Firsthand accounts

The Car Crash That Changed My Life

        By Carolina Vasconcelos

On St. Patrick's Day 2010, after having dinner out with the family, we were struck by a drunk driver on our way home.

The impact was so strong it caused our car to flip. My husband and I suffered major injuries. Thankfully, because my two little girls were in car seats, they only suffered some bruising.

It was the next day when I tried opening my eyes and found myself in a hospital bed being told of what had happened. I had been unconscious and not yet aware of the severity of my injuries. I suffered a few fractures and facial degloving, meaning that part of my face and scalp had peeled off.

Dr. Christopher Tiner, a plastic and maxillofacial surgeon from Pasadena, was the on-call surgeon that night. I underwent the first of six surgeries which involved putting my face and scalp back into place. From there on, I had weekly visits and treatment with Dr. Tiner. His genuine personality and true dedication for his patients is felt immediately as you hear his voice. 

A few months later, a friend of mine mentioned to me that she had seen some YouTube videos of Dr. Tiner doing humanitarian work. He had done some amazing work on a young gentleman in Nicaragua who was involved in an accident and was missing part of his forehead. This got my attention. The group was called IMAHelps, and I learned that they provided medical and dental care for people in other countries. Being a dental assistant, I knew I could help. There was something for me to do. 

I signed up and before I knew it I was on my way to Esteli, Nicaragua on my first mission. I was both nervous and excited, but ready to assist. As I met some of the volunteers the first day, I started to feel welcomed and embraced by people I had never met. We all had one thing in common: an open heart to help.

The next morning we got into the buses and headed to the hospital. I remember seeing a line of people so tightly pressed against each other, some holding their elderly mothers in their arms, others with their children over their shoulders. My heart dropped. I had never seen anything like that. We now had driven past a few blocks and the line kept going. I wasn't sure if I was ready to handle something like this. I couldn't believe that this existed in the same universe I lived in. I was an experience I wasn't prepared for, but I was ready to take it on. I quickly learned it was OK to let a few tears just roll off your face and keep working.

I have had the opportunity and privilege to volunteer with IMAHelps for the past 12 years in Nicaragua, El Salvador, Peru, Paraguay and Ecuador. I've learned so much from patients in these countries, their struggles, their pride for their country and their gratitude for the help received.  I remember seeing a patient during their exam and finding that they had a tooth extracted just a few days ago. Asking him about it, he explained that he was in such tremendous pain he didn't have a choice but to grab some pliers and pull the tooth out himself. Of course, this brought complications since the tooth broke and the pliers were not sterile. His gratitude after we treated him was so great and that tight sincere hug he gave me is one of the reasons why I love being part of this organization. It's a priceless feeling. 

Every medical mission is unique. Each will have its challenges and moments where we have to improvise and think of a Plan B. This is when the fun begins and the stress kicks in, but somehow we make it happen.  As the years have passed, I've picked up a few responsibilities in the Dental Department and now as the Dental Coordinator. I’ll be honest, it brings me joy when it's time to start making lists for the next mission. I've been very lucky to have met many dental volunteers that also shared the same feeling. 

One of the highlights of being an IMAHelps volunteer is to see the IMAHelps family once a year. It’s a bond that truly is genuine. We are united by our intentions to help those who can't help themselves.  I am grateful for the life I have and the experience I went through when I had the accident. It has taught me that I am no different than the people who line up waiting to be seen by IMAHelps doctors on each mission.

IMAHelps Has Shaped My Perspectives on Life and My Purpose

         By Dr. Jessie Davis

In the months leading to my first mission to Paraguay with IMAHelps in 2018, I remember an underlying angst — wondering if I was truly going to be able to help.

I was just about to finish my intern year as an emergency medicine resident, still learning the particulars of my chosen profession. I genuinely wanted to give to something larger than myself, but having never been on a medical mission before, I worried I might instead be more of a burden.

Unsure where I might be of most use, I originally joined the mission to volunteer with one of the orthopedic surgeons, Dr. Todd Swenning, and Erica Pelinski, his amazing Physician Assistant. For it was during my time on the orthopedic service in residency that I first learned about IMAHelps. Despite this initial intention, once the mission began and we started seeing patients, I quickly realized the place I could contribute the most was in working triage with the other emergency and general medicine providers. I owe a great deal to Jennifer Padilla, Dr. Julius Ibañez and Dr. Dave Romness for answering my multitude of questions.

There is much that stays with me from that first year. Seeing young people with cancers, years overdue for definitive treatment. Non-healing fractures in otherwise healthy individuals, debilitated by lack of access to proper care. Facial deformities, masses and tumors, avascular necrosis, festering infections, and people who urgently needed surgical interventions.

I recall one morning, on the way to the hospital, seeing a gentleman with bilateral below-the-knee amputations, having learned to walk on his stumps using homemade, shortened crutches, just so he could continue his life. But more than anything, I remember gratitude and kindness. A woman bringing a small bag of apples as a thank you. People singing in line. Tears of hope, joy, and relief. Children playing in the field where we provided care. It was from the culmination of every experience from that first mission that I knew I’d continue to come back.