We had a great time this week with a small team from IPC Savannah. I got out of my normal clinic routine and helped with campaigns in Larco and Arevalo Chruchs, as well as in the new church at Parque Industrial. We were also able to see patients in the clinic Thursday and Friday. The team consisted of Paul Carpenter (pharmacist), Ryan Moody (internist and pulmonologist) and Frankie Daniell. Frankie and Paul were able to help us replace the current roof over the stairwell and waiting room which was really in need of replacing because when it rains (although not often!) the water flows leaving streaks on the walls and puddles in the clinic. But not anymore! So it was a great week, I learned how to listen to the heart and lungs and we will no longer come to work with water on the floor!
This week was a great opportunity to get out of my “box” at work—literally I work in my little room in triage in the morning and don’t really leave. Although I love my work there it is good to sit in with the Doctor when I have time later in the day. These opportunities lead to chances to get to know patients and their stories, for example....
This past week I had a 13 yr old boy from Clementina come in with his mother (who is having her 6th child in December). I was really interested to see what was going on with this kid. In triage he said he had dizzy spells, and strange headaches, heartburn especially after sodas, numbness on his right side, general malaise…and a lot of other seemingly unrelated issues. Terri and I guessed gastritis and a parasite, according to Dr. Mario’s diagnosis I think we got it! Jeisson is 13 years old, and his Dad is in and out but not really around or involved. This kid has been the doorman in a combi (public transport van) for 3 yrs. That is to say he has been working a man’s job since he was about 10 years old, and is not in school. His income is possibly the biggest contribution to his household—I'm not sure about his Dad. Such a little grown-up, but still runs over to his Mom in triage while I am trying to get his weight and whispers something about being embarrassed about his dirty socks and smelly feet in her ear. He is still young and innocent enough to have a childlike heart, but I am sure he has experienced many disappointments, hardships and broken promises in his short life so far.
People and stories like this are too common to be considered or bothered about much, or at least be out of the ordinary. But this kid stuck with me for some reason. This week he and his mother came back into the clinic for a check up and I invited him to come with Terri and I to climb the Cerro behind Clementina for a good view of the city. We went on Saturday morning and had a great time. The clinic is only a 3 or 5 minute walk away from the fringe communities where people like Jeisson live, but unless you go out there often you tend to forget how they live. A few examples being the men sitting outside their homes drinking at 10 am. Thankfully, this is frowned upon (at least for the moment) by Jeisson and his little friend Juan Marco who promptly informed us that they were borrachos (drunks). Thank you boys, we didn’t pick up on that one ha. But really can you imagine the bitterness that these kids must harbor if their fathers are like that? The kids have to quit school and work to provide for their siblings or pregnant mother. Then after a few years of living this tough stressful reality they turn to the same outlets that their fathers did....drinking or drugs or women. Don't forget about the countless sick small children playing in the dirt together, alone without supervision. When the kids get thirsty, they all drink directly—and I do mean directly…they put their whole mouths on the newly acquired water spigots. Unfortunately, on top of their mouths being all over the spigot, the city water as it comes to Clementina is unclean and unbeknownst to these kids harbors the bacteria and parasites that make them sick. There are 4 access points in the community I believe. They are quite lucky to have access to water, I was surprised to see the nice concrete fountains. When I asked how they got these so quickly I was told that they are stealing the water by tapping into a city source. I am sure they will have to pay some exorbitant price for that water later....
Anyway, all this to say I am glad I got the opportunity to get to know Jeisson, Juan Marcos and his little dog, Como Tu. I don’t want these any of these observations to be taken as judgmental or ethnocentric. By no means are they intended to be such…we all have our own faults and problems. If anything it is remarkable how their lives can progress and bloom when given the opportunity. We live very different lives, but for some reason I can't help but identifying with these kids...and seeing what they have to experience makes my childhood innocence die a thousand little deaths all over again. So...It's good to get outside of your box...hike and talk a little...learn a lot about who it is you are serving and what its like to be in their shoes, however smelly.
