Peru

New patient pushing another new patient

Peru

Martin with Guillain barre syndrome diagnosed in December finally began PT this week.  Today he fed himself. Stood in a "stander". Everyday his sitting balance has improved.

Mike mike mike mike

Hump Day... Day to get the load out....and we did

70 prosthetic patients seen. Early start. Late finish  Backs ache.  Fingers don't straighten.  Knees bruised. Ankles swollen. Standing, sitting, walking and even chewing take slightly more concentation than I really want to exert.  Fiber glass in ears, nose and....everywhere.  Amazing food and coffee.  Countless hugs.  

My pillow calls.

Buenos Noches

Pablo

Small meets NOT small

Esta Bien

For those that I have shared this story with before...my knowledge of Spanish....Espanol.....grows week by week.....1 yr at a time.  Many moons ago....for some strange reason I was under the impression that the phrase "mucho gusto" meant....vey good...or nice job.  I was working with a relative of an fellow employee.  During the process of our fittings, I repeatedly and wrongly used the phrase, "mucho gusto",....many many times.  It wasn't until about day 2 or 3 of fittings that one of the other relatives said to one of the Spanish speaking people, why does Paul keep saying "Nice to meet you?"

Turns out I didn't know Spanish as well as I thought.  To this day I use phrase mucho gusto, tambien, and esta bien...almost interchangeably and at completely inappropriate times and places, in jest....i.e.  Thank you....tambien....that looks great...mucho gusto.  My broken Spanglish has infected many of our team. We nearly have our own language....silly and fun.

Everything gets lost in translation 

It's completely sad that most young Peruvians speak a English, while most Americans speak little if any Spanish. Over the years, as our team has grown, We consistently struggle to find interpreters for our ever expanding, busy team. 

A few years ago, we had the pleasure of fitting Jonathan with a prosthesis. His two Peruvian friends in tow, were Kelly and Flor. Unbeknownst to us Kelly and Flor were both in school for translation. For the entire week, they served as our interpreters. Perfecto. This year we reconnected with Flor and she was able to connect us to 4 more friends that are more than happy to help us with our poor Spanish.   

People, people are the single thing that make life the most frustrating. They are also the single thing that make life worth living for.  It is the person to person connections, both personally and professionally that breeds success in everything that we do. They make us and inspire us to invest in each other.  I think some people call this magic. ....Today in Peru, we rely on Flor, Johanna, Diana, and Giuseppe. They express our words and our patients words and and emotions in strive for understanding.  The proof of that understanding will partly be the future success of our patients.

Today through a translator we were able to connect Rob with Dominque.  Upon meeting 11 yr old Dominiue, we said Hello.  How are you?  "I like chicken." Dominique said.  Johanna responded.....well let me introduce you to someone else that like Pollo (Chicken).  When Dominique met Rob..."Whoa....that's a lot of chicken".

Buenos Noches, mis amigos

Pablo

Love that coffee Mama

Day 1 or Day 0

Today was day 1 for the Dream Team.  Still day 0 for me.  I messaged a few of them early today, that Day1 is one of my favorite days.  To me it is an authentic day in Lima.  The long bus ride in.  The sights of cars and traffic that seem amazing and somewhat insane. (In no actual quinipiac study, #1 cause of amputation in Peru is MVA,,,,that's motor vehicle accident to the lay person). The sight and scenery is equally appaling and amazing. Peru and Lima itself contains the richest of the rich and the poorest of the poor.  So contrasting to see them nearly side by side......but I digress.  Day 1 ....  Upon arrival to Carrion Hospital there is such warm greetings of old friends.  You know these friends. You all have them.  You have toiled along side them.  They are the ones that are friends no matter how long the time has been.  The ones that you can count on that you will hear from around a holiday or a birthday...or a possible "hey...I was just thinking about you."..

Care is the birth place of worry.  Some of the people I wonder and worry about the most are in Peru.  Some of it is that I can not be there to continue to help them.  Some of it is that they have so far to go....more and more it is rather, they have both come so far and I can see so clearly that they have much further and farther to go....more digression.... 

I love watching everyone's faces at the first Hospital breakfast.  This is a breakfast put on by a hospital cafeteria.  I honestly struggle gathering all of the words but combine single serve Valeeta slices with bread, butter and coffee that is served truly as espresso and left to you to water down.  And you can't forget the corn juice called chicha.  Purple almost like beets but tastes actually good.  (That's right Joanne and other Polaks...I don't like beets.  I do like chicha...;-). 

After breakfast we make our way up to the rehab dept.  Since I am not there....though you think I am....I wish I could have experienced the boxes already ARRIVED!!  60 patients waiting in the rehab gym.  Some old, most are new.  So many faces waiting ever so patiently for the people from the north.

For me now, it is like any strong memory.  I can remember the smell air, the hospital, the cafeteria, the patients. It is a happy memory.  People enter the room and hug every human in the room.  Then work begins.

Day 0 - I am not in Peru...yet.  By the time you read this post I should be already at the hospital. As I write this I am sitting on the plane enroute.  

In the end I pulled the trifecta.  I have traveled to Peru by plane, train and automobile. Del and Phil would be proud.  My day began with my Ghanan cabbie driving me to the Atlanta Passport Agency.  My appointment was for 10AM.  I arrived at 8AM.  Better to be early.  Maybe someone won't show.  Maybe they'll move quickly.  Upon arrival a pleasant gentleman informed me that you can't arrive 2hrs early.  He mentioned a couple good places to hold up.  Upon my return, I go to the agency line.  A pleasant woman asks to see my documents.  She informs me that one (current travel itinerary) of my documents is not sufficient. To which my response was, "oh....before I ask anything else I really need a bathroom."

In the end I had the right document all along.  Hadn't checked all my pockets.  ;-).  

Getting through the passport agency security proved a bit more difficult than most situations. You see, I travelled here with all my luggage.  When they scanned my suitcase and saw something suspect...well...they needed to see and ask why I had 2 rolls of stretch elastic wrap, bags of rivets, bags of chafes, sanding cones and latex gloves.  I'm on the plane now.  No worries. ;-)

The agency was really decent.  They really helped me expedite my passport likety split.  

Do you have a couple more minutes?  I got 1-2 more stories to tell.  

You see, I needed to wait 2 hrs for my passport to get completed.  I asked William, my agency officer, where I should go.  He told me the Olympic park was just 2 blocks away.  Genius. 

Half the park was blocked off by what appeared to be the staging of a Hooray For Everything Extravaganza #Simpsons, #Old Faithful, # UWP. 

I parked myself on a bench in partial sun....I'm alopecian after all...and did what everyone was doing today.  Popped on my mifi and iPad so I could watch the finish of the Boston marathon.  I have to say that the women's finish was pretty awesome.

As the women finished the marathon, I noticed over my shoulder a strange gentleman seemingly struggling with changing the flat on his bicycle.  As Estaban can tell you, I am quite adept at changing flat tires.  I quickly packed my things tight.  Hoisted my case and accoutrements over to his bench and said...hey buddy, you need a hand?  No.  I'm good he said. Mind you, my .5sec assessment of this individual was not on point.  You see it was 80 deg.  He was wearing cargo shorts with calf high rubber boots, and a wool sweater AND hat. As I then quickly surveyed his bike.....I should only need to say rubber boots and Schraeder valve....and you should know what I was up against and perhaps shouldn't have pushed my way in. This guy pulled out a tube that had been patched and repatched about 20 times. Each patch was a clipping from an older tube.  Each patch was glued on with gorilla glue. In all, it was hard to tell how many tubes were truly making up this ONE tube.  I wanted to ask him how he knew when enough was enough.... I chose to not

You see....he was having hard time finding the leak.  Another seemingly homeless person nearby joined in.  I always put it to my ear, he says.  Me too....my guy says.  I added...we really need to consult the fountain.  What? Said my guy ( no, I never learned his name...I am sort of ashamed of that). Yes, I said.  Pump the tube up just a little.  We will take it to the fountain and look for the bubbles.

In the end...if you ever need an Atlanta Georgia Olympic Park Tour...I know a guy.  ;-).  At then end of our tube repairment, he says....hey, I saw you with you iPad.  Is that the new iPad Air?  Here's mine.  I can't believe how light it it is.   TRUE STORY

Hasta Manana, mis amigos

Pablo

This is Katy, Elisabeth, Johanna and Kara. Elisabeth travels a long distance to get to see us at Carrion. We saw her for follow-up last year. She was wearing a very old socket then. I trust these ladies are getting her going quite well.

Free Pablo

Free Pablo

Good Morning

For a first real post this is going to seem a bit unusual.  But I have some real time to kill and stories to tell.  If anyone reading this learns something, then I consider it time well spent.

Travel days are always met with a certain amount of anxiety.  Trying to wrestle timing of things personally with packing and doing what is necessary to get to the airport....just tough for anyone I imagine.  

Travel to Atlanta was pretty smooth for all of us.....I think with the exception of Rob.  Do you see Rob in the picture above?  If you can't see Rob then you are reading the wrong blog.  He's the guy that is a whole head taller than Al, standing in front of the bus.

So we get into Atlanta; need to make our way from the domestic terminals to the international.  We take one of those monorail trains. Rob's backpack is slipping ever so slightly off his shoulder.  He attempts one of those little jump-shuffles that we all do to adjust a pack....smacks his head, full force,  on the CEILING.  Standing right next to him, I honestly felt like I could feel his pain as well as the train shift a bit.  Al," I hate it when that happens to me."

After some snacks and time to pass, we make our way to the gate.  As we are boarding they did one last check of passports.  Mine, somehow did not pass mustard. (I know...it's MUSTER.  I just like it the other way) It doesn't scan in the computer.  One of the corners is a bit torn. The attendant immediately pulled it and called for a supervisor. I was a no-go. They could not risk it, they said.  There would be large fines if I got down there and got rejected.  My heart sank.  Fight or flight started to set in.  My friends were gather just beyond the rope.  The look on everyone's faces was priceless....something like...if he's not going, we're not going...puppies that lost their friends. ....hey, what about our friend.  Alas, it was not to be.

It is hard to put into words the feelings and emotions that have waved through me in the last 24hrs.  So much work to do. So much work that has been done. How foolish I didn't update my passport. Can't you see I am a good person trying to do a good thing...just let me go.  Helpless.

This morning I woke with a feeling that combined Planes Trains and Automobiles with Groundhog Day. My room looked like Del Griffith had been there selling shower curtain rings, complete with a few empty bottles of single serve rum and Phil the weatherman waking up to a living hell of, what do I do now.  

Fortunately for me the hotel is hosting some sort of Southern Hunny Boo Boo beauty pageant.  That halls and elevator are overrun with little blond, big haired, blue eyed beauty's.  They use these funny little beach carts to pull some little girls and all their accoutrements.  One little girl got on me elevator with her mom.  She was in her cart and carrying 2 other optional blond wigs.  I said hello....and oh....is one of those for ME?...as I politely tipped my hat . ;-).  What song are we singing?....she'll be fine.

I moved forward in 2 directions today.  1) scheduled an appointment with the local passport office for tomorrow. And 2) went back to the airport to make one final plea to let me go.  I was so close.  I was nearly holding court with 3 other "Red Coats" as they're known....not sure if that is a good thing....they all agreed that my passport was not in terrible shape.  Still, they maintained that they could not control what would happen in Peru.  "They could just send you right back....and still fine us heavily," one of them said.

Yes, for those of you that have been following us for years, it is quite ironic that the boxes are in Peru with my friends...and I am NOT.

Cross your fingers for me tomorrow.  

Old faithful as she is known is 27 yrs old.

Still Packing

Dear Friends

Welcome to the blog.  For several years now I have been a part of a small non-profit, Dreaming and Working Together.  (See the link to the right.). Our founder, Hernando Garcia, is from Peru but has worked for Hartford Hospital for some 30+ years.

Our journey begins tomorrow.  I like to use this blog as my own little journal.  Feel free to comment or share the link with others.  Enjoy it with your morning cup-o-joe.  

This year we have some 60 patients waiting for us; and for those of you who have shared my diatribes from previous years, this year,.... for the very first time.....the boxes are already there.  This means come Monday morning we should be able to set right to work.  Very exciting.  

Not to turn this blog into in an infomercial, but putting on this trip and non-profit comes at some expense.  We have a few fundraisers during the year to help off-set expenses.  It dawned on me while I was setting up this year's blog; if each time you read the blog you also clicked the donate button to the  right and gave the Foundation 1$, then by the end of the trip we would have raised enough money to cover the shipping of boxes for the next year. Our page view counter will be our tally.  Let's give it a try.  ;-).  

Time to go finish packing, but before I do I wish to the the Napolitanos for their generous wedding favor donation this past weekend. (See below).

See you all south of the equator 

Pablo