Well, we are in day 2 of surgeries for this week, and so far so good! This group is a lot different than the last surgical group that came in, but I guess every group takes on its own personality because of the people that come. I think for the last trip, the majority of the doctors/nurses were middle-aged to twenty year olds, but now I'm pretty sure I am the youngest nurse here. We have 3 teenagers who came with their moms, but other than that there are 4 other 20-somethings out of the 50 people that came and the rest are grandparents. My roommate is a grandma to 5, sweet as can be, and just so nervous about all this new stuff in Guatemala. So very cute. I am thankful she brought her Breathe Right Strips.
The patients are mostly GYN and hernia patients like last time. We did have a thyroid removal last night and will probably have a couple gall-bladder removals too. I have a sweet patient named Lilly who was just enthrawled when I told her that her name is an Easter Flower. I felt so special that she remembered my name.....even if it was when she was yelling for me to tell me she was about to throw up everywhere. Poor thing! She is feeling much better today, and was so proud to tell me that she got up and walked this morning with the morning nurses. I am working mostly the 3p-11p shift again. They had to divide out the spanish speaking nurses, so I'm the one for this shift- what a compliment! Talk about pain, nausea, and needing to pee, and I'm your go to girl, but talk about a whole lot beyond that and I need help! I think that when I get home I'm going to need to buy Rosetta stone or something so that when I come back again I'll get all the rules and vocabulary down that I'm lacking.
Now for some Guatemalan stories? Ok, so on Friday night, we ate these things called like Chervichis. I'm not really spell them. But basically, its like a gumbo made of onions, various sauces, cilantro, tomato, and shrimp. But, the meat can be substituted for other things if you like. Well, at church on Friday night (remember they go to church every night....) we had a special service, more community oriented and had Chervichis afterwards. But.....Mario, one of the my friend here who speaks english, started laughing when he heard what it was made with. So, finally he told me it was made of cow stomach! I'm not even kidding. I ate like 3/4 of it, but then I saw the little boy from my house eating only the stomach out of it, I thought I would be generous and donate my meat to him! It was so weird people. It was like meshy and you could see like the acid pumps as like these tentacle parts.
On Saturday, I got to go to Mazate (the "big" city near my village) for the day via public transport. It was really fun. We went to the mall and ate Pizza Hut. Mmmm. On the way there, we rode in like a 15 passanger bus where we each had our own seat. But....on the way back to Chicacao, we had to pack into what they call the "chicken bus" which is an old american school bus. We had to sit 3 to a seat with the aisle packed too. It was like playing twister in a bus! I am pretty sure I had someone's hand on my butt, my shoulder in someone's back, a foot in my face, and some random child trying to breast feed off me. Ok, I made up the breast feeding part, but that would have made the experience complete. It was a fun ride back....you can't say you have fully experienced Guatemala until you ride the chicken bus.
The other big happening was that I got into an ant pile yesterday. I should have known better. After church, I stepped into the grass to talk to somebody and all of a sudden had an incredible burning pain in my feet. I looked down and was covered! After running like a mad woman (in a skirt) across the grass, it took 3 doctors to help me get the ants off my feet. But, thankfully, I got back and coated my feet in benadryl cream, and I can't even feel the itch anymore. I'm glad it happened to me instead of one of the new comers because I blame myself....I know better than to get in the grass here. Don't drink the water, don't get in the grass, and don't eat cow stomach.
But all is well here. I'm going to go back to my room and rest before lunch so that I'm ready for my shift in a bit. Hope everyone is doing well. Be home in less than 2 weeks now.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Surgical Brigade #2
A real quick update......
We are busy cleaning and preparing the clinic still. The new group gets here on Saturday, so its very close! It is supposively a huge group (and mom said she thinks some people are coming from my home church). I'm not sure yet if I will be staying up at the clinic during the week or with my family in Chicacao, but I will let you all know.
I've been helping Kata clean and sanitize everything. She laughed a little too hard when I told her about how I used to dust (and still do dust) my room at home.....mom can atest to how I just cleaned "around" things and left a carpet of dust showing where things had been placed for the 6 months before. I think she laughed so hard because she doesn't quite approve of my cleaning techniques here at the clinic. Haha, cleaning has never been one of my strengths!
I'm really enjoying the friendships I am making here, and I will be very sad to say goodbye to them. I think I have more close friends in Guatemala now than I do back in Knoxville. But, all in due time. Hope you all are well. Will write more soon when I have more stories to tell.
We are busy cleaning and preparing the clinic still. The new group gets here on Saturday, so its very close! It is supposively a huge group (and mom said she thinks some people are coming from my home church). I'm not sure yet if I will be staying up at the clinic during the week or with my family in Chicacao, but I will let you all know.
I've been helping Kata clean and sanitize everything. She laughed a little too hard when I told her about how I used to dust (and still do dust) my room at home.....mom can atest to how I just cleaned "around" things and left a carpet of dust showing where things had been placed for the 6 months before. I think she laughed so hard because she doesn't quite approve of my cleaning techniques here at the clinic. Haha, cleaning has never been one of my strengths!
I'm really enjoying the friendships I am making here, and I will be very sad to say goodbye to them. I think I have more close friends in Guatemala now than I do back in Knoxville. But, all in due time. Hope you all are well. Will write more soon when I have more stories to tell.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Spaghetti
Well, Saturday's cooking experience turned out well. The tables were definitely turned for us as usually I am the one with apprehension and confusion over the plate that is placed before me. I ended up making homemade spaghetti sauce, and it was really good....at least I thought so! The sister who is 24, Silvia, wanted to watch me make it, and everything little thing I did, she asked me why or how or for what I did everything...and I had to keep telling her that this is a mystery for me too. It took about 4 hours in total to make because it was over a wood buring grill type area. For their spaghetti sauce, they usually just purie tomatoes to a pulp and strain them so its basically like thin ketchup. But, I like my tomato sauce a little chunky. Silvia was so worried about me not blending the tomatoes all the way, and I had to keep reminding her that its still good, just different than she is used to. But, every last drop got eaten....either because they really liked it or I didn't plan enough for the 12 people that ate. The dad who has been to the states told me it is "Bery Goood." And the grandpa said it was "Utz" which is Quiche for good....and the little boy gave me a big smile and thumbs up as he slurped down his noodles. Funniest part though was that they insisted on making tortillas. I tried so hard to make them a Hitzing family meal, but they just can't get away from eating tortillas with every meal! But I figured out partly why they eat so many tortillas.....it reduces your diarrhea. Now, who is ready for lunch?
Sunday I taught the kids sunday school class with the personal hygiene posters I made. They all listened very well and participated greatly! Silvia helped after I would say something just to make sure they understood what I said, but they were a great class.
This week we are cleaning the operating room, setting up the recovery area, and Wednesday I am in charge of doing the papsmears again. yuck. Can I call in sick?
So I think the family and I have gotten very comfortable with each other......last night the straw broke this camel's back. So, one of the daughters sleeps in the room with me. Her name is Doris, she is 19, and has a very on-again-off-again boyfriend. Last night, she decided to talk on the phone to him for at least an hour in the room while I was trying to go to sleep. First with the light on, so I tried my eye cover...that didn't help. Then with the light off, so I tried my ear plugs....that didn't help. Then I tried to imagine she was just a television show I couldn't understand, but I still couldn't fall asleep. So, as Ali can attest, I finally snapped, and as politely as I could, I asked her if she could not talk to him during the day. At which point she said fine, and proceeded to whisper/mumble for another 30 minutes. This morning things were fine, but I take forgranted the pleasure of sleeping in a room where no one turns on the light or talks on the phone in the middle of the night.
Here is my devotional from yesterday, just thought I would share:
God Knows What He's Doing
"Surely I spoke of things I did not understand; I talked of things too wonderful for me to know." -Job 42:3
It's easy to thank God when he does what we want. But God doesn't always do what we want. Ask Job.
His empire collapsed, he children were killed, and what was a healthy body became a rage of boils. From whence came this torment? From whence will come any help?
Job goes straint to God and pleads his case. His head hurts. His body hurts. His heart hurts.
And God answers. Not with answers but with questions. An ocean of questions.....
After sever dozen questions....Job has gotten the point. What is it?
This point is this: God owes no one anything. No reasons. No explainations. Nothing. If he gave them, we couldn't understand them.
God is God. He knows what he is doing. When you can't trace his hand, trust his heart.
Sunday I taught the kids sunday school class with the personal hygiene posters I made. They all listened very well and participated greatly! Silvia helped after I would say something just to make sure they understood what I said, but they were a great class.
This week we are cleaning the operating room, setting up the recovery area, and Wednesday I am in charge of doing the papsmears again. yuck. Can I call in sick?
So I think the family and I have gotten very comfortable with each other......last night the straw broke this camel's back. So, one of the daughters sleeps in the room with me. Her name is Doris, she is 19, and has a very on-again-off-again boyfriend. Last night, she decided to talk on the phone to him for at least an hour in the room while I was trying to go to sleep. First with the light on, so I tried my eye cover...that didn't help. Then with the light off, so I tried my ear plugs....that didn't help. Then I tried to imagine she was just a television show I couldn't understand, but I still couldn't fall asleep. So, as Ali can attest, I finally snapped, and as politely as I could, I asked her if she could not talk to him during the day. At which point she said fine, and proceeded to whisper/mumble for another 30 minutes. This morning things were fine, but I take forgranted the pleasure of sleeping in a room where no one turns on the light or talks on the phone in the middle of the night.
Here is my devotional from yesterday, just thought I would share:
God Knows What He's Doing
"Surely I spoke of things I did not understand; I talked of things too wonderful for me to know." -Job 42:3
It's easy to thank God when he does what we want. But God doesn't always do what we want. Ask Job.
His empire collapsed, he children were killed, and what was a healthy body became a rage of boils. From whence came this torment? From whence will come any help?
Job goes straint to God and pleads his case. His head hurts. His body hurts. His heart hurts.
And God answers. Not with answers but with questions. An ocean of questions.....
After sever dozen questions....Job has gotten the point. What is it?
This point is this: God owes no one anything. No reasons. No explainations. Nothing. If he gave them, we couldn't understand them.
God is God. He knows what he is doing. When you can't trace his hand, trust his heart.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Donations for the Grandparent's Home
I finally got the information for the Grandparent's Home if anyone is interested in donating. The other nurses are taking what we have so far to them this Saturday (which isn't much....a few pounds of rice, beans, sugar, and a little cash), but we will definitely find a way if anyone else wants to donate....ask your church, coworkers, and family if you think of it.
Address: Cabecitas de Algodon #1
Santa Lucia Sur #18
Antigua, Guatemala
For donations, the newspaper says that deposits can be made to the bank, G&T Continental: account number 00 00 144063 Associacion Cabecitas de Algodon.
I'm not really sure how you would make international donations, but I can figure something out if anyone is interested.
The organization started on Dec 16, 2002, and currently has 38 grandparents living there. The newspaper article has pictures and testimonies of many of the residents. One of the residents was dropped off at the shelter by family members and told they would come back for them...3 yrs ago. And others were told that they were burdens to the family since they could no longer work, and they didn't want to care for them anymore. It also shows a picture of the women who run the shelter....and they have not received a paycheck since April because of the financial trouble. There are many ways that people need help here in Guatemala as well as even in your own hometown. And although we can't help every single person, we can make a differnece in at least one life....remember the starfish story?
Any help would be so appreciated.
And also, I have had a few questions about how the school teaching went. Well, in true Guatemalan style.....classes were cancelled this week, and Rosario and I didn't get told until we arrived there in the morning to teach. So no little kids pointing and laughing at me. Oh well! In the meantime, I'm going to teach the lesson at Sunday School this week and use my drawings there. We are going to try to go back to the school in my last week here (in 3 weeks).
That's about all for now. The weekend is here....and that seems to be the hardest part of being here because there is a whole lot more downtime to just sit and think. I'm going to try to stay busy this weekend- I told the family I would make them spaghetti (good old Hitzing style) for lunch/dinner on Saturday, so I will get to have some fun exploring the huge open air supermarket (with supervision of course......). The markets are fun- a little overwhelming because its tons of people smooshed in a little block with raw meat hanging from hooks everywhere, but still fun to see.
And great news...the lights didn't get turned on in the middle of the night lastnight. I was all prepared with my Paris Hilton eye cover and industrial strength earplugs in place, but I didn't even need them! And apparently, the general consensus is that Chinese men also blatantly pick their noses in public.
Address: Cabecitas de Algodon #1
Santa Lucia Sur #18
Antigua, Guatemala
For donations, the newspaper says that deposits can be made to the bank, G&T Continental: account number 00 00 144063 Associacion Cabecitas de Algodon.
I'm not really sure how you would make international donations, but I can figure something out if anyone is interested.
The organization started on Dec 16, 2002, and currently has 38 grandparents living there. The newspaper article has pictures and testimonies of many of the residents. One of the residents was dropped off at the shelter by family members and told they would come back for them...3 yrs ago. And others were told that they were burdens to the family since they could no longer work, and they didn't want to care for them anymore. It also shows a picture of the women who run the shelter....and they have not received a paycheck since April because of the financial trouble. There are many ways that people need help here in Guatemala as well as even in your own hometown. And although we can't help every single person, we can make a differnece in at least one life....remember the starfish story?
Any help would be so appreciated.
And also, I have had a few questions about how the school teaching went. Well, in true Guatemalan style.....classes were cancelled this week, and Rosario and I didn't get told until we arrived there in the morning to teach. So no little kids pointing and laughing at me. Oh well! In the meantime, I'm going to teach the lesson at Sunday School this week and use my drawings there. We are going to try to go back to the school in my last week here (in 3 weeks).
That's about all for now. The weekend is here....and that seems to be the hardest part of being here because there is a whole lot more downtime to just sit and think. I'm going to try to stay busy this weekend- I told the family I would make them spaghetti (good old Hitzing style) for lunch/dinner on Saturday, so I will get to have some fun exploring the huge open air supermarket (with supervision of course......). The markets are fun- a little overwhelming because its tons of people smooshed in a little block with raw meat hanging from hooks everywhere, but still fun to see.
And great news...the lights didn't get turned on in the middle of the night lastnight. I was all prepared with my Paris Hilton eye cover and industrial strength earplugs in place, but I didn't even need them! And apparently, the general consensus is that Chinese men also blatantly pick their noses in public.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Picking your nose and turning on the light
Ok, I have to start by venting....because there is no one here right now not of the hispanic culture to vent to.
So, when you go to a different country, or even on a trip to a different part of the U.S., you go with the anticipation of there being cultural differences. You know that there will be cultural differences, and that is part of the adventure. You decide to accept these differences as part of the learning to broaden your world perspective.
That being said, I would like to vent about two culturally/socially excepted norms here in Guatemala that I will not accept and ademently oppose.
1. So, I will be in mid conversation with someone...at times a serious or important conversation, and here in Guatemala it is as acceptable to casually dig in your nose as it would be to scratch your forehead in the States. And, after that, it is not gross or wrong to proceed to wipe your finger on your pants or on the wall (whatever is more convenient), and seek a hand shake or cheek kiss upon leaving the conversation. In what world is this okay???? Well, now that I think of it, it is probably ok in the same world in which I had to use a toilet without a door on the bathroom......the bathroom was off of a hall where a large family party was gathered.
2. Ok, and now to vent about the thing that is just wrong! Why is it ok to go into a room where someone is sleeping (i.e. ME) and flip on the light switch to find something (the sisters clothes are all in the room where I sleep).....regardless of what time it is- midnight, 4:30am (when the rest of the family wakes to sell bread). I have conceeded to the fact that I will not sleep past 6am, but really people.....flip on the light in a room where people are sleeping in the middle of the night!? How is that ok!? Venting session over, I think.
I wish I had my devotional book here with me to copy the other day´s lesson. In a nut shell (and much more eloquently) it talked about faith and fear. Strong faith is born out of the seed of fear. We look up to God on the mountain and realize we are in the valley, and we cannot make the climb on our own. We stand with Moses and the Israelites in front of the Red Sea...we can either fight or swim. But God has a different plan in mind, a different way through, and when we trust in Him, our fear grows to faith.
Count down 22 days until I will be back on American soil. I am excited about it! But, I´m trying to remain present in the here and now. Only in today......I want to be done with making self imposed time frames for my life.
All for now. Hope you all are well. Miss you all the time.
So, when you go to a different country, or even on a trip to a different part of the U.S., you go with the anticipation of there being cultural differences. You know that there will be cultural differences, and that is part of the adventure. You decide to accept these differences as part of the learning to broaden your world perspective.
That being said, I would like to vent about two culturally/socially excepted norms here in Guatemala that I will not accept and ademently oppose.
1. So, I will be in mid conversation with someone...at times a serious or important conversation, and here in Guatemala it is as acceptable to casually dig in your nose as it would be to scratch your forehead in the States. And, after that, it is not gross or wrong to proceed to wipe your finger on your pants or on the wall (whatever is more convenient), and seek a hand shake or cheek kiss upon leaving the conversation. In what world is this okay???? Well, now that I think of it, it is probably ok in the same world in which I had to use a toilet without a door on the bathroom......the bathroom was off of a hall where a large family party was gathered.
2. Ok, and now to vent about the thing that is just wrong! Why is it ok to go into a room where someone is sleeping (i.e. ME) and flip on the light switch to find something (the sisters clothes are all in the room where I sleep).....regardless of what time it is- midnight, 4:30am (when the rest of the family wakes to sell bread). I have conceeded to the fact that I will not sleep past 6am, but really people.....flip on the light in a room where people are sleeping in the middle of the night!? How is that ok!? Venting session over, I think.
I wish I had my devotional book here with me to copy the other day´s lesson. In a nut shell (and much more eloquently) it talked about faith and fear. Strong faith is born out of the seed of fear. We look up to God on the mountain and realize we are in the valley, and we cannot make the climb on our own. We stand with Moses and the Israelites in front of the Red Sea...we can either fight or swim. But God has a different plan in mind, a different way through, and when we trust in Him, our fear grows to faith.
Count down 22 days until I will be back on American soil. I am excited about it! But, I´m trying to remain present in the here and now. Only in today......I want to be done with making self imposed time frames for my life.
All for now. Hope you all are well. Miss you all the time.
Monday, September 21, 2009
3 weeks 4 days to go
Welp, not a whole lot of news to catch people up on at the clinic. We are back to preparing again for the next surgical group that comes in 2 weeks, so I am making a gazillion more packets of surgical towels to be sterilized for the operating rooms. This week, Rosario and I will be going to the local school for 2 days for the educational days about personal hygiene and such. I am supposed talk for 30 minutes for each class in spanish, and I'm really nervous about that. Adults and friends are really nice to me when I try to talk spanish, but little kids just giggle and make fun of me, so I'm nervous to get it right in front of the classes.
I think more stuff is happening back home than in Guatemala right now. It makes me so anxious and sad when bad things happen at home while I'm away, and I can't do anything to help it. The heaviest thing on my heart right now is that a close family friend found out that her husband has been seeing someone else, and the worst part is that they have little children. Infidelity, in my opinion, is the worst wound a relationship, family, and marriage can ever receive. It affects everything in a relationship from trust to friendship to self confidence, every move you make you have the pain of jealousy, fear, and doubt even if you aren't with that person anymore. And the risk of infidelity makes me so afraid. It can happen in any relationship. Its a scary thing to commit your heart to someone like that especially with the risk of the other person not sticking to that commitment.
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Now a big change in direction. The ladies at the clinic are having a fundraiser this week, and we are supposed to contact our home churches to solicit help. In Antigua, another little city (where I went 2 wkends ago), there is a shelter for the elderly. Most of the time, the elderly and grandparents live with their children when they get too old to work, but at least 38 elderly people in Antigua have no family or resources to provide for themselves so they are at this home. The home has employees that help feed, clothe, and medically care for the inhabitants, but the resources to support the elderly and pay the employees has run out as of Sept. 30th this year. If they don't have money to stay open by Sept. 30th, the 38 elderly will be homeless when most of them cannot take care of themselves even in the best situations. They need about 250,000 Quetzales to stay open (I'm not sure for how long), which equates to about $30,000. If anyone would like to give support ($5-$20, whatever), you can let me know on here and I can withdrawal it from my debit account and get you to pay me back when I return. I will have the exact name and address of the organization tomorrow if anybody needs it for tax/authenticity purposes.
Hope you all are doing well. Please pray for my friend and her family this week, and also, please pray for my extended family as my Great Aunt Mabel and Great Uncle Bob both passed away this week. Lots of things are probably going on in your life too that can weaken our faith, but we can rest in Him...in good times and bad. Its a choice we can make.
I think more stuff is happening back home than in Guatemala right now. It makes me so anxious and sad when bad things happen at home while I'm away, and I can't do anything to help it. The heaviest thing on my heart right now is that a close family friend found out that her husband has been seeing someone else, and the worst part is that they have little children. Infidelity, in my opinion, is the worst wound a relationship, family, and marriage can ever receive. It affects everything in a relationship from trust to friendship to self confidence, every move you make you have the pain of jealousy, fear, and doubt even if you aren't with that person anymore. And the risk of infidelity makes me so afraid. It can happen in any relationship. Its a scary thing to commit your heart to someone like that especially with the risk of the other person not sticking to that commitment.
----------------------
Now a big change in direction. The ladies at the clinic are having a fundraiser this week, and we are supposed to contact our home churches to solicit help. In Antigua, another little city (where I went 2 wkends ago), there is a shelter for the elderly. Most of the time, the elderly and grandparents live with their children when they get too old to work, but at least 38 elderly people in Antigua have no family or resources to provide for themselves so they are at this home. The home has employees that help feed, clothe, and medically care for the inhabitants, but the resources to support the elderly and pay the employees has run out as of Sept. 30th this year. If they don't have money to stay open by Sept. 30th, the 38 elderly will be homeless when most of them cannot take care of themselves even in the best situations. They need about 250,000 Quetzales to stay open (I'm not sure for how long), which equates to about $30,000. If anyone would like to give support ($5-$20, whatever), you can let me know on here and I can withdrawal it from my debit account and get you to pay me back when I return. I will have the exact name and address of the organization tomorrow if anybody needs it for tax/authenticity purposes.
Hope you all are doing well. Please pray for my friend and her family this week, and also, please pray for my extended family as my Great Aunt Mabel and Great Uncle Bob both passed away this week. Lots of things are probably going on in your life too that can weaken our faith, but we can rest in Him...in good times and bad. Its a choice we can make.
Friday, September 18, 2009
4 weeks to go
I've gotten really lazy about writing blogs....its such a hastle to get on the internet or get calling cards here that some days I just feel too lazy to make the effort...especially now that I need a bodyguard to do anything. The dad has become really protective. I showed him the safety whistle my real dad gave me, but I still have constant supervision. I feel like a nuisance asking one the family members to go with me to the internet cafe where they sit for like an hour as I catch up on email, facebook, and the blog. But, there is a little down time at the clinic today, and I will take advantage of that! So, now I have a lot to catch people up on........
The Independence Day celebrations ended up being pretty fun. The best way to describe it would be a cheap, hispanic, smaller version of Boom's Day in Knoxville. Silvia, one of the sisters at the house, was made Queen of the Teachers at the school where she teaches so she had to participate and stand at the front of every parade (there were 4). She asked me to help her pick out her outfit for each day, and let me tell you, these sisters I live with have more dress up clothes than I have ever had in my life.....thats not saying much though if you know how much I actually dress up. They enjoy dressing me up, and they got a kick out of it when I put on on of the mom's traditional mayan skirts.
I have taken to wearing skirts more than shorts because it helps in making me not feel like a boy....I never really get clean or freshened up here. You shower then 5 minutes later the sweat starts flowing again. The funny thing is that for some reason, the dad has accidently started calling me "Patti" instead of "Kati, and I think its a fruedian slip in reference to SNL's "It's Pat." You know, the skit where you never find out if Pat is a man or a woman. Thats what I feel like here. Ok, back to the story.
A few nights we went to the "central park" where they had the carnival rides and music over the loud speaker. I talked the youngest daughter, Betty, into riding the ferris wheel with me, and what a bad idea that was! It went at like 60mph....way faster than our ferris wheels, and I seriously almost barfed on everyone below me like 5 times. After several attempts at asking the driver to let me out in spanish as we zoomed by, he finally let me off, at which time I downed the dramamine I strategically keep in my purse. The family thought it was hilarious and kept asking me how I was feeling. I was a good sport about it and didn't allow myself to tell them that I was about to barf on the next one that asked me!
The next night in the square, there was a salsa band, and we all had fun watching that. I always feel like I have a swarm of body guards around me when we go out. One of the local boys tried to get me to dance with him (he was all of 4ft tall), but one of the sisters, Johana, zoomed in faster to get him away than I could say 'no gracias.'
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Had to take a quick break to remove some sutures. Today is the post op check up day from the last surgical week and I am working the "wound cleaning, suture removal room." Nurses do very different things here in Guatemala. I asked my supervising nurse for help because I have never removed sutures before. One request to doctors out there....use thread that has color. Transparent sutures are way too hard to see.
Just took out some more sutures. This time they were black. Thank you doctor.
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This week, I have gotten to go on the mobile clinics with the local doctors. Wednesday I went with Dr. David to a little clinic close to here and saw about 30 patients. One patient was a member of the local church we work through here. She is a very poorly controlled diabetic, and when we checked her, her blood glucose was 249. She has an accucheck machine that an american doctor gave her, but she doesn't have any test strips or lancets. It doesn't help that the instructions are in english either. So, I'm working on translating some simple instructions for her and getting some supplies from the clinic here....some kind of feasible plan for her.
Thursday, I went with Dr. Walter to Xepujup, a remote Mayan/Quiche village where most the people speak a whole different language than spanish, Quiche,....sounds like a lot of gurgling and clicking to me. We also had about 30 patients, and the one that stood out to me most was a little 3 1/2 yr old girl, Micaela, who weighed 15lbs. She can't talk or walk, but other than that, she developmentally looks like a 1 1/2 yr old. As I was taking her temperature under her arm, her skin just folded on itself because she was so malnourished. She is a frequent patient of Dr. Walter, and although they have tried supplements, she keeps presenting with malnutrition and respiratory symptoms. I asked him what he thought about cystic fibrosis, and he didn't know what it was, but is going to look it up. Even if Cystic Fibrosis exists in the hispanic population, I doubt that it would be diagnosed or treated because of the economic situation of most people. If you don't know what CF is...in a nut shell, it is a excess of mucous like substances in your lungs and pancreas so that your body cannot adequately clear your lungs or digest food, causing frequent respiratory infections and malabsorption even in people who are well treated in the U.S. The average life expectancy is somewhere around 30-40ish when agressively treated I think. Its so sad for this little girl, whatever the cause of her illness, but it is also overwhelming about the circumstances most of these people live in because this little girl is just one example of the poverty here. Little by little, the masses are being helped by educational programs and sponsorship for the children (ABC program which provides support for nutrition and education), but over all, there is little that can be done to help every single person. The team here is doing a great job, doing the best they can. But I imagine it would be centuries before most of the people even reached the living standards of the poor/innercity of the U.S.
But, from the example of the diabetic with the accucheck that she doesn't know how to work, it does no good for Americans to give "things" and tools when the people have no idea how to use them. You can build a family a house with ammenities like electricity and running water, but if they can't afford to pay the monthly bill, have you really done them any service? They will just have to sell the house and try to find somewhere else to live I really admire the ongoing work of the actual Guatemalans here. They are the ones who are with the patients and villages day in and day out. They understand the locals way more than an outsider ever could, and imagine how blessed we are when we can support these missonaries by providing financially for the work they do because we are working in the U.S.
Ok, getting off my soap box now. But, I am just realizing more everyday the impact that the natives of a country can have amongst their own people when they are gifted with the education and finances that most of us have as a matter of birth right. The weekly surgical and medical trips that the Americans bring are amazing and do so much to show the love of Christ that stretches across languages and oceans, but the work of the doctors who live and sleep and breath here is what makes the life long, economic, spiritual, social, and physical differences.
Alright, thats all for now. Miss you all very much. I am enjoying the work here and am very blessed to see the work of Christ in the lives of others and in my heart. Praying for you constantly. Miss you very much.
The Independence Day celebrations ended up being pretty fun. The best way to describe it would be a cheap, hispanic, smaller version of Boom's Day in Knoxville. Silvia, one of the sisters at the house, was made Queen of the Teachers at the school where she teaches so she had to participate and stand at the front of every parade (there were 4). She asked me to help her pick out her outfit for each day, and let me tell you, these sisters I live with have more dress up clothes than I have ever had in my life.....thats not saying much though if you know how much I actually dress up. They enjoy dressing me up, and they got a kick out of it when I put on on of the mom's traditional mayan skirts.
I have taken to wearing skirts more than shorts because it helps in making me not feel like a boy....I never really get clean or freshened up here. You shower then 5 minutes later the sweat starts flowing again. The funny thing is that for some reason, the dad has accidently started calling me "Patti" instead of "Kati, and I think its a fruedian slip in reference to SNL's "It's Pat." You know, the skit where you never find out if Pat is a man or a woman. Thats what I feel like here. Ok, back to the story.
A few nights we went to the "central park" where they had the carnival rides and music over the loud speaker. I talked the youngest daughter, Betty, into riding the ferris wheel with me, and what a bad idea that was! It went at like 60mph....way faster than our ferris wheels, and I seriously almost barfed on everyone below me like 5 times. After several attempts at asking the driver to let me out in spanish as we zoomed by, he finally let me off, at which time I downed the dramamine I strategically keep in my purse. The family thought it was hilarious and kept asking me how I was feeling. I was a good sport about it and didn't allow myself to tell them that I was about to barf on the next one that asked me!
The next night in the square, there was a salsa band, and we all had fun watching that. I always feel like I have a swarm of body guards around me when we go out. One of the local boys tried to get me to dance with him (he was all of 4ft tall), but one of the sisters, Johana, zoomed in faster to get him away than I could say 'no gracias.'
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Had to take a quick break to remove some sutures. Today is the post op check up day from the last surgical week and I am working the "wound cleaning, suture removal room." Nurses do very different things here in Guatemala. I asked my supervising nurse for help because I have never removed sutures before. One request to doctors out there....use thread that has color. Transparent sutures are way too hard to see.
Just took out some more sutures. This time they were black. Thank you doctor.
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This week, I have gotten to go on the mobile clinics with the local doctors. Wednesday I went with Dr. David to a little clinic close to here and saw about 30 patients. One patient was a member of the local church we work through here. She is a very poorly controlled diabetic, and when we checked her, her blood glucose was 249. She has an accucheck machine that an american doctor gave her, but she doesn't have any test strips or lancets. It doesn't help that the instructions are in english either. So, I'm working on translating some simple instructions for her and getting some supplies from the clinic here....some kind of feasible plan for her.
Thursday, I went with Dr. Walter to Xepujup, a remote Mayan/Quiche village where most the people speak a whole different language than spanish, Quiche,....sounds like a lot of gurgling and clicking to me. We also had about 30 patients, and the one that stood out to me most was a little 3 1/2 yr old girl, Micaela, who weighed 15lbs. She can't talk or walk, but other than that, she developmentally looks like a 1 1/2 yr old. As I was taking her temperature under her arm, her skin just folded on itself because she was so malnourished. She is a frequent patient of Dr. Walter, and although they have tried supplements, she keeps presenting with malnutrition and respiratory symptoms. I asked him what he thought about cystic fibrosis, and he didn't know what it was, but is going to look it up. Even if Cystic Fibrosis exists in the hispanic population, I doubt that it would be diagnosed or treated because of the economic situation of most people. If you don't know what CF is...in a nut shell, it is a excess of mucous like substances in your lungs and pancreas so that your body cannot adequately clear your lungs or digest food, causing frequent respiratory infections and malabsorption even in people who are well treated in the U.S. The average life expectancy is somewhere around 30-40ish when agressively treated I think. Its so sad for this little girl, whatever the cause of her illness, but it is also overwhelming about the circumstances most of these people live in because this little girl is just one example of the poverty here. Little by little, the masses are being helped by educational programs and sponsorship for the children (ABC program which provides support for nutrition and education), but over all, there is little that can be done to help every single person. The team here is doing a great job, doing the best they can. But I imagine it would be centuries before most of the people even reached the living standards of the poor/innercity of the U.S.
But, from the example of the diabetic with the accucheck that she doesn't know how to work, it does no good for Americans to give "things" and tools when the people have no idea how to use them. You can build a family a house with ammenities like electricity and running water, but if they can't afford to pay the monthly bill, have you really done them any service? They will just have to sell the house and try to find somewhere else to live I really admire the ongoing work of the actual Guatemalans here. They are the ones who are with the patients and villages day in and day out. They understand the locals way more than an outsider ever could, and imagine how blessed we are when we can support these missonaries by providing financially for the work they do because we are working in the U.S.
Ok, getting off my soap box now. But, I am just realizing more everyday the impact that the natives of a country can have amongst their own people when they are gifted with the education and finances that most of us have as a matter of birth right. The weekly surgical and medical trips that the Americans bring are amazing and do so much to show the love of Christ that stretches across languages and oceans, but the work of the doctors who live and sleep and breath here is what makes the life long, economic, spiritual, social, and physical differences.
Alright, thats all for now. Miss you all very much. I am enjoying the work here and am very blessed to see the work of Christ in the lives of others and in my heart. Praying for you constantly. Miss you very much.
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