Comment

Comment by Janine on June 12, 2010 at 1:01am

Post by Captain Paulson
Commanding Officer,
Medical Treatment Facility
USNS Mercy

June 11, 2010



Janine and families –

You may have noticed that we were out of e-mail contact for the last day or so. There was a problem at the receiving end back in San Diego, and the system was restored just as we were setting up the backup system here. All communication should be working again as we finish our last day here in Vietnam.

I’ve got to tell all of you how proud I am of our crew. They’ve done a great job here, providing health care to well over ten thousand Vietnamese who would not otherwise be able to afford care. I attended a meeting yesterday at the Leprosy hospital here in Quy Nonh – one of the premier facilities in the world for the care of people who are afflicted with this disease. Up until the last 30 years or so, we did not have effective treatment for this disorder that mainly affects skin and nerve, so there are many leprosy patients who are disfigured or crippled simply due to a bacterial infection. Now this facility can help them become functional once again, and can also assist in overcoming the social stigma of looking like a leprosy patient. It’s really remarkable. I’ll send along a photo later of one of the patients who really touched my heart.

On board, we’ve done over 100 surgeries/procedures – and our oldest patient was a 95 year old man. We’ve repaired many cleft lips and palates, in children and in adults! We have even had two local fishermen brought to the ship after injuries at sea, and we have taken care of injuries that would have ended their careers. One of our most touching scenes was when the PACOM commander visited. He was on his way off the ship, and because we had another boat with patients coming to us, we sent his boat away temporarily. I thought he might be upset at waiting, but when they led a blind woman off the boat and up the gangway, our hearts just melted. We all knew it was the right thing to do.

We have given out thousands of glasses, treated thousands of dental patients, treated even more thousands of children and adults with disease, held classes in Preventive Medicine, Cardiology, Skin Disease and Veterinary Medicine. We’ve had a wonderful and fulfilling time here in Vietnam, and none of our MTF sailors, soldiers or airmen got in trouble while they were here!

They’ve got a right to be proud. Let them know you’re thinking of them, and wish them well as we head south to Cambodia.

R/ Jeff Paulson

Comment by judy on June 10, 2010 at 6:05pm

Does anyone know if they are still in Vietnam?

Comment by Janine on June 9, 2010 at 11:04am

Families and friends –
It’s hard to believe that we are finally here in Vietnam and are actually seeing patients! It was a long transit from San Diego, to Hawaii, to Guam, to Vietnam, but we’ve been at it here for almost a week now, and things are going just great! I’ve included a couple pictures of our various staffs – riding in boats to shore, seeing patients, eating in the chow hall, and generally getting started on this grand adventure.

We arrived in the harbor here in Quy Nonh early on the 31st of May (afternoon 30 May in San Diego). Vice Admiral Robinson, the Surgeon General of the Navy paid us a visit, along with Rear Admiral Anderson, the Pacific Command Surgeon. They joined in the opening ceremonies on the pier in Quy Nonh and visited our staff here on board. VADM Robinson was kind enough to take time for photos with everyone on board who wanted a pic with him and his Force Master Chief.

Tuesday, we really got started at all the MEDCAP sites and the Community Service sites. At the MEDCAPS, we are providing eye exams and glasses, pediatric care, adult health care, dental care and physical therapy instruction and equipment to those in need. It’s been a challenging time, as the temperatures (adjusted for humidity) are over 105, and as we provide health services to up to six or seven hundred patients a day. Meantime, we have a full schedule of educational opportunities (we call them Subject Matter Expert Exchanges – SMEE) and have begun surgical cases on board.

On the first day, our surgical staff screened well over 100 patients as possible candidates for surgery, and we have been going big time ever since. We are doing many cataract surgeries with our staff and our partner nation surgeons, giving the gift of sight back to many. Our plastic surgeons are also doing wonderful things, including repair of scars left after a Vietnamese woman had acid thrown in her face. It’s truly amazing. Though those are only a couple of highlights, that doesn’t mean that our orthopedic surgeons, our gynecological surgeons, our otolaryngologist and all the others are taking time off. They’re all busy too, and delivering simply superb health care!!

Our NGO partners have been key to our success. The students from UCSD Pre-dental Society, the volunteers from Latter Day Saints Charities, the enthusiastic crew from Project Hope are only a few of those working alongside us. The Japanese have sent one of their ships and a medical team to work with us as well, giving this a real international flavor.

If you’re concerned about your sailors, (we’re all sailors now, no matter where we started), we are all doing well here. We’re getting a chance to go ashore to work, and to explore Vietnam a little bit as well. The food is wonderful, especially the tropical fruits you can’t find anywhere else – mangosteens, lychee and rambutan to name just a few.


That reminds me, it’s almost time for lunch! I hope you all are well, and I once again thank you for your support and best wishes for all our sailors here in Vietnam.

Respectfully, Jeff Paulson

CAPT J. Paulson
MTF USNS MERCY
Commanding Officer

Comment by ABHWIFE on June 7, 2010 at 11:31am

Thanks So Much You've been so helpful. :)...... That was very easy!

Comment by ABHWIFE on June 7, 2010 at 9:31am

What a nice thing to do Gloria, and thanks to you and the members of The Blue Star Moms Group for all your help to all service members. Now how exactly do I give you my service members infomation.

Comment by judy on June 5, 2010 at 1:27am

oops -sorry I meant Fri Morning for me and Friday night for him I forgot I took the day off today. I am so confused! I live in Maine so I am in the same time zone as you. About the drinking part I guess that happened the night before I didn't really want to know so I didn't ask to many questions about that.

Comment by judy on June 5, 2010 at 12:08am

I sent out a box 3 weeks ago so he could have for his bday, but he told me today that he still has not rcvd it yet.

It was Sat night for him sat morning for us. He said it was hot, but bearable, I did ask about the local townspeople and he said they just stared at him, and smiled. That made me also feel better.

Comment by ABHWIFE on June 4, 2010 at 11:20pm

Thanks so much for the heads up Gloria. I too look forward to sharing with you and others .:)

Comment by ABHWIFE on June 4, 2010 at 10:47pm

Hi Janine, My name is Monica Smith, and I too have a husband who is deployed on the USNS Mercy. I just want to say thank you for updating me on USNS Mercy, and its status, and other resources here in San Diego; you've been a great help to me and my family. I'm very interested in begin apart of this project. My cell phone number is 619-865-6533, and my email address is Smithfamjm@aol.com. I really look forward to meeting you soon, and again Thanks, I look forward to receiving more updates from you on the USNS Mercy's Pacific Partnership 2010.

Comment by judy on June 4, 2010 at 9:35pm

MY SON FINALLY CALLED. I was getting a little nervous that I did not hear from him in a while. Today was his 21st birthday so he called me. Isn't that sweet. Made my whole day. Can't help smiling! He stated that he has been working alot. He did say he has been out a couple of times.

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