Girls and Ladies

Kristen left yesterday. We knew each other for only 4 weeks but I can't stop saying how much I will miss her. Casey put it best when we were walking home last night- she has the very rare ability to pacify everyone around her. I learned a lot from her as my rotation partner, it won't be the same now that she's gone. But Kristen, if you are reading this, you promised to visit me, so I will see you in New York this winter!

The goodbye dinner was so delicious. My stomach decided to feel better just in time too! We went to this Italian bistro and I ordered a really good mushroom stuffed ravioli with a white wine, lemon, garlic, three cheese sauce. I wish I had brought a camera, the plates were so pretty when the waiter brought them out from the kitchen. It's amazing how our group has become so close in such a short amount of time. It's not that surprising however. Everyone is very interesting and passionate about medicine; we all want to change the world in more or less the same way.

Today, I happened to take the same mini-bus as Molly, a new arrival for the August program. She's fantastic! We chatted all the way to El Alto, which took longer than usual because of a protest about banking. (To my understanding, the Bolivian government takes 10-12% of everyone's salary and these funds are managed by a foreign company. Recently, the government nationalized these funds, taking them away from the private, foreign company, promising to redistribute the money in favor of the campesinos and lower income bracket. However, the government revoked the deal and decided to leave the funds privatized, which angered the campesinos. So the campesinos rushed a building, took to the streets, and wrecked a door with some dynamite. We walked past it today, there were a bunch of guards milling around the door. Not very exciting, I promise. But traffic sure was a mess!)

Anyways, we arrived at Hospital de los Andes to work with Dra. Uribe. She is married to Dr. Chavez and they have three kids together. They are the most beautiful, smart, philanthropic couple I've ever seen. Dra. Uribe has taken under her wing the case of a three year old boy with primordial dwarfism. There are only 5 known cases in the world of this birth defect. I met the little boy, Israel, and he just steals your heart. He is no larger than a 3 month infant but he is more cognizant- he gave me a hug and kiss on the cheek when he met me, and he will be in the clinic again tomorrow. His father left his mother, who is a wonderful, loving woman but obviously very scared for her son. She does not have the financial resources to give him the medical attention he desperately needs. With a lot of help, he may live until he is in his twenties but he will always have serious health problems. If anyone is interested in donating to this hospital to help children like Israel, please visit www.cfhi.org.

I was happy today because I performed several wellness exams and I am getting better! It's hard to provoke a gag reflex in small children but I finally did it and I am getting the hang of checking vitals as well. This adorable couple came in with two girls and boy. The oldest girl liked me because I taught her how to use a stethoscope to listen to a stuffed frog and monkey. They are both of excellent constitution in case you were curious. The girl was jumping around the exam room and the father joked to me that she is more like son sometimes. They have eight children in total, not uncommon for families in El Alto.

There was another memorable case today as well. A girl named Lady came in and she was only fifteen. Her baby boy was over a year old and she had had a very rough life. It breaks my heart to see young girls in Lady's situation. When she walked in, her baby had no socks on his feet, so Dra. Uribe gave him a pair of booties and lectured Lady in a firm but gentle tone about her son's health. Lady left a social work facility and returned to her boyfriend, who disallows her to find work. Knowing everything this girl has been through, it's hard to criticize her for her decisions, but her little boy shouldn't have to continue the cycle of victimization. My God, they are both still children. And what can I say when she wraps him in the rainbow Aymara blanket, smiles "gracias doctoritas, ciao!" and walks out the door?

Finally, I will begin work at Alalay on Monday. I'm excited to work there with girls like Lady. It will be an opportunity to establish relationships and make a small difference. Thank you Gonzalo (program director in La Paz) for arranging this for Alex and I. You're the best.