Hospitals and Hosts

I got to visit the hospital in Chimaltenango where Dr. Sara works with Maureen, Francisca, and Dr. Sara. This was a new experience for me! The most surprising thing was the freedom with which we toured the hospital. Dr. Sara showed us around everywhere except the infant intensive care and the contagious diseases areas. As a visitor and patient to US hospitals in the past, I have been checked in and told exactly what I can and cannot do. Doors to different areas are locked and sterile scrubs must be worn in certain areas – like surgery. Not so here. Doors were open. People were on gurneys in the hallways…just hanging out waiting for treatment and watching us walk by. We walked by the postpartum room where about 10 women were caring for their newborns together. A father was comforting his crying newborn in intensive care fighting pneumonia. There was a woman getting blood drawn in the hallway by a nurse with no gloves and a woman in labor with the door open. We observed a shaking, blood covered woman getting stitches and staples on her forehead to close a 6 inch wound from a motorcycle accident…no painkillers. I am so thankful that I have been to hospitals where there is plenty of staff and equipment that the staff knows how to use and every precaution was taken to keep me safe and infection free.

On a more lighthearted note, Greta and I had dinner with our host families last night instead of at Cafecito. It was so much fun! We prayed and ate and had great conversation. I was teased plenty for my Spanish mistakes! Antonieta made a great dinner of beef, rice, tortillas, potatoes, tomato salsa, “Big Mega Cola”, and a jello graham cracker fruit layered desert. Wilmar said this was his favorite meal. After dinner we gave the family gifts we brought. The boys loved their Aerobe Frisbee, José said the Jelly Bellies were “muy ricos”, and everyone had fun playing the games Greta brought (although explaining card games in Spanish is a little difficult). The things we brought were all new to them so it was very fun to explain it all:) Dinner ended with a full blown laughing attack in which we were all laughing at each other laughing. Everyone was making fun of me because I cry when I try to stop laughing and I was saying my stomach hurt from laughing!

All in all, a great couple days!