The Last Few Days of Week 1 at the Clinic

Sorry this post is a couple of days late, but we have been very busy bees.

Thursday was our first day to take the bus by ourselves.  We were pretty confident that we wouldn’t have any trouble because we had already taken the bus 3 other times that week and we were very familiar with the route to the clinic.  So we get on bus number 13 and things start off great, until we make a U-turn that we have never made before.  Needless to say, our hearts started racing and our senses were enhanced because we had no idea where we were.  After a few minutes of panic, we asked another passenger and found out that there are two routes to the clinic.  It was definitely a stimulating trip, but we made it safely to the clinic, even if we were a little frightened.  On our way back home from the bus, we went to the market with Chloe to get a few things for supper.  We were going to cook some vegetables (which is what we have most nights since meet is so expensive here) but instead we stopped at la Casa del Pastel and bought several different types of pastries/breads.  Supper was very rich in carbs, but very delicious.  It is very interesting to me how many bakeries and pharmacies are located on every street.  I know my mother would love all of the bakeries!! 

The bus ride on Friday was much better since we knew both routes, but we did have to figure out how to get a taxi to go back to the apartment since we only worked half a day.  We left for Quito as soon as we had lunch and were packed.  (There is much, much more to come on our trip to Quito and Otavolo!)

Thursday was baby day at the clinic.  We saw two different pregnant ladies and one that had just had a baby.  I got to listen to a baby’s heart beat!!  It was so amazing.  There was also a poor little boy that had broken his arm that was carried into the clinic (screaming of course) by one of his teachers.  Unfortunately the saddest part of this story is that his parents abandoned him and his sister; the boy was only four years old.  In the afternoon we went on home visits with Mercedes.  We talked with patients that had a type of disease that caused involuntary movements of their limbs and were mentally altered.  It was a very sad situation to see.  Their mother has been taking care of them for 30+ years, mostly on her own.  When asked if she had any questions, she only asked for more help.  It was a very humbling experience. 

Friday Stella and I became very grateful that we had received vaccination for Typhoid.  Originally we were told that it wasn’t prominent in the area we are staying in, but Friday, there were two cases of Salmonella typhi in the clinic.  We also were puzzled (and still are) with a diabetic patient who’s glucose levels fluctuate from the 60s to 400+.  I also counseled my first patient in Spanish on Friday.  Stella had to help me out a couple times, but otherwise, I think it went pretty good.  I know I say this in every blog, but every day I am understanding a little more than the day before.

Dr. Carrion, our preceptor, is an absolute genius!  He knows a lot of information about a lot of different things.  I love listening to him talk.  It seems like he has had some type of experience with anything that involves a person’s health.  Not only does he know the presentation, pathology, and diagnosis of what seems like every disease state, but he knows the pharmacology better than any doctor I have personally worked alongside of.  Whether it is an emergency situation or normal checkup, he has “been there, done that” and is very eager to teach others about it.