Christopher's Birthday

We celebrated Christopher's birthday recently with a party.  He invited the children from the local orphanage, neighborhood kids, and a few friends from school, in all about 30 children.  We had a great time with lunch, a treasure hunt, piñata, and cake.   Elmo (the piñata) was the only one who had a rough day!

At the end of the day when asked what the best part of the day was for each one, Christopher said, “Playing with all my friends,” Elizabeth and Julianne both said, “The food,” and Nicholas said, “The piñata.”

Clean Cook Stoves for Better Health

At Hospitalito we see many patients who, at a relatively young age (40 years old), have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

In the US it is mostly due to smoking, but here in Santiago Atitlán it is caused by years of cooking over an open fire in an enclosed space.

The lady who makes tortillas for our neighborhood is about 45 years old. Brent delivered one of her grandchildren recently. We buy tortillas from her several times a week. We have also seen her in the hospital at times for her COPD. After visiting her one day and noticing her coughing with her child and grandchild in the same enclosed smoke-filled space, we wondered if there was something we could do.

We spoke with our social worker at the hospital and found that there is a program to get clean cook stoves into the houses of the local population. In Santiago Atitlán it is estimated that half of the households cook over an open fire, while 47% use an inefficient masonry stove with varying degrees of ventilation. It is also estimated that cooking over an open fire accounts for up to 30% of the families' expenses. Clean cook stoves are up to 60 -70 percent more efficient.

We were able to purchase and install a stove for about $50. The stove actually costs more, but is subsidized by a doctor who worked here in the past. The smoke is ventilated through the metal pipe so it is much less smokey. Since the stove is much more efficient, it uses less wood which means less expenditure for the family on wood and better for the environment.

You never know how anyone will react to changing the way they have done something for their whole life. In this case, the transition seems to be fine. The tortillas look and taste the same (Brent thinks better) and it is much better for their health and the environment.

Maria

Maria presented to Hospitalito Atitlan with a history of a previous cesarean section about 2 years ago.  She had received some prenatal care at the Central Salud (a government run clinic in town), but she knew that when she went into labor she should come to the hospital. 

When she presented to Hospitalito she was in early labor.  The fetal monitor showed that the baby's heart pattern was "not reassuring" and by Ultrasound the amniotic fluid was too low.  We did not have good dates regarding how many weeks pregnant she was but by a late US and unsure last menstrual period we felt she was somewhere between 36 - 38 weeks.  It was elected to proceed with a cesarean section.  The cesarean section was performed by 2 visiting Obstetricians from Hungary and anesthesia was provided by Brent. We also had a pediatric resident from the states, Kati, who was present to help with resuscitation of Mary's baby if needed.   

Mary's baby was born with an initial low apgar of 4 but the second apgar of 7 was more reassuring but over the next few hours the baby began to have more respiratory difficulty and the oxygen saturation was decreasing and the baby was becoming cyanotic (blue).  The team at Hospitalito worked together to place an endotracheal tube ( a tube in the child's lungs) so that we could breath for the child. The baby was then transferred to Guatemala City, to the government hospital Roosevelt.
 
Mary's baby spent the next 8 days on a respirator and 15 days total in the hospital, and returned to Santiago with mom.

Mary, baby and Kati, the pediatrician 

who helped with the resuscitation.

 

ADISA

As we have mentioned, in an earlier blog, we have found a number of organizations in Santiago Atitlan doing good things.

ADISA is doing GREAT things.   Asociacion de Padres y Amigos de Personas con Discapacidad de Santiago Atitlan (Association of Parents and Friends of People with Disabilities in Santiago Atitlan) was started in 1997 by parents of a child with hydrocephalus who subsequently died at the age of 9.  They saw first hand the lack of resources available to children with disablities. 

ADISA has a number of programs to help this population including education, health care, early stimulation, education of the community, physical therapy, vocational training and job placement. 

Our family has been blessed to know this exceptional organization, the staff and the people they serve.  We have also been able to help ADISA as Hospitalito has partnered with ADISA to help with some of their health care issues.

Their web site is excellent and gives more history as well as opportunities to support their work. www.adisagt.com
from there you can click on Conozca nuestros productos  and then click on  www.novica.com

Holy Family

The 26th of December was the Feast of the Holy Family.  It is always interesting to hear what the priest is going to say about the readings on this day.  

However, we were really surprised when the priest announced that there were going to be 23 marriages during Mass.  This was not a Las Vegas style group wedding.  Each couple took their vows individually, exchanged rings, and had their blessing and applause.  Needless to say, Mass was a little long that day (more than 3 hours!), but the kids did very well, despite not being able to see much.  The brides all wear their traditional dress and then a white veil. 

Many couples here are together, but not officially married, so the priest was very happy that so many couples were getting married.  His homily was excellent and he remarked that we should look to the Holy Family as our model for marriage.  The Holy Family did have to endure many trials in their life together from doubt over an immaculate conception to living in a foreign land to having a child that they had to let go of.  

Loving God, help us to look to the Holy Family as a source of inspiration for our own marriages.

Christmas and New Years greetings to everyone!

Christmas crept up on our kids too.  We had been lighting a Christmas candle each day at mealtime that was counting down the days to Christmas and reading a little book every night that was also an ornament for our little tree.  Yet, when we were putting out cookies and milk for Santa, Elizabeth (who is almost 7) said, “You mean Santa is coming tonight!”  Then our kids who are 7 and younger slept until 6:45 on Christmas morning.  Quite amazing! 

We had a Christmas Day dinner with some of the other volunteers who are here over the holidays.  We did not make tamales which is the traditional food in Guatemala for this time of year.  We are going to learn how to make tamales this weekend, so maybe next year...

Christmas at Hospitalito

We went to the Hospitalito Christmas celebration the other day.  It was at a nearby chalet with a pool and big grassy area.  We played games and groups did skits.  The group that was in charge of the cooking made an incredible meal on an open pit BBQ.  They made grilled chicken, carne asada, chorizo (pork sausage), grilled vegetables, potatoes, salsa made from grilled tomatoes, and guacamole.  It was delicious.  

We don't eat a lot of meat here, so Julianne kept asking for clarification on each meat she was eating..."So this is the chicken's leg and this is cow and this is pig.  I like pig!"