The illnesses we treated were the same no matter what part of the country we were in. For the children, they either had a cold (viral or bacterial) or parasites. Some had insect bites that they scratched and these became infected sores. Others had rashes due to clothing or, I suspect, a reaction to the pollution in the rivers. The mothers, about 90% of them had headaches and stomachaches. The headaches a result of the stress they are under. Usually the oldest girl gets to help mother raise the kids and help with the housework. By the time they are 16 and ready to go out on their own, they end up pregnant and in starting their own families get back into the familiar routine of homemaker. It was not uncommon to have a 20-year-old mother with three small children bringing in her family for consultations. The stress of this coupled with taking care of the home, procuring the food, feeding the family, washing the clothes and on the side setting up a stall to sell something to make money created tension headaches in them. The husband was rarely present, usually out on the pretense he was looking for work but more than likely drinking. Life is difficult for the poor around the world and that was especially evident to me in El Salvador. The stress led to gastric build-up in the stomachs and ulcer potential. The mothers rarely ate because the stomachache took away their appetite and then they'd get lightheaded and another headache. We did treat some men, mainly elderly and usually the chief complaint was arthritis.
The Comandos were an interesting group to work with. They've been in existence for 41 years relying on donations and foreign support for their survival. It was during the earthquakes and their aftermath that one of the foreign rescue groups noticed how the Comandos were involved in the rescue efforts, the care they gave their citizens regardless of economic status, social status, etc. When they returned to the United States, this group of Iowa doctors contacted their governor and they both nominated the Comandos de Salvamento for the Nobel Peace Prize. I was there when it was announced and felt honored to be associated with such a group. It was easy to make friends with these healthcare workers and at times I was reminded of the show M.A.S.H. with how everyone interacted. I had a great time working and aiding the El Salvadorans. But what was more rewarding were the thanks they gave us for caring for them, even those who would come all the way from the U.S. I would recommend participating in this program to anyone with an inkling of interest. You won't regret it.
I want to thank PeaceHealth and the Sisters for providing this unique opportunity to the employee of PeaceHealth. As a result of this venture, I've been asked by other departments to talk about my experiences, I've been invited to participate in a health careers class panel at the University of Oregon and I'm looking into other missions as a way of giving back. All this has made me a more compassionate nurse and thus helped me vocationally. When the job becomes stressful and task oriented, it becomes more important to make that human connection that is so vital to nursing and patient well-being.
A special thanks to Sister Eleanor for being such a gracious hostess, sharing herself and history with me, for the great talks in the evenings, the delicious meals and the countless little things you did that helped make this experience so memorable. Take care, Mom and I wish you a speedy recovery.
© El Salvador Health Mission