Today was clinic day in Centro America. We saw over 130 people today, in the outpost clinic building. Here's a few highlights from the day:
- a trap wound - a man who had stepped on a trap years ago and still had the shrapnel in his buttocks. It had worked its way up towards the surface so Sam was able to remove it.
- large families!! Getting used to the names...and let me tell you, they have names...a LOT of them. One person's "name" can involve 5 or 6 different names. Common last names in the jungle: Pizango, Pizuri, Huansi, Chanchari, Inuma. Needless to say, registering a family of 8 can take a really long time! Funny thing is, some people's last names are two of the same...for instance their name might be Maria Pizuri Pizango Pizango. Interesting!
- working with Tito and laughing as we try to communicate! We developed a pretty good system. Tito would do the initial registration which was so important because the names can be so complicated. Then, I would take the registration sheets and transcribe the names of the people who qualified for the anti-parasite pill along with their health number, if they have one ("DNI"). Then...it would be pill time!
- the graciousness of the Peruvian people - their generosity and helpfulness.
- Parasite medication! Albenazole...needs to be taken every 6 months. It was my job to give the pill to everyone...unless they were under 2 years old, breastfeeding ("lactante") or pregnant ("embarazado"). Key phrase: "Abra la boca, por favor" ("open your mouth please"!) and in goes the pill! Then, "matiscar" ("chew"). This is of course a little bit of a tricky arrangement with a small child who doesn't want it!
Where it all begins...at registration!
Faces in the pharmacy...they worked so hard! and always with an audience (:
All dressed up fro clinic day!
I had to include this picture of Tito and I at registration, even though it's almost identical to the one above. I love this shot though (thanks Corrine!) because we are smiling about something and so are the people around us. No doubt it was an entertaining moment of me trying to communicate something in Spanish or Tito and I both being astonished by the amount of children someone had! Note my trusty Spanish phrase book under my elbow...never away from my side!
Today was clinic day in Centro America. We saw over 130 people today, in the outpost clinic building. Here's a few highlights from the day:
Where it all begins...at registration!
Faces in the pharmacy...they worked so hard! and always with an audience (:
All dressed up fro clinic day!
I had to include this picture of Tito and I at registration, even though it's almost identical to the one above. I love this shot though (thanks Corrine!) because we are smiling about something and so are the people around us. No doubt it was an entertaining moment of me trying to communicate something in Spanish or Tito and I both being astonished by the amount of children someone had! Note my trusty Spanish phrase book under my elbow...never away from my side!
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