Paso a paso

We are always learning something (even if it is from a chicken leg)! Today Julton gave a lecture on suturing. Most everything I had heard before (thanks to Mom and surg in the vet clinic!) but I did learn a new stitch!

Feliz Cumple Elías!

Ana's big brother Elías turned 4 yesterday, so we went to his birthday party! When everyone was lined up to kiss the birthday boy (as is the custom) one little girl gave him the only present he received and the rest of the time he was trying to escape and run to his room to open it, hehe. So cute! Ana is now able to sit unassisted in a chair so she just sat back to watch the fun!

Don Jose is getting out of the Hospital tomorrow at 11am. Kelly, Patty and I have been visiting and making sure he has everything he needs (countless pharmacy runs!). He is eating and feeling okay. He says he is ready to get out of there and eat a duck!

Post op report for Sr. Jose

Sr. Jose is recovering….out of our 200 soles we raised we have 2.50 left. What a blessing! They shouldn’t order too much more. How awesome is that! 200 soles for a major surgery and 2-3 day hospital visit. Although its not plush….shared rooms, have to bring your own TP, water, towel, blanket, chair for the caretaker, thermometer, everything.
We read for about 30 minutes yesterday…anything that came to mind that I thought would be comforting and encouraging for him to hear. Then I prayed with him for a few minutes. I actually surprised myself by only stumbling over a couple of words …It is amazing what time and practice will do for language skills! Please be praying for his recovery that it would be swift and complete, also that his spirits would stay high.

Some sad news

Sr. Leon passed away the other night. Don’t get me wrong, it is sad but I am glad that he is no longer suffering. I went and visited him at the hospital in the late afternoon on Wednesday and he passed away that evening around 8 in his sleep. When I went to see him he had his O2 going and his labs were within the norms, he was awake and conscious, we had a nice little talk and joked around a bit. He also had a visitor from the church there. When I got to the hospital at 7 for Don Jose’s prostate surgery I decided to pop upstairs first to check on Sr. Leon. I was a bit confused because I walked into his room (It’s a big shared room) and he was no where to be found! I walked out to go find a nurse and an women followed me out and asked if I had come back to visit him. I said yes, and she informed me that he had died last night. She was a very kind, Christian lady and told me all that had happened. I am really going to miss spending time with him, and reading and singing….but I know that he is resting now (and his feet are clean!) I believe this is better because I am not sure who would take care of him and bring medicines etc after Patty and I leave. Patty was so great yesterday….while I was with Sr. Jose who was in surgery she went to Wichanzao, found his family and came back to Regional with all of them and helped them with the long difficult process of getting his body out. She literally had to help put his body into the freezer at the morgue! I know that was a really hard day, but the family needed some support and I am thankful someone was there to help them throughout the entire process.

Hospitals, an all day affair/adventure

I was literally in Belen and Regional (the two main hospitals in Trujillo) from 7am to 9 pm yesterday. I gave blood to a young girl who had her ovarian tumor removed (3-4 kilos!) and then went to help Patty get Don Jose internado (admitted) in to Regional for his prostate operation. It was an all day affair, but I am so glad that we are finally in! We bought everything that the insurance didn’t cover (115 soles…not bad eh?) We will be with him there the next few days. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it) Sr. Leon, our favorite diabetic, is also at Regional. I hadn’t been able to find him this week and now I know why, he has been in the hospital. They have him on O2 and he is clean at least. He has a lot of fluid in his lungs and has some labs pending, so we will see what they are going to do with him. As sad as it is, sometimes I think our abuelitos are better taken care of in the hospital than in Wichanzao. They have hot baths and warm food and nice nurses (well, at least they are young!)

Highlights of the day: winning the blood donation race t(hat bag filled up so fast!)A and rubbernecking with the Peruvians at some of the ER cases that came in (bloody, yikes!)

Happy Easter! and a bit of news

We had a 14 yo patient with a 30 cm ovarian tumor removed today. We have been raising money and working on getting this operation for several weeks. She and her family came from the Sierra to Trujillo to stay with a relative in Wichanzao. She received a diagnosis for a growing mass in her abdomen. They came into the clinic because she didn’t understand the implications of the doctors diagnosis (Ovarian cancer) and the process that she would have to go through to get a surgery. Not only were we able to get all of her paperwork done, raise money for the tests and surgery, but also find blood donors for her surgery that was today! Her case is very advanced, and the prognosis is poor. But we have done everything possible to assist them in hopes that our humble service to them would point them to a Savior who can ultimately provide comfort to her and her family. I am going right now to donate another unit (her 3rd) of blood since we are the same type.
Also, for those of you who know the case of Ana, she is now able to sit up without assistance and can almost walk!! She has also FINALLY gotten her insurance so hopefully we will move forward with visiting specialists and starting other treatments! AND Sr. Jose is going to get his prostate operation Wednesday as well. Pray for these patients that they would continue to progress and heal...and that we would continue to serve them well! God Bless, and I hope everyone had a beautiful Easter...