 Longer lines greet us on Day 2 |
February 1, 2005 |
A more organized way of handling the lines has been established outside the clinic. We are happy to see that, since more people are waiting today than yesterday. But we had a good if brief sleep, and the mood is upbeat and ready to get to work.
Logistics are getting easier. With a general practitioner (Carletta) now in pediatrics, some of the line waiting has abated. The crush in eye care is not so overwhelming; moving the eye chart outside has eased congestion in the examining room. And while there are still children running free in pediatrics, the area is less chaotic, and the strings put up for crowd control are definitely helping. Of course it’s early yet, we’ll see how the world looks at 4.
Mid afternoon, just about lunchtime, and this is a very different clinic than yesterday. Everyone is more relaxed and less anxious, patients and staff alike. Crowds are organized, lines are shorter, and the atmosphere is quieter and calmer. Heat is still an issue; at least two elderly women have been overcome by standing in line in the hot sun. But a local doctor is now in charge of registration, and so far she’s doing a good job ensuring that we don’t register more people than the doctors can handle.
| The general medicine doctors are treating many elderly people; I was so surprised to see Rod treating someone under the age of 50 that I was tempted to take a photo just to document it. It’s hard for me to judge the age of the older people. Jonathan and I were discussing one woman who I took to be in her 60’s; he was confident she was twenty years younger. I took photos of one woman treated by Barry, so small and frail that he said a breath could blow her over. |
 Dr. Barry Jarvis gently treats a very frail woman |
 Keeping the kids in the pediatric line amused |
The children of course are high spirited and full of fun. Impromptu soccer games take place outside the hacienda, Laine entertains children with his flute, and a group of four to six year olds enjoyed watching me blow bubble gum bubbles. Carmencita arrives at lunchtime, smiling and singing. Without any change in her demeanor, she tells Jonathan and myself what just happened on her way to the clinic; her bus was boarded by two armed ‘gangsters’ who demanded money at gunpoint from each passenger, including her. Of course I am shocked but Jonathan is too, so I guess this is a rare enough occurrence that it surprises even someone who has lived here for a while. Having seen little of the country past our cozy little hotel and the safety of Suchitoto, and being busy at the clinic all day, it is easy to forget the enormity of the every day problems faced by the Salvadorans. |
| I have noticed that some of the doctors offer advice that strays beyond diagnosis of health problems or prescribing medicine. Dale told one young mother to make sure her child keeps going to school, that her illness was not serious enough to warrant her missing school. Barry and Sister Margaret Jane spent a good deal of time with a charming young woman, about 22 years old (and not pregnant or already a mother, something of a rarity). Barry prescribed medication for her migraines and assured her she was very healthy despite an irregular period. After learning she worked in a juice stand, he had Margaret Jane tell her she was a very intelligent young woman and she should go to school. The young woman was flattered but then Margaret Jane translated the response; no money. Barry urged her again; if there was any way to do it, go to school. All three exchanged hugs; I couldn’t help but wonder what the future holds for this obviously bright young woman. |  This beautiful young girl was typical of the way patients dressed to come to the clinic |
Today’s clinic is proceeding so smoothly that I occasionally find myself lost in thoughts of home and what the future holds for me. Returning from this brigade I’ll be facing my own decisions and changes. When these thoughts intrude I take a walk around the clinic, offering minor help to the doctors, and I am reminded in the most visceral way of how small my problems are. And there’s another sure cure; I respond to the calls of the children for my attention (‘Hola camera!”) and start taking photos. The delight they take in posing and the laughter that is elicited from viewing their photo is so pure and infectious that I have to respond in kind, I just can’t help it. They give me a gift and they don’t know it.
 Diane Spada examines a patient who has waited a long time to see her |
It’s now 6:30 pm. and there’s still a heck of a line at pediatrics, so Dan, Barry and Rod have joined Carletta, Lauren and Dale and are treating children too. There’s the expected crush at pharmacy but nowhere near the intensity experienced last night. Seven o’clock and eye care is done; Mark, Ken, Diane and Burt look somewhat surprised that they weren’t the last ones treating patients. Alicia comments that she actually had opportunities throughout the day to walk the line, verifying info and clarifying names that were illegibly written on registration slips.
We end earlier and are off to another great dinner. |