Where do you begin?

A word from another team member - Jenn 

Wow, were do I begin? This trip to Todos Santos, Guatemala has been a lot of firsts for me! My first time out of North America and my first ever plane ride!  Being here has been one amazing experience; my position here is in recovery, monitoring patients coming out of surgery. With 15 - 20 surgeries a day it makes for a very busy time but its great.  We have the chance to interact with the people of Todos Santos! From the moment they come out of surgery we need to get their temperature, surround them with heating bottles, check the heart rates and respiratory rates, connect them back onto IV fluids and monitor for a safe recovery. We have up to 7-9 patients at once in recovery so it can get a bit crowded. Courtney and I hand out some snacks to the parents and kiddies! Just like back home in Canada we all share the same love and compassion for our furry little friends. The owners will stay by their side talking to them trying to wake them up. It’s very sweet to see those giving kisses and hugs to their pets after surgery.

I’ve had the chance to monitor patients during surgery with some of the Guatemalan Veterinarians as well as Dr. Lechten and Dr. Poon. The surgical area is not what you would expect to see, but with what we have to use, it works great giving the conditions. It really makes me feel great every night when going to bed, that being a part of this mission makes a difference here in Todos Santos.

The Vets without Borders team is an amazing group of people and I would love to be a part of this mission again.  I am truly blessed to be here and very thankful for the opportunity to be a part of this team, something that I’ve always wanted to do since I was a little girl.