Starting in January, Project Ulpan will have a full-time doctor living in the Valley, bringing medical care to the 7,500 people there closer than they have ever had it. Turns out that last weekend I had the honor of being the doctor's first patient. But first, a little backstory:
Ginger and the boys left last week to head back to Nashville for Christmas. My plan was to hang around for about another 10 days to finish up some water things and help out with several meetings and trainings we had going in the Valley. My error here was actually making a plan in the first place (see my extensive research on this topic filed under: PLANS, nothing here goes according to). The day Ginger and the boys left, I did what any healthy man would do - I drove to visit some nuns. And it only took 6 hours - a speed record for a nun run. These amazing women have run a health promotion and training program in southwestern Guatemala for about 40 years, and it was very impressive. In truth, I was along because Kris and DeeDee and Christian were my ride back to the Valley. So, the 4 of us and the new doctor went to visit to see what we could learn. The road was crowded and bumpy and full of sugarcane trucks because it's harvest time right now. Also, there were a few stops where we were searched to make sure we didn't have fruit or other things that might infest the crops there (I didn't mind that necessarily - it makes sense, but I wish that governments put as much effort into addressing the trafficking of humans as they do the trafficking of fruit flies).
Throughout the visit, it became clear to everyone that I didn't know very much about medicine (more on that later), but thankfully I was able to work in some of my best nun jokes ("dressing as a nun is easy once you get into the habit", "you must think we're as fun as a barrel full of monks", "I assume you're Cardinals fans", and so on). They actually weren't Cardinals fans, though, but they really liked the Detroit Tigers from the 1960's and were pleasantly surprised to talk with someone who could recount Denny McClain's amazing 1968 season and how Al Kaline is one of the most underrated players ever. They also said that they are working in one community in particular where they have a desperate need for water, and it looks like next spring we are going to "trade" some water work for some medicines and health promotion work. It's always interesting to me how things get intertwined for the good.
And, along the way, it occurred to me that I wasn't eating or drinking much at all. By the time we returned to Guatemala City, I was feeling pretty rotten and really just wanted to sleep. I looked up my symptoms on WebMD and it said definitively that I had a kidney infection. That is probably not fun anywhere, but in the mountains of Guatemala it's especially un-fun. The combination of bouncing along the "roads", the drizzle, the cold (it's surprisingly cold right now), the real discomfort in my back and side, and the fact that whenever I went to the bathroom it sounded like I was sending a Morse code message made it pretty miserable. Thankfully, of the past 144 hours in the Valley, I slept about 120 of those hours. One of the few clear decisions I made was to move my flight back from next week to today. Feeling better and sitting here in the airport gave me some time to reflect on another event that occurred around me in the last few days.
One (evening?) Kris came in to where I was sleeping and said "Sorry, but this guy's got a broken arm and this is the best place to help him". I really don't remember much else from that time, but the story was that he had fallen and had a severe break that needed immediate medical attention, but before getting him to he hospital for setting / surgery he needed to have the break immobilized. Kris (who could probably use a nap by this time as well) was able to put to use some wilderness training and apply a splint. The family was distraught. He was a new father and needed to support the family. Bear in mind that this sort of injury is often a death sentence in places like this, and even in the best case scenario he wouldn't be able to work for several months, if ever again, and most of the people here live day to day.
The next day, a group of friends and family came and asked Kris if he could take them to the hospital to visit their friend, who by this time had been informed that he needed treatment costing 1,500 Quetzales (which he didn't have) or they would need to amputate his arm. More of the story came to light as well - that the man had in fact been intoxicated and got into a fight with his father-in-law over the fact that he'd been unkind to his wife and threats were made and punches thrown and just a general sad situation on the family front. I really don't know any more than that, but I suspect that the story, like all stories, goes back several years and possibly generations. I guess we have the option to pay attention to the sweet story of a family rallying around a loved one who is hurt and we have the option to pay attention to the story of a man who made some exceptionally poor choices in exceptionally trying circumstances. Or, we could pay attention to both stories, for they are part of a larger story. The Ulpan
So here I am - we're about to board the plane. I get to come and go. I get sick and can make a few calls and change a plane reservation and a few hours later be finishing up a drink and typing away on a computer. Another man my age gets sick and faces selling all his property or losing his arm. However, even given his grievous mistakes he's made with his family, he is currently surrounded by his family. That's what I want to be as well. Thank you, God, for a kidney infection because it pushed me to do what I should've done in the first place: stay with my family who is that light in my life.
No comments:
Post a Comment