Little by little we are all rolling out of bed for another amazing day of providing simple healthcare and education to the people of Guatemala. Liz, Dr. Elry's wife, is cooking in the kitchen and soon enough, it will be breakfast time.
Yesterday was a great day because we saw about 40-45 patients. One of the kids that Ernie and I saw was a 14yo girl who said that she was "bitten by a dog" and lets say I am sure the dogs here are not vaccinated. When she came into our room and we asked here to show us, she pulled up her pants leg and the backside of her knee was so severely infected because she had scabies horribly that she must have been scratching and scratching that it was infected. Of course, we pulled Dr. Elry into our room because he is going o have to follow-up with her. She is going to need to talk with family and friends to find out whose dog it was so that they can watch it for sign of rabies. When Dr. Elry explained to her that we need to treat the scabies first and what the possibilities are if they don't find out whose dog it was, she became very teary. Amazing that many of these children will go to the doctor without their mother or father. Understandably they must be at work but how can you effectively educate the population and expect that a child will remember everything that we are telling them when this is something that the parent would be educated on as well. How different our worlds are!
Around 10:30am we closed the clinic for about an hour and went to the school with Dr. Elry to educate on toothbrushing and oral hygiene. The kids absolutely loved it! They were very excited to show us that they know what to do with the toothbrushes and the little bit of English that they do know. It is a cool experience!
We returned back to the clinic and saw a few more patients just before lunch and then enjoyed another meal prepared by Liz. She is wonderful! After lunch we attempted to take a small siesta but the sun and the wind, was too much not to enjoy.
The rest of the day was really uneventful. We enjoyed some relaxation time, a great meal, and another game of Phase 10. Even though the directions say a maximum of 6 players, it does work with 7 players. The bond that we have formed with the group is awesome and is making this experience a memorable one.
It is time for breakfast but we will update you this evening on our final adventure here in Salitre. We are all looking forward to returning home and sharing this experience with or loved ones and the many friends that we have back in the states. Thank you for your contined support and prayers, and we look forward to our return.
Love to all!
I've got questions about the wheelchair. Was able to track Jan down and she hooked us up with a Wheelchair supplier. I'm picking one up on Friday, but need to know approx. height/wt. of patient and whether it should be slingback or rigid back (removable for folding. I tried calling Denny but couldn't get through and texting Jeremy. After I hear from you, I'll be able to get a final price and start asking for donations. Still need to make sure that if Dwight will bring it that Ramiro can get it delivered to the patient.
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