Experiences in the medical field.

To begin this second post let me just express one simple sentence of reassurance, both for myself and for those who know me pretty well.  And with this I’ll say that it comes after many prayers and now some experience.  So here goes… I am not meant for any career in the medical field.   After four days of medical mission work I have a deep, intense conviction that the Lord did not give me any sort of medical ability or especially any desire to be involved in anything remotely related to a medical career.  (Outside of thinking that wearing scrubs to work every day would be ideal.)  Now this is not to say that I did not enjoy my work last week with the team from Arkansas, however it does mean that all things that itch, burn, hurt, swell, flake, bruise, smell, etc. seriously gross me out.  My job during the week was to translate for the one doctor, Evelyn, who came with the Geyer Springs team.  First of all, she was incredibly sweet and gentle and obviously loves her job.  Getting to work with her was calming for my nerves and just comfortable from the very beginning.  As patients came in I would have them sit down and then ask what was hurting and where and translate to Evelyn what they had said.  Back and forth this process went, on… and on… and on… and on…

As I previously wrote about in the last post, the first day of this, Monday the 18^th, we drove a little over an hour to a small town named Jocus.  The morning was filled with patient after patient, with two doctors – Evelyn and a local doctor, Dr. Aldo – and then the afternoon was quite a bit slower.  Most of the time was spent just conversing amongst ourselves.  This was definitely the most challenging day location wise.  The building was tiny and the minute you stepped outside into the “waiting area” your body and especially face was swarmed by the most annoying, tiny little bugs known to man, possibly a cross between a gnat and a mosquito, and whatever else bites like the dickens.  On top of that the “facilities” were just about the worst I have experienced in my 22 years, most definitely made me appreciate my home and indoor plumbing.  And of course I was not warned before walking into that little surprise of stench and flies.  My new friends thought it was pretty humorous when I immediately opened back up the little tin door gasping and nearly gagging.  But even through the new experiences it was a good day; I learned some new vocabulary and made relationships with the team.  The highlight of the day was a seventeen year old girl who came for issue with her vision and headaches.  Evelyn was able to give her eye drops and Ibuprofen but we did not have any sunglasses for her to wear.  I had randomly thought to pack mine to take just in case I was outside for the clinic so I gave her my own.  She put them on and smiled, I told her how cute/fancy she looked and she seemed pretty pleased.  Made me think of the little things we take for granted, those were just $5 Wal-Mart glasses that I just picked up a couple days before I left to come here and thought nothing about it.  However, since then I have definitely been in her shoes and am anxiously waiting the day that Claire and I get to go shopping with the Heath’s so I can purchase a new pair and save my poor eyes from squinting every moment I step outside on a sunny day.

Inside the clinic, Day 1 - Patients just beginning to walk in.

Day two was busier and cleaner.  We drove another hour to a town named Matara and held our clinic at Jardin Ninos, a very small school or maybe even just a daycare.  For this clinic we had two doctors and a dentist.  Each doctor had their own small room to see patients, as well as a room for the pharmacy and another for the intake personnel.  The school had a fence and gate which made organization and maintenance of the patients and the VBS portion much easier.  This day was quite different from the first work wise.  The doctors and I, and the pharmacy, started seeing patients at 8:15 and worked until around 1, had a 15 minute lunch break and were back at it from 1:15 to a little after 5.  We were all exhausted.

VBS

Translating for Evelyn

 

For day three we drove through Cajamarca and quite a ways up a hill to a place called Lucmacucho.  Three doctors worked this day, all together in a dark, bare building that is used as a church.  The pharmacy and intake were located in a separate building next door.  This was another busy day but the swarms of people came and went instead of being one right after the other.  I only translated half the day this time and then switched jobs with the other translator and quickly became the manager for the intake and pharmacy and dealt with keeping patients in line and in order.  The highlight of this clinic came soon after lunch when an 80 year old woman walked into the intake building with no shoes on.  Her feet were cracked and filthy, who knows how long she had gone without shoes.  But her spirit was so happy, she was sweet and funny, so loving and kind.  One of the girls from the team, Jamie, did an amazing thing for this woman.  As she was visiting with the doctor, Jamie asked Larry if she could give away her own sandals.  Of course with his kind heart he said yes.  They prepared a plastic container with water to wash her feet in and Jamie took her t-shirt from under the sweatshirt she was wearing to use as a towel.  When the woman came back in for her medications Larry explained to her what Jamie wanted to do and the process began.  Her feet were washed, dried and lotion applied, the sandals were cut into a smaller size and then put on her feet.  She kept asking if this was all a joke and Larry finally sat down in front of her and explained that there are just some people in the world that we come across who have big hearts and are full of compassion.  He explained that Jamie is a Christian and because of her own love and the love from Christ she wanted to show compassion with the gift of her shoes.  It was such a neat thing to watch.  And also pretty humorous when the woman stood up and was obviously not used to having shoes on her feet, her first few steps she described as “walking like a duck” – which was pretty spot on.  To top it all off, as we watch her leave the clinic she walks over to a large pile of wood that is tied together, picks it up and puts it on her back.  She had carried it to the clinic and was preparing to carry it back home.  She strapped it on and started on her journey, down a hill, who knows how far.  Jamie watched her walk for a long time until she was no longer visible.  What a thing to witness!

The view of Cajamarca from the pharmacy

Doctors were on the left, pharmacy on the right.

VBS

Washing her feet.

Off she goes with her wood.

 

Day four was by far the nicest location of the week but also the craziest day.  This time we were in Cajamarca at someone’s home that is used as a church, Iglesia Esperanza de Vida.  We began closer to 9 a.m., with 3 doctors, and it was off to the races from the very beginning.  By lunch time (which was supposed to be at noon but wasn’t until 1) we had seen over 150 patients.  We drove back to the compound for lunch instead of having packed lunches like the other days and then headed back and began again around 2:30.  We were supposed to end the clinic at 5 but we worked until 6:30 or after.  At times the line for the pharmacy had at least 30 people waiting if not more so Evelyn would take breaks from seeing patients and run into the pharmacy to help with prescriptions and I would help fill bags to put the medications and New Testaments in.  The team out front doing intake finally had to stop taking patients and send people away, which was quite the feat because announcement after announcement hardly anyone would leave the waiting area.  I’m really not sure how many people we had to turn away. 

Translating some more

Just a portion of the people waiting to get in to see a doctor.

After four days of clinics I heard that the total number of patients seen was somewhere around 1,050.  Evelyn worked all four days and 3 other doctors switched days.  What a week it was! Thursday night a dinner was fun, halfway through the meal a mariachi band showed up and played music for us.  Claire and I attempted to get the team to dance but were unsuccessful until I started a conga line.  It was quite the party after that.  Then we left to go to the Heath’s to have our first night of our new bible study.  We chatted and watched a few videos, the real material started Friday morning.  We have things to read each day and reflect on and then we meet Thursday nights to discuss what we learned/thought.  I helped Sean again Friday morning with his soccer ministry at the school and then Claire and I went to their house again from 3-5 to help with their weekly event for the neighborhood kids.  14 people from the Geyer Springs teams left to head back to Arkansas.  Friday night, was eventful.  Claire, Jamie and I went back to their house after dinner to chat and just hangout.  We ended up leaving somewhat late and came back to the compound to find that the evening guard was nowhere to be found.  So back to the Heath’s it was for a slumber party! Jamie and I each had a couch and Claire took an air mattress.  It was fun and made for great memories.  We were back at the compound this morning just in time for breakfast – which by the way, the food here is absolutely amazing, be jealous.

They love to crawl all over me.

Saturday was relaxed.  A few more people arrived in the morning from their church for the second week of their trip.  During the afternoon we delivered some food to poor families and besides that we hung around the compound.  Sunday was church at 9 a.m. and then Monte Sion at 11 a.m.  Lunch at 1 and then back to Monte Sion to play with kids and hand out ice cream and hot dogs.

Playing volleyball with the Peruvians, they beat us like 5 games in a row.

Serving hot dogs. How cute is he!

That’s all I’ve got for now, another jam-packed week ahead - going to some special needs schools Monday and Tuesday and doing a women's bible study Wednesday and Thursday.  This team leaves Friday morning. I’ll be writing again soon.

With lots of love…chao.