Last Surgery Day – Uganda 🇺🇬
Today was my last day in the OR in Uganda.
Over the past week, we performed total hip and total knee replacements — surgeries that don’t just fix joints, but restore movement, independence, and dignity. For many of these patients, this wasn’t elective. It was life-changing. Some had lived in pain for years. Some could barely walk. And this was their chance.
Scrubbing into each case felt different here. The resources were limited, but the gratitude was limitless. Every instrument I passed, every sterile field I guarded, every quiet anticipation of the surgeon’s next move — it all felt heavier in purpose.
One day, I cried.
Not because I was overwhelmed by the work, but because I was overwhelmed by the weight of it. The trust. The resilience. The way these patients carried pain with so much grace.
One patient will stay with me. Her name is Betty.
She was so sweet. So gentle. There was something about her that sat heavily on my heart. Maybe it was the way she smiled despite everything. Maybe it was knowing how long she had waited for relief. Assisting in her surgery didn’t just feel like another case. It felt personal. I found myself praying over her quietly. Hoping her recovery would be smooth. Hoping she would walk without pain again.
Betty reminded me that this isn’t just about bones and implants. It’s about people. Stories. Mothers. Grandmothers. Women who have carried families on painful hips and knees for years.
As I closed out my final case today, I felt a mix of exhaustion, pride, and deep gratitude. Uganda stretched me — professionally and spiritually. It reminded me why I chose this field. Why I love the OR. Why I believe these hands were meant to serve.
This trip wasn’t just about surgery.
It was about restoration.
It was about purpose.
It was about people like Betty.
And I will carry her — and this experience — with me long after I leave.
