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Eileen Blom, Joy Prothero and Marlene Maxwell, Mahaska County Master Gardeners, will be answering questions about showing flowers and horticulture at noon Thursday, July 13 at Mahaska County Extension.
one of our cities and help provide that. there's several cities in the united states that it can help provide this ship, though, and the funding is to go out and work in the countries that we're going out into. now, we can provide and have in the past emergency response in the united states. >> day two. the first time potential patients will be seen. surgical screening is taking place at the kingston public hospital to identify candidates for surgery onboard the ship. >> you did a good job. >> that includes marlene maxwell. she's here with her daughter tracy. marlene is selected for surgery and scheduled for the following day. that means she and tracy will be spending the night onboard the comfort. >> so those two families, if
or a concern? >> i don't think so. i think the whole of jamaica welcomes the u.s. comfort. if they could see more patients, if they could do more surgeries, if they could stay longer, if they could leave the ship with us. >> leave the ship. i like that. >> for marlene's operation, dr. whylie will be scrubbing in with lead surgeon dr. michelle morrison. she is a commander on the united states navy. they operated together on one patient this morning. >> i have her scrubbed in with me today, just kind of showing her how i would do things and i ask her, what would you do differently here? >> what is the interaction like in the operating room? >> excellent, excellent. we are surgeons. and, you know, the practice of surgery is universal. she's a girl surgeon like me. so, you know, we were -- it's a really good environment to work, and to share as well.
this is the third of 11 stops that will take place the next seven months. marlene maxwell hopes to be one of those patients. she's passionate about her family and her faith. she's been dealing with an inactive thyroid. marlene says the health care in jamaica is good. if you can get it.
there's no question things are going to be busy on the usns comfort. they plan ten to 12 operations per day. the first group came in yesterday. one of those patients was marlene maxwell. consider this. 24 hours ago, she had never even been on a ship. and today, she's going to have an operation on one. doctors will be removing mar len's thyroid today. for eight years, she's dealt with pain and discomfort that has just gotten worse. for three years, she's been waiting for this operation. a big part of this mission is collaboration between the united states and each host nation. that includes jamaican surgeons and nurses coming onboard the comfort. first assisting on marlene's operation today is dr. natalie wiley. she is an ear, nose, and throat surgeon and head of the kingston public hospital, where the surgical screening took place the day before. marlene, who we talked to
>> well, i would say it's good health care, but it's just a time plan. you wait longer. >> in jamaica, nearly half the population lives in the southeast region of the country. that includes the capital city of kingston. a population boom has put a big strain on the health infrastructure here. not enough doctors. not enough resources or operating rooms. it all means less urgent operations like marlene's to remove her thyroid get moved down the priority list. she's been waiting to have this operation for three years. >> presently, i'm not on any medication. you know, so the appointment -- apparently it's on this ship. >> you heard marlene correctly. she said a ship. against the blue jamaican sky, you can't miss it. bright white with large red crosses. this is the usns comfort. it's the largest hospital ship in the world. it shares that title with its sister, the mercy. the twin ships are actually oil
you'll go ahead and load here. >> all surgical patients send the night before their surgery on the ship to get comfortable and acclimated. there is anxiety and excitement as they ride through the city toward the ship. a drive through the commercial port, and the comfort comes into sight for the first time. >> line up here in front of this young lady. >> not one of these selected patients has ever set foot on a ship before. they go through security screening. then, more testing. and every step of the way, making sure they are still fit for their operations. >> you cannot tell any friends. >> after her vital signs are checked, marlene and tracy are escorted to another part of the ship. this will be their home for the night. a few more tests, and it's time to get settled in. >> that's my bed for tonight.
operation ever, what would happen to you? >> it would turn to cancer and kill me. >> that's what they told you? >> me say that. >> because it get bigger. to i can't control it and turn cancer. >> i wish you luck. you look like you're in good spirits. >> yeah, man. they treat me nice up here. >> they treat you nice? >> nice, nice, nice. kimberly is very nice. >> kimberly is very nice? >> yeah. >> kimberly is lieutenant junior grade kimberly stoops, marlene's nurse. she's 27 years old. and on her first deployment with the comfort. >> i know it's scary for a lot of these patients coming on to a ship that they're not familiar with. i mean, a hospital in general is scary, but then coming somewhere where it's not your territory also as much, and then seeing people in uniform sometimes can be daunting. so they'll try and break down those borders, introduce my name, and if they have any questions, please let me know.
so it really varies by patient. >> this is one of two mobile medical sites the comfort crew has set up on this stop in jamaica. the other one is across the city at the maxville clinic. it's in a more residential area. easily accessible for people who might not have been able to make it to the sports arena. registration lines are long. but spirits are high. in all, 9,744 patients will be treated at the two sites. but today, back on the ship, marlene maxwell and her daughter tracy find themselves waiting once again. >> hi, sanjay. how are you? >> i'm doing fine. how are you? >> well, just bored. >> you're bored? >> they spent last night onboard the comfort, and today marlene is having her thyroid removed. it's an operation she's waited three years for. it's finally going to happen in one of the 12 operating rooms on the ship. >> are you excited? are you nervous? >> i was nervous, but not anymore. >> if you didn't have this