Monday, January 22nd by Louis

After all this preparation and work, this mission is coming to a close.  What a great team we had and great work.  I was told by some in Zimvie that this is one of the easiest team they had to work with since it went so so well.  Does this mean I have to keep these people for every mission lol?

Leaving Zimvie is always so difficult.  The simplicity, the smile, the ability to help with what we are trained and love to do, practicing our craft, what we have trained so many years to do.   Zimvie allows us to do that, allows us to help patients without the bureaucracy and the ego of departments heads the ability to work as a team for one common goal, the patient.

As usual, leaving Zimvie was very difficult.  The people, the smile, the ability to make a difference with these is just amazing.  People are so so inviting, and kids.. wow all over the place.  The average age in Benin is 17 y.o, so one can only imagine the number of kids.  There is so much to do.. One thing I did realize is that if we get them organized, they will maintain it…we did that in the OR what 5-6 yrs ago and to this day, they continue to use the same process, the same shelves and they are proud of it.  Is the next step to organize the store so that way when the container is sent, everything is placed where it belongs.  I think that will be part of the next mission, find few individuals that what to help and have some knowledge of what needs to be done..We will have to look for shelving units and send them via container for this to occur…

Our team was fantastic.  No ego and all willing to help, adapt, learn and exchange and treat patients the best way we can under the circumstances.…

Thank you all for that Kevin, Todd, Anne, Vanessa…  you guys were amazing.  Help and taught people, allowed people that have never seen an OR, a surgery to understand and help in the way they could.  We also had great people, Sarah, at the house cooking, cleaning and making sure we were happy that way.  Doug and Dave were willing to do whatever, help where ever which was really needed.  Thank you Barb for putting your 100% into this mission,  I know as a Physio there was not much for now, but your perception and help with discussion post-mission will be great, you jumped in and help with Lokpo which was not easy.    You were there ready to help with whatever task came up.  Bev, you did amazing in dentistry.. thank you.. I know you were out of your element but did amazing…  Judy.. what can I say, Thank you…we need two of you  At times you ran and got 3 rooms ready, help and assist and continued to do what needed to be done… Thank you… I have to say, not because she is mine, but my 14 y.o girl is someone a father is so proud of..and thinks the world of her.. We always worry about our kids, how will they do, what will they say and will they be able to stand up to the plate.  This was a real-life test for her and she did better than anyone could of imagine…Renee not only got to the plate but batted a home run.  She went to bed very late, up early, learned so many different things, and was willing to help and direct all of us.  Imagine a 14 y.o telling all the surgeons and team where we should go, that we should be on time, where we need to go.. here or there..and her job, that was assigned to her were done very well.  We can all say that we all learned from her and her smile was very contagious.. Bravo Renee.

It was nice to have few hrs to spend in cotonou and have a shower.. that was a luxury.  Our return home was good.. long but good..Tuesday morning I am back at work, in our modern and up to date environment with 1^st world problems.. I will miss Zimvie and Benin and will say Au Revoir since I will return soon

Thank you all.. I will miss all of you