Catching Up

So we have been super busy around here with the medical team being here this week and then we have a big project that we are working on due on Tuesday so any spare time I would have used to blog has been taken up, so this may be a long one.

Monday--

Anne, Abby, Fatia, and I worked with the medical team and set up a clinic in a church in the village of San Patricio-Polvorines. We spent the day triaging patients for the two doctors and nurse practitioner. It was definitely a challenge with my limited Spanish skills, but I was much better by the end of the day. We say ALOT of tos con flema (which is a cough), and parasites. The doctors were awesome and pulled us into their areas if they had something interesting to show us. It was amazing how with only a simple assessment and no big machines or tests that the doctors were able to come up with diagnoses for the patients. It just goes to show that there is a lot to be said about a physical assessment and laying hands on the patient and talking to them. We also gave medication teaching to the patients so I got really good at telling patients "Toma ___ pastillas ___ veces cada dia por ____ dias." We say over 100 patients that first day, most of them who wouldn't have had access to a doctor without us.

bags packed and ready to go

Me & Fatia ready to work

Triaging a patient

Taking temperature on a not so happy girl

 

patients waiting outside

Fatia giving medication information

Abby teaching about the meds

Tuesday--

With the medical team an OBGYN came down and I had the amazing experience to work with her! We performed exams on women checking for cervical cancer, and then talked with the patients about what Dr. Maria suggested for further care. In addition to doing the exams I also got to work in the OB room and do ultrasounds on pregnant women and show many of them their baby's for the first time. I had the opportunity to tell a couple that they were having a BOY!! They were so excited and were going to name him Jayson. I loved the entire experience working with Maria, and she was a huge inspiration to me and my future!

Me, Fatia, Laura, and Anne in the gyne clinic

Our little clinic

Pema and I

 Wednesday--

I had another opportunity to work with the medical team at a clinic out in what the team called "God's Country". You can tell from the pictures that there is nothing for a long ways and these people have absolutely no access to medical care without driving for 40 minutes!

Thursday--

Abby and I went to the nursing home this morning and did some hand massages. We also sang a little bit for the women. The two below were hilarious singing to each other and kept trying to put shoes on over their shoes. They spoke their own language that was not understood by anyone else. (No it wasn't even Spanish)

In the afternoon I went out on home visits with Abby and Fatia. We had the chance to see four or five patients and check their blood pressures. Fatia had her mask on to protect her from the dust.

Fatia ready for home visits with her asthma mask

Pollitos

Fatia giving lovely footcare!

Jackfruit

 After mass we had another fiesta, so naturally I had another child clung onto me for the night!

Little friend at the fiesta

Friday--

A bummer day! I woke up sick and had to stay in from clinical in the morning. I was especially bummed because I was supposed to be doing social work which I haven't had the opportunity to do yet. But I'll get a chance next week. Then in the afternoon I had to do my teaching project on prenatal development and healthy habits during pregnancy. I ended up with a "translator" that knew about the same amount of Spanish as I did and then was changing what I was saying, so that sucked. But oh well. Overall it went well and I got my points across so I'm fine with it.

Saturday--

Finally we made it to today! This morning Erin and I went out on home visits with Jackie and Andrea. We saw four patients and managing their blood pressures and glucose, doing nail care, and triaging other problems they had. I really enjoy home visits, it is amazing how welcoming the Peruvian people are to people just coming into their houses.

cute puppy we wanted to bring home

Me & Erin

We had another group teaching project today that we did on handwashing and hypertension. It turned out very well. The audience learned alot and then we had some fun dancing the macarena, chicken dance, and hokey pokey with them. Only in Peru is it socially acceptable just to bust out doing any of those dances when not at a wedding!

MU with the audience 

Hopefully next week will be somewhat less hectic and I'll try to post more often.
We're on the final countdown only 6 more days to go. I'll be back in the US before we know it!! Night! :)