July, 2008: Aeromédicos’ first, fabulous Sunset/Moonrise Coastal Cruise on the Channel Cat. Thanks to all, donors and sailors. We had a wonderful time and were able to start the season with the means to help more people. Look for the second Sunset/Moonrise cruise in July 2010.
August: Aeromédicos was involved in helping a young San Juanico boy, Brandon. Brandon had a birth defect that necessitated an immediate colostomy. Nothing had been done for him for many years.
September: An extraordinary effort by Aeromédicos and their many contacts enabled Brandon and his mother to be flown to Tijuana where surgery was completed successfully at the Hospital Sagrado Corazon. Follow-up surgery will be needed in 2009.
October: Is the usual start of the Aeromédicos’ season in Cadeje. However, Hurricane Norbert blew into Southern Baja the week of our first scheduled trip. Fortunately, Mulege and Cadeje were spared significant damage.
November: We were ready to go when the trip once again had to be cancelled because of bad weather in Baja.
December: This trip was extra special, not only as the start of the season (finally), but we all stayed in San Juanico and were treated to wonderful meals at the homes of Idel Meza and Angel Aguilar. Both of these men have been treated to vital facial reconstructive surgery by Aeromédicos and Fresh Start Surgical Gifts. It was a pleasure to have Amanda Grossman, M.D. and Asa Morton, M.D. from San Diego join us, as they were the surgeons for Idel and Angel.
January, 2009: A super busy medical clinic and as always the dental side treated a steady stream of grateful people. Stu MacPherson performed six root canals and Dick Klein started 18 new denture/plate treatments as well as delivering many finished cases.
February: Late trip cancellation due to bad weather.
March: The annual whale watch was disappointing for those who flew down on Thursday but amazing for the lucky few on Friday. March clinics are always busy but this set new records on number of patients treated. Three M.D.s, two nurse practitioners, two R.N.s, two E.M.T.s saw more than 45 patients. Five dentists and their support crew helped more than 90 patients, most with multiple treatments. We continue to improve the check-in process.
April: No planes were able to fly from the U.S.A., as the temporary permit to land was not issued until the day before we were due to leave. David Rose, M.D. and Dick Klein, D.D.S. were able to fly in from Mulege and conduct a mini clinic.
May/June: Cancelled trips due to no permit to land.
July: Celebrate! We now have a five year permit to land after an exhausting, frustrating, expensive, time-consuming process. Thank you to those who made it possible. Three planes, filled with dedicated volunteers, left balmy Santa Barbara to make up for cancelled clinics in May and June. Fortunately, we were not overwhelmed and were able to treat all who came, including some of the young men from the military camp near the airport on the road to San Juanico. Sufficient medications were left for patients to use until we return in October.
August: A 14 year old girl with many eye problems was seen by Asa Morton at our December clinic. He successfully removed a mass that had been growing on her eyelid. She is now in need of more serious extensive surgery to alleviate her congenital glaucoma. She was evaluated by Dr. Morton and his partner recently in San Diego. Fresh Start Surgical Gifts has asked Aeromédicos to team with them to help this young teen from San Juanico.
NOTE: There is a new requirement that pilots complete and submit a form to Homeland Security prior to leaving the USA. We will need passport numbers and additional information on the sign-up and consent forms. Current valid passports are required. |