CSVN Vietnam 2023 Team USA 🇻🇳 🇺🇸

More visitors for the US.   On Wednesday Eric and Esmeralda from our hiking group joined me in in Hanoi.   They were visiting family in the Philippines and decided to extend their vacation by visiting Hanoi.    We had an amazing 5 days together which included exploring Hanoi, taking in the incredible food, sites and people.   To view photos click READ MORE. We enjoyed:     *   Pho Bo - Beef noodle soup     *   Bun Cha -  Noodles, broth, fresh herbs and Grilled pork patties & pork belly     *   Cha Ca - Grilled fish with fresh dill and green onions and noodles     *   Banh Cuon -  Thin rice sheet filled with minced mushroom and pork We did a road trip to Sapa to trek and visit friends.   During our visit we had a special dinner at the Lo family home where we celebrated Su and Esmeralda birthdays 🎂, I received a nice note from Eric and Esmeralda this morning describing their experience...

This last week I received a few visitors from the US.   Over the weekend Rick and Rita, friends from Pickleball were in Hanoi on the tail end of their 2 week tour of Vietnam.    We connected for drinks and meet other couples from Livermore who were also on the trip with Rick and Rita.   On Sunday we managed to do a small city tour and had Pho at my favorite spot before their flight back to California.    

As we move north higher in the Ha Giang mountains we encountered even more children impacted by burn accidents.    But I would like to focus on a question that several people have asked about the incidence of c left lip and cleft palate.   What causes it and is it more common here in Vietnam? Cleft lip and cleft palate are thought to be caused by a combination of genes and other factors, such as things the mother comes in contact with in her environment, or what the mother eats or drinks, or certain medications she uses during pregnancy.   Cleft lip and palate is a congenital defect and is most common in the Asian population, Japan and China descendants impacted the most.  Other factors include diet and deficiency in folic acid,  as mentioned before most pregnant woman lack good prenatal care and use of prenatal vitamins.   Cleft lip and cleft palate deformities resulting from failure of the facial processes to grow or fuse appropriately during early e...

On Thursday we headed north to the Yen Minh District.  The hospital in the Yen Minh district was the newest facility we have visited.   Despite the newer hospital it was clear that living conditions were more remote and challenging for families.   Again we saw far too many burn wounds.  Good news is that most of the children we saw today are good candidates and will have surgery in a few months.   The adult in the photos is the father of the little girl with a Cleft Lip.   He too had the same condition as a  child. For photo and link to google photos click: READ MORE Google photo link:   https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ri3fNUNUJFFzxzTaA

As we moved North in the Ha Gian province we met more of the minority tribes living in the area.   Many of the conditions were similar, far too many burn wounds and a fair amount of patients with Cerebral Palsy.   Cerebral Palsy is caused by abnormal development of the brain or damage to the developing brain that affects a child's ability to control his or her muscles.  There are several causes of the abnormal development.   One key contributing factor in these remote areas is focused on lack of oxygen during childbirth.   Home delivery is the norm here.    We learned that only 25% of births in the province are delivered in a Medical facility.   We saw a wide range of physical and mental development impacts of CP.   Unfortunately, there is not a simple surgical procedure to correct muscle weakness.    Physical therapy appears to be the most effective therapy.  To see photo's and link to google photos...

  As we close out a very busy week in the Ha Giang Province I want to share with you the beauty of this amazing place.   The landscape and people of this province are simply amazing.   Ha Giang is located in the far north on the China boarder and is the   most beautiful place in Vietnam that I have had the opportunity to visit so far.   I hope you can appreciate the beauty in the photos, which don’t do justice to having the opportunity to see it in person.   Everywhere you look the most amazing mountains and granite rock formations.    To view photos and the link to google photos click READ MORE.   https://photos.app.goo.gl/hhFZJWgQiptb7ytGA