Pato, Pato, Ganza

Hola familia y amigos!


I apologize for the delayed post. I was supposed to blog yesterday, but a pizza craving pulled 6 of us away from internet access for the night as we sought to fulfill our stomachs’ desire. While those reading may not understand the choice of pizza over media, the 12 medical mission students would surely go for a Big Mac, fries or an American pizza after 5 days of meals consisting solely of rice, veggies, and chicken.

Recalling yesterday’s events the team enjoyed the second full day in the clinic. I spent my morning with Dr. Lauri in pediatrics enjoying the precious little ones, snotty faces and all. My time with Lauri was an incredible learning experience. She taught me so much through what we saw and heard from the patients. I learned what an “excellent” (as Lauri calls them) ear infection looks like, saw possible HPV warts, and experienced the joy of calming a mother’s continued concern for her child. We also were able to treat several children with stomach bugs/parasites. As Lauri proceeded with checkups, it was hysterical to watch the children laugh at one another as their reflexes were checked. No matter how many children went through the process, the children watching always chuckled at the results.

In the afternoon I got to experience more child laughter as I was positioned in triage. Here, with help from Ian, I managed blood pressures, heart rates, etc. We were a bit shaky at first with the squirmy kids, but we quickly got into the flow of it. Triage was pretty quiet in the afternoon, so Sara, Malia, C.J., and I enjoyed playing with the kids. We spent hours playing Pato Pato Ganza (aka Duck Duck Goose) where Malia became a quick fan favorite amongst the kids and I naturally claimed the little toddler. While my afternoon was filled with games and laughter, this cannot be said for all the children at the clinic. One 2-month old was rushed to the hospital due to a 103-degree fever. Our thoughts and prayers are with the worried mother and ill child as they continue treatment today.

Dinner and reflection follow an exciting day at the clinic. Yet another night of chicken and rice, but a wonderful reflection helped fill the soul. We were divided into groups of four to discuss why and how each of us sought interest in the medical field and this medical mission. Kiersten, Adrian, Lauri and I were grouped together. It was incredible to hear everyone’s stories and find such similarities as to how we found a passion for medicine. My heart ached as Adrian shared a piece of her story of her past year in Haiti, but the group’s different life struggles brought us closer together in our common dream to serve and improve the health of others.

Julia Miles