Good Morning Angels: Operation Healing Hands is back to make a difference this Mandela Day

GOOD MORING ANGELS 7 JUNE 2017 (OHH/ORIN & JOSIAH)

Operation Healing Hands is in full swing to help more patients with major surgeries this Mandela Day.

Angels: Operation Healing Hands

Background: Operation Healing Hands is the idea of a Pretoria orthopedic surgeon. She strives to get her colleges, friends, and medical supply companies to give of their time, skill, services, and products in the private medical field in order to help people who cannot afford private health care with life-saving and -changing surgeries. 

She had no difficulty convincing others in her field to participate and the result is an NPO, supported by more than 20 medical practitioners, support skills, and two hospitals, namely Life Eugene Marais and Life Groenkloof. Last year, Operation Healing Hands performed life-saving surgeries on 21 patients.

PATIENT 1: ORIN GILLIAN OPERATED ON BY DR O

Orin Gillian is nou 27 en is die rede hoekom ek Operation Healing Hands begin het. Sy is ’n vriend van my se sussie en het laas jaar in my kantoor ingestap met ’n baie skewe voorarm wat glad nie kon draai nie, of die pols optel nie met baie swak greep. 

Sy was in ’n motorvoertuigongeluk en het ’n slegte radius (voorarm ) fraktuur opgedoen en ook ’n bekken fraktuur. Sy is ’n maand lank in Tembisa hospitaal behandel. Die bekken konserwatief en teen die tyd dat hulle haar arm geoperreer het was dit so moeilik dat die juniors wie by Tembisa werk dit waarskynlik onderskat het en net nie kon reg kry nie. Hulle het die arm net so in die skewe gebreekte posisie vasgemaak met die gevolg dat sy amper alle funksie in haar dominante hand verloor het.

Ek het haar dadelik na Prof Myburgh (een van die beste ortopede) by Steve Biko se boonste ledemaat firma verwys en hy het haar dadelik uitgesorteer maar sy kort opvolg chirurgie en hy is intussen tragies oorlede. Die boonste ledemate is nou baie agter en sy het nie ’n baie groot prosedure nodig nie. Ons gaan die ulna (die ander voorarm been ) korter maak dat sy nie meer pyn indie pols het nie en die hand beter kan gebruik

Ons het vir haar ’n boonste ledemaat spesialis gekry en sy gaan by die Zuid-Afrikaans geopereer word. 

PATIENT 2: JOSIAH MSISA OPERATED ON BY DR HELENE

Josiah Msisa is 51-year-old and works as a handyman. He is a dedicated worker and breadwinner for his family and children. Josiah had a knee replacement about three years ago, but he is due for a new knee on his other leg. His mobility is seriously affected by the pain in his knee and earning his daily bread has become a painful battle. 

The State Hospital has put him on a list - but he’s been waiting for almost three years and he has no indication of when his second operation will be. Josiah has however been chosen by Operation Healing Hands and his pain should be over within the next month - with a full replacement scheduled by one of the country’s top orthopedic surgeons at Life Eugene Marais Hospital. Josiah says he looks forward to climbing ladders without worry and pain again.