Index to the
Second Week of the Medical Mission to Mindanao:
Malaybalay, Bukidnon at BBH.
The Navajo flight
from Surallah in South Cotabato, Mindanao to Bukidnon
Province and Malaybalay at BBH to begin the stay
in Bethel Baptist Hospital Guest House on its
Fiftieth Anniversary, with a successful email
transmission. 
My birthday begins
with a pre-dawn run through the rainforest along
the Kamalaon Park in Malaybalay,continuing
to Mount Kitanglad to “MKAVI”
Following a
pre-dawn run around the rainforest, first full
day operating at BBH in Malaybalay begins with
a visit to the Mayor’s Office and a gift from
the city of 130,000 citizens of the Bukidnon capital,
then one goiter after another until we complete
the OR lists for the day with Josephine Tano’s
reconstruction.
A full operating
day, ends with a solo thyroidectomy for the largest
goiter yet, and a discussion both medical and
technologic with plastic surgeon Morella who shows
me her single unit cell phone, PDA, web access,
email, camera, word processor.
A half day operating
and a brief tour of the Malaybalay environs, with
a visit to Kaamalan Park, the Benedictine Monastery,
and MKADC, a pineapple plantation, before the
NNH/MMI farewell party celebration.
Full final day
of operating at BBH, with the cases complete and
a farewell dinner with the medical staff in our
sendoff from Bukidnon on the fiftieth anniversary
of BBH.
The departure
from BBH at Malaybalay, and farewell to friends,
including the Tboli post-op patients, and packing
up for Cagayan de Oro and beyond.