Thursday blog
Team 849 – Estes Medical Clinic
Today is our last clinic day. We should have approximately 50 fewer patients today like we did Monday. After clinic we will be packing up all our supplies, machines, screens, fans, etc. and closing down.
Shortly after our arrival a group of fifteen mobility patients from San Matens, Department Malayan, Guatemala arrived. At midnight Wednesday night these patients started moving to get onto a bus to ride to our clinic. These individuals heard about our clinic as the result of a precious Guatemalan volunteer from their area. Most likely they will be here most of the day! Hopefully I will remind myself of this fact the next time I sit in an air-conditioned physician’s office for 30 minutes to an hour fussing about why I am having to waste my time.
Affordable patient care is hard to come by in Guatemala and wait times can be extremely lengthy. Alfonso Flores, a 70 year old male from Mazetanengo, worked most of his life in the sugar cane fields. Three years ago Alfonzo visited one of the Faith in Practice clinics and was referred for surgery on his knees. He waited for a surgical clinic a year. When the time came his pre-op tests showed trouble with his blood sugar and his prostate. These health concerns had to be addressed prior to surgery so his operation was postponed. About a year later he was supposed to have surgery but had a high fever that prevented him from getting to the hospital. Now, three years after his initial visit he is back at the Estes Medical Clinic. Physical therapist, Barbara Jennen, and Pediatric Orthopedic, Allison Scott, asked Alphonso to walk so they could diagnose his knees. When he walked his knees bowed out to the side. In watching him I was afraid his legs would snap at his knees as he walked with a walker. Alfonso’s name was pulled up in our system and an emergency request for braces for his knees were ordered. The braces will help support Alfonso so he can safely transfer from his wheelchair to his bed, or any other spot. He was also put first on the surgery schedule as soon as a surgical team is available.
Speaking of Allison, I found out yesterday that she worked in a Shriners hospital for thirty years. How lucky we are to have that type of expertise with us! She is only one of so many outstanding doctors on this team.
Finally today I must mention a couple of staff that I personally have leaned on all week to get my job done, the IT Specialists,
Byron Alfaro and Jennifer Morales. Without them this 70 year old blogger would not have been able to do my job. I can’t leave out my FIP IT friend, Aldo Castro, located in Houston. He and I have been texting for a week or so.
I told our team leader one of the biggest challenges or writing this blog is to discern whose story to tell, the patient, the doctor, the volunteer, or staff!
Until tomorrow,
Becky Cade
Team 849 Estes Medical Team Blogger
