Rotary makes possible endoscopic services
Forty or so years ago a ground breaking science fiction movie, “The Fantastic Voyage”, told the story of a group of scientists who were shrunken to microscopic size and actually entered the body of a dying patient in order to save his life. Today, News 5’s Jacqueline Woods witnessed the twenty-first century version of that trip–and while it may have been science, the life saving procedure was definitely not fiction.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
Three years ago, sixty-one year old Gloria Popper started experiencing stomach pains. Today, the pains have become more frequent and difficult to tolerate.
Gloria Popper, Patient
“Well when I have the pain in my stomach, I start to sweat cold and I feel really miserable, I don’t want to talk, I don’t want to see nobody. And sometimes I say, why don’t I die and finish because I have been suffering so long with these pains.”
The only examination that can help doctors properly diagnose her condition is a gastro-duodenoscopy, a procedure that allows doctors, with the help of a small television camera, see what is taking place inside the stomach without having to perform surgery. But when Popper first became ill, the service was not available in the country, and when it eventually was, she could not afford the cost. To ease the pain, she was given injections and medication…but this morning, Popper’s trip to the hospital was different. This time the visit would include the procedure that she has been waiting for so long.
Gloria Popper
“I don’t know exactly, I just have to wait until it happens.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Are you feeling nervous right now?”
Gloria Popper
“No, I put my trust in God.”
Popper is one of the first patients to receive the endoscopic service that is now available at Belize Medical Associates. The hospital received the one hundred and twenty thousand dollars worth of equipment from the Rotary Club of Belize and the Rotary Club of Charleston, North Carolina. Presently in the country is Rotarian Dr. Dennis Fried. Dr. Fried, who is a colorectal surgeon and endoscopist, is training B.M.A. doctors how to do the procedure and also to conduct surgeries free of cost, to patients like Popper.
Kay Menzies, President, Rotary Club of Belize
“It was a Rotarian to Rotarian discussion. Dr. Dennis Fried as a Rotarian contacted John Woods as a Belize City Rotarian and Dennis Fried had secured the donation from Olympus Corporation of America and one to another, they began a discussion that eventually included myself, and also Dr. Coye. The machine came down, we as Rotary cleared it, we as Rotary brought it over here and installed it, and Dr. Dennis Fried came down at his own expense to treat the patients.”
The procedure usually takes only ten minutes, but some cases can last for thirty. For her session, Popper was first given an anaesthetic to help ease whatever discomfort she may feel. Though doctors suspect she may have an ulcer, only the procedure will determine what the situation really is.
Dr. Dennis Fried, Endoscopist
“One picture is worth a thousand words. You can guess about the diagnosis all you want, but by actually looking you can make the diagnosis for sure.”
As the procedure started, Dr. Fried carefully first put the tube inside Popper’s mouth and then gently guided it down into her oesophagus and finally into the stomach.
Dr. Dennis Fried
“Some feel a sense of discomfort early on because it’s a little scary at first. But their well sedated with medication and we do numb the back of their throat with some medication, so it’s over before they really have a chance to think about it.”
As the tube travelled into Popper’s system, the tiny camera attached to the end allowed Dr. Fried to observe how things look inside. At the end of the examination, there were several things that Dr. Fried said he detected that were of special interest.
Dr. Dennis Fried
“First of all, she has gastritis, which inflammation of the internal lining of the stomach. And that’s why it hurts underneath the breast bone all the time. Additionally, she has acid in her stomach which is going in the reverse direction, up rather than down, and that’s causing a pre-malignant condition in her oesophagus, so we biopsied that and that will have to be looked at very carefully as the years go on. And finally, she has something called oesophageal varices, which is sort of like a varicose vein of the oesophagus rather than of the leg. And these are very dangerous because if they bleed or if they ulcerate, it could be very, very serious situation. So she is going to have to be treated very aggressively, very carefully by her doctors for the rest of her life.”
Dr. Fried says in Popper’s case, the service may prove to be life saving. Popper says she is just glad have received the treatment.
Gloria Popper
“Well, I think it is something good, because maybe it’s not only me going through this, and I think everybody wants to know what’s wrong with them.”
The free clinic will be conducted until Friday. After that, each session will cost around eight hundred Belize dollars. Jacqueline Woods for News 5.
Rotary says the free clinic is booked through Friday. However, the association advises the general public that another free clinic will be offered in the next two months. The service will be provided only to those patients who have been referred by their doctor. The Endoscopic Lab at Belize Medical Associates will be managed by the Rotary Club of Belize.
