Leche Condensada

We have a diabetic patient at the clinic who came in recently quite ill and we had to send him to the hospital. He has been out for a week in his home on bedrest and Percy and Terri and I have been visiting him daily. Sr. Saturnino is elderly albino man with advanced diabetes. He cant walk or feel anything below his knees. I can't hear any breath sounds until the upper 1/3 of his lungs because they are full of fluid! Still haven't figured out how he was released in that condition...but thats another story.

He has 5 siblings an estranged wife and several children in Trujillo, but they have been reluctant to care for him because they want to inherit his house (not that there is much to it..)We have been bathing and changing him in hopes that he will be able to regain his strength. This has been a wonderful and interesting experience....singing Psalms in Spanish while taking care of him. Today he was asking us all about why we are here and what this was gong to cost him! We go through this every few days, but today Percy wasn't with us so I was on my own with the spanish. It went well though, I was able to explain first of all that it was gratis (free!)and that we were interns with the Presbyterian church. Also that we are here working in the clinic and helping the church serve the community. He said "Oh que bueno que bueno...la iglesia presbyteriana.." I proceeded to tell him no we weren't here serving the church, we are here to serve the Lord! He is quite the interesting character to say the least.
Today we were very busy in the clinic and didn't get out to visit him until 1 in the afternoon or so. Terri Patty and I walked in to see him up in his chair for the first time. At first I thought he was drinking an Ensure and I was wondering where he got it. Oh no. Not Ensure....leche condensada. Sweetened condensed milk..for the wheel chair bound diabetic! What happened to the diet counseling...the daily glucose checks? After expressing our firm and clear disapproval of his binge Sr. Saturnino commenced to tell us that it was ok and his body was accustomed to it! Everything in moderation! :O We have our work cut out for us I guess.