The Hospital's Lab

This is Christine.  She runs the lab here at Hospital Loma de Luz.

 This is what she's so excited about: Strongyloides stercoralis

Actual picture from her microscope - cool huh?!

She's excited because she's seen it in the textbooks but never in a real live stool sample.  She's happy to have an answer for Dr. Joel about why his little 11 month old pediatric patient has had diarrhea requiring hospitalization.  It's a intestinal parasite that replicates in the patients lungs then gets coughed up and re-ingested into the intestines to re-infect over and over again.  

Christine's latest goal is to replace our electrolyte machine.  We haven't been able to order the basic of all basic electrolyte labs for over a month now and they're desperately needed.  She is currently trying to raise $3,600 for the new machine which will then cost $1 a test to run.   This machine would have been very helpful in treating the little boy mentioned above when he came in with profound dehydration.

EasyLyte Plus lab machine (tests chloride, potassium, and sodium)

This new electrolyte lab machine would make a huge difference in how we are able to care for many of the people that come to the hospital, especially our in-patients.  In many instances we have not had the lab tests (potassium, sodium & chloride) that we need to help us make a definitive diagnosis.  This means we make the diagnosis by the patient's appearance but can't confirm the diagnosis with the lab results.  These simple and basic lab tests are taken for granted and are ordered daily for nearly all in-patients in more developed countries.  Once we have these available to us we will be able to monitor the condition of patients with burns, kidney failure, conditions causing muscle breakdown (rhabdomyolysis), severe dehydration, diabetes insipidus,adrenal insufficiency, Addison's disease, acid/base disorders, severe diarrhea or vomiting, bowel obstructions and many other conditions with less guess work.  Having lab tests like these allow us to preventatively correct and replace the electrolytes (K+, Cl-, Na+) before they become clinically apparent by symptoms the patient exhibits.

If you're interested in helping Christine raise the money for the EasyLyte Plus machine please email her (or me) at christine@lomadeluz.net or abbyandrimas@yahoo.com

Here's Christine's portion of the Equipment/Medical Needs List in case you're interested in other ways you can help her:

Lab/Xray supplies: 

 * means urgent need

·      *Benzalkonium chloride cleansing wipes for urinalysis collection

·      *Pediatric blood collection bags

·      *Lab microscope: example: Meiji Techno Co. MX4000 series biological microscope

·      EKG paper for the EKG machine brand: Mortara

·      EKG electrodes brand: Kendall Q-trace

·      Hepatitis C testing kits

·      red, amber and purple top blood collection tubes

·      23 Gauge butterfly needles for blood draws

·      sharps boxes for dirty needles

·      2x2 gauze (non sterile)

·      X-ray film: 35x43cm, 24x30cm, 11x14in, 8x10in

·      X-ray film hangers (for hand drying films): 8x10 & 10x12

·      Red lights for darkroom film processing

·      Large yellow envelops for storing X-rays

·      cotton balls

·      Isopropyl rubbing alcohol

·      Urine collection cups

·      stool collection cups

·      Microscope slides

·      22x22mm cover-slips for microscope slides

·      sterile cotton swabs

·      heel stick lancets for babies

·      amber and purple top pediatric blood collection tubes

·      urine collection bags for babies

·      plastic disposable pipettes

·      pregnancy tests

·      QBC Accutubes from QBC Diagnostics #423406

·      Alcohol lamp burner, wickless

·      Alcohol preps

·      5ml syringes with needle

·      anaerobic and aerobic culture swabs

·      pH paper 

·      INR test strips (Roche CoaguChek XS, 2x24 per box, #04625315160,

NDC 65702-0128-10))

·      Glucose test strips (Abbott Freestyle Lite)