CARAVANA DOS

Exhaustion and exhilaration!

It is the end of 2 very full weeks of medical care for the people of Chiapas, in the Clinica Manos de Cristo.   We had a plethora of providers,  but few translators.  This is a real problem, but a delight when so many medical people answer the call to serve here.  Translators are crucial to our work.  Remember, we need to translate from English to Spanish, and then to Tzeltal.  Some Indigenous people speak Spanish, but most do not.  

The weeks are grueling, but fun and a learning experience for all.  How to introduce American medicine , how to treat patients without testing, medicine, or  treatments being available. The art of touching and diagnosing with only a physical exam and the patient's explanation of his symptoms. Treating patients conservatively, with a minimum, and only the basics of medicine.  A lost art, and challenging. 

We saw more than 1,030 patients in the 2 weeks we were there.

 We saw a lot of sad and serious cases:   A feverish baby with a large abscess at his neck.  He needed more intense care, and we arranged a transfer to "20 Beds".   The mother cried, in concern for her baby, but more so in fear of the hospital.  She never arrived there.  We saw a boy, 17, who looked about 10, who had multiple congenital deformities, club feet, deformed hands, cleft palate affecting his speech.  He was sweet, functioned well, and we tried to get him into the health care system to receive some therapy or surgery.   

We saw many diabetics with severely high blood sugars.  In the US there would be panic and a rush to hospitalize this patient to get his blood sugar down quickly.  Here, we treat actively, but conservatively, as it would be just as dangerous to bring this chronic situation down quickly.  The patients' bodies have adapted, and this is not an immediate medical emergency. 

Older lady with normal aches and pains.  She was very independent and very funny.  

You must brush your teeth more! 

Dr. Bill injects a lady's hand 

It wouldn't happen without this trio

Emily, Karen, Carolina.  

Rick entertaining the crowds.  If you have never heard Amazing Grace on the saw, you are missing an amazing thing!  

We saw a lady with Bell's Palsy,  a guy with a machete cut over his eye from a skirmish in his village, some folks with emotional problems, a young man newly diagnosed with seizures, a little boy who had had a colostomy, and now had severe rectal problems, men needing rectal exams (thanks Dr. Bill!), a lady with a son in the jail, a baby with a necklace to keep away the "evil eye", and on and on!   We checked pregnant ladies, and advised on all sorts of topics.  

We had a nutritionist and an acupuncturist, both utilized greatly.  We saw old and young, taxi drivers, librarians, campesinos .   

A fascinating slice of humanity.  All made in God's image.  The same throughout the world.  

More later.  

CARAVANA UNA

Well, Caravana Una has departed.

 It was an unusually wonderful week, mostly because of the participants.  We were a lively group, full of laughter and stories.  As the week wore on, the bond became stronger.  We began to really know each other, and open up on some very personal levels.  These mission weeks are each a forum that accepts and encourages everyone.  We truly become fast and intimate friends, where anything can be discussed.  

We were a diverse group, with people from all walks of life, in many different phases of medicine, and on extreme ends of our faith walk.  Our devotions in the morning, as always, on the roof at sunrise, were thoughtful and touching.  There was a poem, a song sung, scriptures read, and personal stories presented.  These personal testimonies are always heartfelt.   A young physician, who was here last year, had been very touched by the spirit and ministry here at that time.  She struggled and still does, with her faith, or lack of it, and even her choice of career.  She had contemplated making a career change.  But the trip last year convinced here that she indeed wanted to continue on in medicine, and perhaps consider serving in some capacity in this culture.  She had us all in tears as she shared that she was finding her way, both professionally and spiritually.  

We also had a bright, personable, but quiet young physician from the same hospital in North Carolina.  He is a Muslim.   Imagine the fear and trepidation he must have felt as he decided to come on this decidedly Christian medical mission!   He knew there would be a lot of prayer, devotion, and "Jesus" talk.  He decided to come to see what this adventure was all about.  As I said earlier, we are a very inclusive, and loving group.  We prayed, sang, and worked closely all week.  Discussions of our faith walks were open.  He joined openly in our together times,  he became part of our family.  Our common bonds made us loving friends.  Imagine our tears as he shared on the last night how his heart had been touched by all of us, and that the work we were doing, each for our own particular reason, transcended race, culture, religion.  And again imagine the warmth as he sang our Allelujah, Glory to God, song for the first time.  

And the patients!  The reason we are here.   We come to serve, and serve we did!  More than 600 patients were seen, treated, touched this week.  If only one was impacted, then the time and effort was worth it.  We had less translators but managed somehow to make the patient flow go well.  The young docs conferenced a lot with each other, and with wise old Dr. Bill.  

 Doc Gerardo consulted, and WAS consulted continually.  He is becoming so confident, and thoroughly enjoys the medical expertise of the groups, but also the camaraderie of young medical peers.  And of course, I consulted with EVERYONE. 

We saw the usual gamut of patients with body pains (who wouldn't?  What with carrying loads of firewood on your back held by a wide strap across your forehead; and washing clothes by hand on cement scrub boards; and working in your cornfield which sits UP the side of the mountain...).  

And patients with chronic gastritis, chronic colitis, chronic worms and parasites.  

There was the boy we have seen many times, with the large osteochondromas on his scapula, humerus, knees.

 And the the 2 sweet old ladies who were about 3 feet tall and smiling.  They came to the clinic together.  And people with lots of URIs, as it is winter here.  We saw people with mal healed fractures, "hot feet", "bolas" in their bellies, and strange feelings that started long ago.  There were a number of undiagnosed diabetics, with blood sugars of 592, 550, etc.  There were many hugs, "Gracias's", and  "Dios Ya Sc'oltayat ", God go with you.    They are deeply honored that we have "just come".

BENDIGAS , ADIOS !

Carolina in Chiapas