力行植林慈善基金會

清遠市 清城區“扶貧復明”手術期工作報告

由下鄉進行白內障篩查至復明手術，時間原定2011年2月27日至3月10日，時間最初認為已很充裕，怎知下鄉進行篩查時，發覺雙盲的患者竟高達30%，且很多都是缺乏醫療常識，以為自然老化的現象不能醫治，因而導致失明。為使眾多接近失明邊緣的患者早日得到治療，基金會決定按需要增加名額，而手術期亦由2011年3月7日至10日，需增加至3月14日。

 在手術期中，很多謝清城區人民政府、區殘疾人聯合會、新希望眼科醫療隊、李河先生、香港力行義工等鼎力支持合作，使這次行動獲得順利完成。如飛來峽鎮鄧鎮長親自下鄉安排患者乘車前來，實功德無量，因為許多患者都很貧困，數元車資也沒有能力支付，亦有些患者生活在農村中，遠離居所範圍外從沒有踏足，種種原因，實令人感觸不矣，另黃主任及謝主任在這次行動安排協助，都是盡心盡力；就算是過了他們的辦公時間，他們都會和我們一起,從旁協助。而其中在華僑農場清華居委會的一位女幹部，由篩查至手術期，她都是全程陪伴患者前來，手術期為患者安排車接送往來，亦為患者安排午膳。他們為人民服務的精神，很值得表揚。亦是對一些被派前來的人員（只說前來協助不是前來幫忙），應作為學習及借鏡的對象。

 由於力行義工因時間關係，在2011年3月10日需要撤退，餘下手術期間交由新希望眼科醫療隊、鎮政府、區殘聯等協助。在此謹代表力行植林慈善基金會再向各位致謝。

 今次手術期間的一宗個案，希望與大家分享：-

在手術期開始的第一天，有位中年婦女前來，向義工查詢，她說年紀老邁的母親，已失明近十年了，不知有沒有方法醫治，最主要是她沒有錢支付醫療費。義工對她說這次是免費的義診，請她帶婆婆前來檢查。

一位八十多歲的老婆婆被拖扶到醫療隊隊長湯老師面前，經檢查後一隻眼晴已失明，而另一隻眼的白內障極嚴重，立即為她安排手術。在手術前清潔消毒及沖淚管期間，婆婆被清洗做手術的眼晴時，臉孔呈現了兩種顏色，被水沖過的臉呈現雪白，而另一邊臉則是灰暗，而她的圍巾及衣著更加是污髒不堪。醫療隊敏姑娘問她的女兒，婆婆是如何照顧，為何如此污髒，她的女兒不好意思地說，通常都是替她用毛巾揩臉。在婆婆等候上手術車期間，義工與婆婆閒談，婆婆訴說她在兩年前已完全看不見東西，但家人說她懶惰，故意詐盲不工作。平常沒有人理她，她又看不到東西，只好終日呆在一間小房子內。由此可見婆婆的生活是如何堪坷。

翌日婆婆回來覆檢，她可看到了，她和女兒都喜極而泣。而在這兩天，她的女兒看到義工們對每位老人家，關懷備至，帶著老人到每一個檢查位置，都小心攙扶，這種行為起了潛移默化的作用。當婆婆檢查後離開，看見她的女兒亦很小心地扶著婆婆走出醫療室。   

以上的個案，其實在國內發生是極為普遍的。以前中國是百行以孝為先，但時至今天，許多年青一代，為生活而離鄉別井往城市打工，只留下老人及小童在家中，對他們欠缺照顧關懷，這都是很值得關注的問題。       

 總結而言，這次“扶貧復明”共完成209例，這項目是極需要支持的。因除了帶給患者能復明，亦是對他們的生活幫了一個大忙；使他們從黑暗的深淵走出來，起碼能過自理的生活。而力行植林慈善基金會是沒有任何行政費用支出，義工們全部都是自費參與每個項目。願各位有心人仕能踴躍捐助，惠澤流芳。

       本次手術經費： 感謝 何國斌先生 贊助50%之費用

                                                   義工    鄧月嫻

                                                  2011年3月20日

[Show as slideshow]

 Reflection on cataract surgery service trip to Qing Yuan with Green Action

             If I am to use a word to describe the trip, I’d probably pick Eye-opening. In the trip,I worked as a volunteer for Green Action and alongside a outreach medical team from the New Hope Hospital to provide cataract surgery to impoverished villagers in Qing Yuan. It’s eye-opening for patients who were blinded by cataract for years and eye-opening for me as a medical student new to this part of China and its social and medical context, new to the surgery itself and to the whole process of setting up a clinic capable of handling hundreds of patients.

                I was lucky enough to work with experienced volunteers from Hong Kong as well as doctors and nurses in the medical team from China. By helping out in different steps of pre-operative care the patient went through through the post-operative examination and check-up, I realized just how much efforts and resources were needed to make the event possible.

                  In terms of medical knowledge, I got to appreciate the complexity of the pre-operative preparation, the surgery and post-operative care, thanks to the thoughtful arrangement by Green Action to let us rotate through the “stations”. It impressed me that all these complicated steps can be performed so smoothly on patients who are predominantly elderly with so limited resources! In particular, I was quite surprised to find that there were actually two operation tables on broad the cataract surgery bus. It followed stringent protocols and this was a mammoth’s task considering the limited space of operation theatre and the highly restricted stock of medical supplies that the bus can carry.

                  I also learnt the basics of taking care of blind people. At first, the patients seem to be very hesitant when I indicated to them to sit up or lie down. After some trials, I found out that it’s actually better off letting them touch the seat and judge the distance than to forcefully put them into a certain position. I fully understood why it’s so when I closed my eyes and asked a volunteer to guide me for a seat. I realized how true the statement “you never know how to be a doctor until you become the patient” is.

                    In terms of experience, I felt very deeply towards some of the people I met during the trip.

                    On the morning of the second day of the trip, patients who received surgery on the previous day came back for a follow up. An elderly man shouted out with joy when he was able to see the world again after being blinded by cataract for over 10 years. He was a totally different person as before the surgery! I remembered putting on shoes for him before the surgery because he was simply unable to locate them. After the surgery, he actually read out the print on his patient history form!  I shared his joy and felt that what was being done made a big difference to the patient and his family.

                    I was touched by the passion and love many of the volunteers felt for the villages whom they hardly know and yet they were serving them with care and efforts that some patients said to me “ You guys treated me better than my kids!” It was meant to be a compliment but I actually felt a bit sad when I heard this because I truly witnessed a general lack of concern of the younger generation for the elderly. I felt honored to be part of the team making a difference to the patients we served. The trip is really short and I missed all the dedicated people I met on the journey but life is like a play, it’s not the length but the excellence of the acting that matters.

Harmony To, HKU MBBS II