Day 1

We were greeted so warmly as our bus pulled up to the hospital E medical center. A large red banner strewn above the entry door, welcoming the CardioStart team. Aubyn and Janine received big bouquets of flowers and warm embraces. A year had passed since they had last met the local team. There were an abundancy of smiling faces, excited each time a familiar CardioStart team member arrived. Over joyed to see the friends they had worked with in the 2009 mission.
We settled in a conference room. Both sides spoke to the large group, both leaders, Aubyn and Dr. Thanh were energetic, genuine, and charming. They are clearly great leaders. As the formalities ended, the work began. Teams started splitting off to get their tours. Echo, Perfusion, ICU, all words I had no idea what they meant. But now, I have learned they all are integral parts to operating on a heart. All I can say is chaos, or perhaps what felt like chaos to a lamens person. I suspect though, the doctors and nurses (especially mission veterans) are used to this level of excitement! To the girl who works from her home office for corporate America, this a bit more intensity than she is used to. People went off in all sorts of direction. In hours a rough education calendar was created, cases were presented, surgeries were scheduled, ICU unpacked equipment, copies of the database were made. Lots of work done. Lots of questions. Less answers. But it was quite clear, we'd either figure it out or make it up along the way. And all would would end well.
Lunch was over the top. The hospital made lunch and each table had about 10 courses, course after course of delicious food. Never have I had a delicious meal in an American hospital. Vietnamese people often refer to the United States as paradise. The pinnacle of all things. But I think the Vietnamese have the food thing figured it out.
Exhausted and tired, we arrived at our hotel. Knowing we'd have to get up early tomorrow and leave for the hospital by 6:30 am. As exciting as Day 1, it has been even more exciting to see things start to come together on Day 2; surgeries being conducted, systems being developed and overall everything is falling into place. Check back, I can't wait to share the heart warming story about Jim, our biomed and Vietnam vet...















In front of the new heart center at E hospital.



















Vice President of CardioStart, Janine Henson and Dr. Suresh Bhagia.















First meeting of the day.















President of HSCV, Chuck Devet, with a few board members.