Eight-year-old Gesnel Seide got to Ayers Medical Center in Gainesville this morning at nine thirty.

But he did not go into surgery until after three this afternoon.

Miriam Frederick, founder of World Harvest Missions and Gesnel's legal guardian, said the anesthesiologist wanted more on Gesnel's medical history before putting him under.

Today was the first of about a dozen surgeries for Gesnel which should take about two years to complete.

Doctors said his hand will be more functional and smaller after the operations.

Gesnel will stay in florida until then on a three-year medical visa.