Off The Charts: Nursing in Peru : Family-to-Family y La Fiesta

Man do they keep us busy around here! Trying to find time to write this is a big problem! (hence why it's 11:15 and I'm doing it) But I'm having an awesome time, so doesn't bother me.

Yesterday morning I went to the hospice that is affiliated with the parish, it is like a sanctuary among the shambles of shacks, stray dogs, and piles of garbage. Right now there are 6 patients, all of which are more long term than necessarily end of life, but they had no where else to go so the church took them in. We spend the morning doing baths and feeding patients, and also had the opportunity to watch a doctor do a dressing change on some NASTY pressure ulcers!!!! (hot room + mask + Emily = almost passing out)

There is this program down here where families from the USA adopt a family in Piura and send down $25 or more a month for their family. The money is used for a food box each month and any left over money is used for other things that the family needs. (house repairs, clothes, cleaning supplies, etc.) Anywho Marquette has a family and we spent our afternoon with them! There was a luncheon for the family-to-family people so everyone at the mission that has a family was invited to have lunch with their family. Our family is so cute! It's Erika, Alex, and three kids, Christhian, Niara, and Jessica. We spent lunch with them and after took them to the market to get them some things that they needed. It was so nice to spend the afternoon with them and see how appreciative they were for such small things.

Getting Christhian new shoes

Niara looking cute

Family in their mototaxi

I encourage all of you to consider joining the family-to-family program, because there is so much poverty down here and $25 dollars (about 60 soles) really goes along way.

Today I went back to the hospice in the morning which was about the same, and then got to spend the afternoon in the prolife clinic at the parish. It was AWESOME!! The people here have so much trust in us and believe we know what we are doing, which is a pleasant change from clinicals at home. We did prenatal appointments with patients which consisted of assessment, an ultrasound (yes! I learned how to do a scan on a baby!! pretty awesome!), and answered questions of patients. We had a patient come in with right lower quadrant pain and Cecilia (the midwife) didn't know what it was, so she asked us to assess her to try to figure out what it could be! SWEET!! (actually getting to use skills) We ended up sending her to the emergency room for further assessment but it was exciting.

After mass tonight we went to a FIESTA!!! It was so much fun! We went to this little place outside set up and music was playing. The Peruvians are all so welcoming, they all stand and insist that you sit. The kids swarm towards you, and I was attached to Jenny all night.

Jenny and I watching dances

Ashley and her friend

We watched some traditional dancing and then spent a lot of the time dancing as well. It was a BLAST!! I can't wait for the next fiesta. Everyone was laughing and having a great time!