG HAS TAUGHT THROUGH THE YEARS.  AS AN ALLERGIST, PATIENTS EXHIBITING THESE SYMPTOMS ARE REFERRED TO DR. SOONG. 

AS STATED IN OUR MISSION STATEMENT, WE STRIVE TO BRING MEDICAL EDUCATION TO OUR COUNTERPARTS IN NICARAGUA.

BESIDES TEACHING WITHIN  CLINICS, MEDICAL LECTURES THIS YEAR WERE GIVEN:  BREAST CANCER BY DR ELQUIS CASTILLO,  UPDATE IN DIABETES  BY DR. NICK LOON AND BASICS OF ALLERGY BY DR WEILY SOONG, THESE LECTURES WERE MODERATED AND TRANSLATED BY DR. RODOLFO VARGAS  AT  HOSPITAL METROPOLITANO "VIVIAN PELLAS, MANAGUA, NICARAGUA.

KEITH HODGE, ONE OF THE BIOMETRY SPECIALISTS, CONTRIBUTED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME REPAIRING EQUIPMENT IN GRANADA.  HE REPAIRED 2 STERILIZERS FOR THE OPERATING ROOM AND TROUBLESHOT 2 OTHER STERILIZERS.  PRELIMINARY DIAGNOSIS HAS BEEN MADE AND PARTS TO REPAIR STERILIZERS WILL BE ORDERED AND INSTALLED ON HIS NEXT VISIT  (POTENTIALLY IN AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER).

HE INSTALLED A SWITCH FOR THE SUCTION LINE ON DENTIST CHAIR # 2.  REPAIRED THE RAISE/LOWER FUNCTION OF THE EXAMINATION CHAIR IN OPHTHALMOLOGY. PERFORMED ADJUSTMENTS ON THE CHART RECORDER FOR THE EKG/ECG MACHINE SO THAT IT WOULD BE USABLE.  REPAIR PART TO BE ORDERED.    BROUGHT BACK THE FETAL MONITOR FOR REPAIR, HOPEFULLY TO RETURN IT IN AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER. 

LARRY CLANTON, A RETIRED ELECTRICIAN, WORKED ON CALIBRATING EQUIPMENT IN ANESTHESIA.  HE EXAMINED A DRYER AT THE ASYLUM PROVIDENCIA AND BOUGHT A DRYER FOR THEM TO USE IN LIEU OF DRYING CLOTHES ON THE GROUND.  ABBOTT WILLIAMS, JOHN PARKER, FRANCES OWENS AND SCOTT CHRAMER CONTRIBUTED TO THIS MUCH NEEDED DRYER.   

WE WERE JOINED THIS YEAR BY DR. ALI MADANI WHO CAME TO DO A “FIRST HAND OBSERVATION STUDY OF THE STATE OF HEALTH CARE IN NICARAGUA”.

OUR GRATITUDE:
AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL VOLUNTEERS

FROM: ALABAMA, CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA, MASSACHUSETTS, NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA, MICHIGAN, ENGLAND AND NEW YORK.  

WITHOUT YOU, OUR MISSION WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE.

YOU BRING YOUR SKILLS, PAY YOUR OWN EXPENSES AND WORK IN SOMETIMES, FRUSTRATING SITUATIONS TO HELP THE POOR IN NICARAGUA.

TO ABBOTT WILLIAMS  and  CHERYL WILLIAMS, WHO WORK WEEKS IN ADVANCE OF OUR TRIP TO MAKE OUR

 MISSION POSSIBLE”. 

 SPECIAL THANKS ALSO TO ALL OF OUR FINANCIAL SUPPORTERS, FOR YOUR DONATIONS

YOUR DONATIONS HAVE MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR OUR ANNUAL TRIPS TO BRING MEDICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE POOR OF NICARAGUA.  YOU HAVE GIVEN US THE MEANS TO ACQUIRE, RESTORE AND EQUIP THE ALABAMA-GRANADA CLINIC WHERE TWO NICARAGUAN DOCTORS, RENE CASTILLO AND SILVIO PICADO, SEE PATIENTS MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. 

TO LIBERATING TECHNOLOGIES FOR COMPUTERS GIVEN TO MEDICAL STUDENTS

 TO  MEDTRONIC FOR THE DONATION OF 12 PACEMAKERS AND ACCESSORIES AND THE PARTICIPATION OF THEIR TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVE BRAD BOLEN WHO CAME TO ASSIST. 

TO ALCON LABORATORIES WHO KINDLY DONATED INTRAOCULAR LENSES, GOWN PACKS AND ACCOMPANYING SUPPLIES.  THEY PROVIDED  A  VITRECTOMY MACHINE IN NICARAGUA FOR OUR USE.  ALCON HAS AIDED OUR EFFORTS FOR 10 YEARS. 

TO BROOKWOOD MEDICAL CENTER AND CALLAHAN EYE FOUNDATION HOSPITAL FOR YOUR PRESENT AND PAST SUPPORT. 

TO ALABAMA EYE BANK FOR DONATION OF  CORNEAS.  

TO NATIONAL CENTER OF OPHTHALMOLOGY (CENAO) DIRECTOR DR. FRANCISCA RIVAS AND DR. ABRAHAM DELGADO 

TO NATIONAL CENTER OF CARDIOLOGY, DIRECTOR, DR. NELSON SALAZAR 

TO HOSPITAL AMISTAD JAPON-NICARAGUA  DIRECTOR, DR. JUAN BARRIOS AND DEPUTY DIRECTOR, DR. YELBA LOGO 

TO THE MILITARY HOSPITAL DIRECTOR, DR RENE DARCE AND DR HUGO ARGUELLOS DEPUTY DIRECTOR 

CERTAINLY OUR THANKS ALWAYS TO:

SRA, FÁTIMA LACAYO de SÁENZ AND HER HUSBAND JAIME SAENZ, HE IS ALWAYS CHECKING ON THE WELFARE OF THE CLNIC, TO CECILIA BURGOS, OUR MANAGER AND GUSTAVO  GUITIERREZ WHO KEEP THE CLINIC FUNCTIONING ALL DURING THE YEAR.

THANKS TO THE NICARAGUAN VOLUNTEERS WHO WORK TIRELESSLY DURING THE YEAR WHEN WE ARE NOT PRESENT.
 

 

 

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