Here is what you can do!

Hey everyone-I hope you have enjoyed reading the blog, keeping up with my adventures, thoughts and stories. I was thrilled to come down here with all of my financial (and every other kind!!) of support. But if you ever feel that you would like to make another contribution to the work that we do down here, this is something you can do that will go to the people who need it.
Between interns, Peruvian friends and clinic staff we pay for medicines, operations and procedures. We currently have a small clinic patient fund (the one set up for patient needs...example: an older lady comes in off of the street and the Physician tells her she needs an x ray....lets say AP lat..Well that's about 40 soles. Say she just doesn't have it, and has no children to help her. Well, this is just for her) This fund just got cut from 100 soles monthly to 50. That’s $35.22 in USD as of the exchange rate today. That’s it! Some of you may wonder how can that be all that you have for patients?? Isn’t this a medical ministry? Aren’t you supposed to be doing these things and providing these services for free!?? Well the fact is we practically are. Our doctors are seeing patients for 3, 5 or 7 soles. Medicines in the pharmacy (many of them from the states) are cheaper and we often give them away. The money that is collected from these sources goes to pay the salaries of our Peruvian staff which as to date is about 12 people. The fact is if we gave absolutely free care to all (which we would love to do!) we would have to close our doors…and then we wouldn’t be able to help anyone. What this fund (and the constant collections we take up) goes toward is those expenses that are out of our control. For example an actual surgery for a patient in the public hospital could cost as little as s/3.50 (Yes! It is actually just the cost of the paperwork that you pay for.) Now that is for a patient who has public health insurance and doesn’t count the gloves, medicines, suture materials, central lines, taxi rides, etc. that you have to pay for. Or maybe it’s a 90 sole set of X-rays or a 200 sole ultrasound. Without these we cant make a good diagnosis and move forward with potential treatments, and some times our patients…especially the most needy ones or those who don’t have family just have to wait and deal with the pain and watch their conditions get worse.

The hours of waiting in the hospital or home visits are the perfect opportunities for us and the deacons of the church to talk with these patients. With subjects like death, pain and suffering often on the mind it doesn’t take long for those big questions to come up, often resulting in opportunities to discuss the church, the Gospel, and of course my all time favorite "So you Presbyterians are like, Catholics, right?” This makes a huge difference in their lives and really outside of the mission ad the church no one has ever (had the time or interest to) help these folks in such a consistent manner.
40 USD, 75 USD, 15 USD, 300 USD…Literally those are life or death numbers…please think about contributing to out patient fund. Even if it is only 20 dollars, that’s more than the monthly fund we have right now! I know it is something I will continue to do (even as I live on student loans!) Every person that receives help fills out a ficha socioeconomico (I cant remember for the life of me what that is in English! Something like an economic survey) and deacons from the church visit them in their homes to talk and confirm the reality of their situation before help is given. We never give these patients cash, but rather accompany them to the hospital or diagnostic center. All receipts are kept as well, so everyone knows exactly where the money is going! Please consider helping these folks out! I know that if the Peruvian employees at the Clinic can find a way to contribute you can to!

Checks can be sent to:

Christian Missionary Society
P.O. Box 53363 Knoxville, TN 37950-3363
Phone: (865) 684-4580
(Wichanzao Clinic Patient Fund written on the memo line)

Update on Sr. Jose

I have written before about Sr. Jose, an elderly patient at the clinic that we have had for some time now. I have spent quite a few days (countless hours in lines!) at Hospital Regional-one of the public hospitals in Trujillo. (Think Earl K Long, just with less equipment, endless lines, Spanish, and sandy floors. yikes!) He had had an enormous hernia for months but his public insurance had expired. He had given up and was in so much pain from his assortment of problems. He had just settled into the fact that he was gonna die. He just wanted to see what palliative therapy we could provide...antibiotics, pain meds, anything. But Karina started on his case and got his papers updated at the Posta and since Dr. Pinas (Jefe de la Posta en Wichanzo-the local health clinic) is filling in in the Consultorio he just filled out the papers there. And so after obtaining a referencia we were ready to face the hospital. The ironic thing is, to get anything done you have to meet several conditions that are rare in sick desperate folks-patience, money, strength and knowing when where and how to work the system (that was a bit of a learning curve, but I got it now! For once being a 130 lb 22 y/o white girl worked in my favor!). But really....it wiped me out all that standing and waiting, and during the week of tests and papers that we had to work through. Even when there was a chair Sr. Jose couldn't sit because of his hernia and prostate issues.

The most ironic thing about this experience is that we assume that the poor have all the time in the world for waiting in lines. I mean they don't have anything else to do right? They are getting a "free" service aren't they? NO. Of all people the poor are those who can not afford to wait. Those 5 hours waiting to get a stamp were precious moments for cooking menus, selling newspapers, and collecting plastic or whatever else was the business of the day. There goes the days work for the family...now what are we going to eat tonight? And if you need an operation and have to miss a week of work... what then?

For folks like Sr. Jose these are real concerns. I know because 2 days after his operation I went to go give him a shot at his house only to find out that he had left early that morning to work! He is an 81 y/o man who has had an operation, has a Foley catheter and is traveling across town in crowded public transportation to Ermelinda-one of the most dangerous open air markets in town- to sell his 10 centimo caramellos (3 cent candies). After I chastise him, he gestures with his fingers to his mouth "Pero mamacita! Si no trabajo yo, de dooonndee viene esto? mi pancito?" (But little mama! If I don't work, where is my little bread gonna come from??) That's a great question isn't it.

Sr. Jose is going to get another operation for his prostate this week I hope. I am getting up early tomorrow to take him again and if there are beds we will do the papers, get him in a bed and the next morning they will operate. (Once you are 'in' they are quick! ha) The public system paid for most of the last one, we just had to buy a few things but basically when all is said and done...both surgeries, all of the pain meds, the Foley catheter, the malla (a mesh covering that prevents the hernia from reoccurring) everything will cost $200 USD. That's it. For 2 operations, care and food. You may be thinking why would you waste money on a little old man like that? He's gonna die in a few years anyway... Well yeah, but we are all going to die, and none of us know when. And there are tons of reasons. First of all this man has no other medical problems and apart from what is going on right now he could out work and walk just about anyone! (In fact on the way to his house this afternoon I found him in the bottom of the garbage dump next to his house emptying his catheter bladder. I had to carefully climb down there to get to him, its quite the slope! and not something you want to fall in :p) Also this has been a time to get to know him and his comadre (He sleeps in the front room of the house of a Senora who has two young girls...they have been friends for years and she helps him out, he gives her platita/a little money when he can) He has had an interesting life. He is from Cajamarca, where he remembers milking cows and making cheese. His mother passed away when he was 7, and has had 3 years of school. His only recuerdo (memory) of his father was when he slapped a sole into his hand early one morning in front of a bakery where he was drinking. He is thankful for the schooling he received because he said all they did was read books-and he says now because of that he can learn anything. In fact he is still learning. Patty has caught him reading his encyclopedia, one of the only things he owns. He has even surprised me with some English! (Sky is the latest word) It has also been quite the witness to him as well as the family he lives with and the whole block really (In Peruvian fashion they were all quite curious and nosy as to why we would want to do such a thing). We have had hours of conversations about the church, Jesus, what is the Iglesia Presbiteriana (haha #1 question...Yeah, Presbyterians..you guys are Catholics right??) and why we are here. What an opportunity for the Gospel, good theology, and good to our fellow man. Thank you all for supporting me and giving me the opportunity to be here. It has truly been a pleasure to serve this man, and humbling to be thanked by him, and to remind him that I am merely a fleeting instrument of God's grace here and He has a plan that is being worked out.
And as Sr. Jose says "En mi pobreza siempre me gusta la amistad. Deseo lo mejor para ti en tus estudios. Si pudiera abrir mi corazon, yo le daria a usted. Pero no puedo jaja. Cuando vas a clase en su primer dia de estudio en Alabama, acuerdate de mi..Millones de gracias."

It is worth the 200 bucks. That's 3 Friday nights of babysitting...nothing! I hope to find him selling cheap candy in the market a few years from now. If you remember, pray for us this week and the next because this operation is gonna be tough. Several days in the hospital...they do it old school here. No laparoscopy or lasers...cut it up, drag it out. Although I am sure they have a cute little abbreviation for that :)

**And btw another bit of great news!! I have been thinking for a while about how we can fund things like this for those patients that we have that are truly in need and dont have other resources. We had a Clinic/Church fund in Wichanzao of 100 soles every month (33 USD!). This is a fund especially for patients, nothing else. It comes from Clinic consults and med sales in the pharmacy as well as offerings in church. Its a start, but not nearly meeting the needs we see every day. Dale Ellison (my boss, jefe de la Clinica, fellow missionary extraordinaire) created a special account through the Christian Missionary Society that is tax deductible (Rebbecca will send you the receipt!). This money will pay for medicines, ultrasounds, blood and parasite tests, operations, you name it. I keep reciepts for everything we do so if you ever want to see where the money goes, it an open book!
So if its burning a hole in your pocket send it. ;)

Un dia un poco pesado...

Today was a little tough for me...I feel great but there are just so many sad things that have been on my mind. First of all my family buried my Aunt Tare today. I am okay with it but just so sad that I will never get to hang out and laugh with her again...she was so great. I will miss you Aunt Tare!

The other thing today that is just breaking my heart is this little 3 y/o named Segundo (something like Junior). He has a few health problems (lactose intolerance, anemia, etc.) and at first glance you can just tell he is short for his age and a bit sickly and pale looking but oh so cute. His little eyes are huge! His mother left them a month and a half ago and his father has not been able to work because he has been taking Segundo to doctors visits and taking care of him during the day. As a single father with no friends or family to take care of his son their resources have quickly drained. His father came to us today with a list of analysis that have been ordered in hopes that it would be more affordable in our laborotorio. He had 11 soles and the bill--as much as we could cut the costs down still came out to 50 soles. So we all threw in and were able to get them paid for. But after talking with this man, I realized that he can not afford to keep his only son. Literally they would practically starve, much less not have money for medicine, schooling, and every other thing a child needs. And there really are not gov resources that help with childcare while the parents work for the day. There is hardly work enough for people here much less when they have a 3 year old tagging along. This man was literally crying and at the end of his rope. What can he do? He loves his son so much but is going to have to give him up. Thankfully we know and work with some folks who are at Hogar de Esperanza which is a private orphanage south of Trujillo in Salaverry. It is a wonderful place, and actually many of the children there are not true orphans. Their parents can not afford to keep them but do not want to put them in the public system. We are looking to see if perhaps he could go there for a while. He would be well taken care of and his Dad could visit on the weekend. This of course is absolutely heartbreaking...but at this point it is a matter of survival. This man is between a rock and a hard place. Please pray for us a we search for all of the resources and options we can find, and also that he would be able to make the best decision possible for him and his son.

Aunt Tare

Please keep my great aunt (We call her Aunt Tare, but her real name is Henrietta McKowen) in your prayers this week. She has been in the hospital because she suffered a MI (heart attack) and now has several other problems (hernia, internal bleeding etc.) They can not move forward without exploratory surg, which they can not do with her in this condition. They are trying to keep her comfortable with meds, and that is all.
Aunt Tare is one of my favorite people in the whole wide world. I just love that sassy old lady! I don't have any grandparents anymore and she is the last of her generation in my family. I wish I could be with her now. We have shared countless laughs, secrets, jokes...she has been a real important person to me and I pray that she will pass peacefully. I know she is a Christian, and believe she will be received with open arms upstairs! My Dad told me that she is constantly surrounded by folks back home that are visiting her. I hope that they are not only reminding her of how much we love her, but also the love and grace that God has freely given to us through his Son...