Hola!

Today was sadly our last day of clinic. We set up shop in the village of El Higueral. We had the pleasure of serving 191 patients! We made it without any problemas; no stitches were needed, no climbing on top of buses to navigate to the village.

The superstars of the day were all the volunteers working indoors, including the providers, therapy, and pharmacy.  The temperature was a breezy 107 degrees inside, but everyone PERSEVERED, especially Dr. Tom, whose chair literally began melting!

Some of the best moments of the day:

1. Giving sunglasses and glasses to a young girl with a severe injury to her eye.

2. Singing the US and Nicaraguan national anthems wiith our translators on the bus.

3. Multiple members of the PMI team literally gave the shoes off their feet to people in the village who needed them.

The day ended with songs and laughter. We taught some of the children the hokey pokey and they taught us two Nicaraguan hand clapping games. We exchanged emotional farewells with all the translators who had helped us on the trip.

Now we have just finished dinner. Everyone is lingering in the lobby of the hotel, enjoying one another’s company. This has simply been an amazing week, and we all look forward to a day at the beach tomorrow.

Hasta Mañana!

Jessica Z and Danielle L

We have seen approximately 1,000 patients this week and the teams could not be more impressive. From nursing to PT/OT, pharmacy to providers … This team came together in an amazing way to serve the people of Nicaragua. Multidisciplinary takes on a new meaning this week as people step out of their comfort zones to come together and care for those less fortunate. We heard great testimonies tonight, and as always had lots of great shout outs (a chance to recognize an individuals hard work during the day).

Thank you to our wonderful volunteers this week. PMI would not exist without you!!!

Claire and Ed

Do you remember Mary and Promise? They showed up at Family Spirit Orphanage in Masindi, Uganda after Mary’s parents refused to let her back in the house if she did not leave Promise at the orphanage. Mary is only 17 and Promise was the product of rape. Promise was born with a bump on her back and, since a surgery to remove it, has been paralyzed in both of her legs. The bump was a result of spin bifida, and she began developing hydrocephalus (excess cerebral spinal fluid on the brain) as well. Contractors in her ankles were beginning to make her feet point downward and curl in. Mary could have left Promise for the orphanage to manage. She could have returned home, put her gruesome rape behind her, and moved on with her life. But she could not leave her child. Mary’s fight for her baby’s life has positioned Promise to thrive within the hardships she’s been dealt.

After visiting MKMC, we referred Promise to Cure International, where they were able to operate on the hydrocephalus in her head. Back at MKMC, we fitted her with casts for her two feet until the PMI May team was able to arrive. Each May, PMI brings a handful of Occupational and Physical Therapy students from MUSC on their short-term medical team. It is amazing to see what this therapy team can accomplish with their skill set, a little foam, and duct tape. Seeing what they were able to do for Promise was no exception.

The therapy team was able to cut off Promise’s ankle casts and fit her for ankle-foot orthosis and shoes to prevent contractures in her feet and ankles. They made a seat with a lap tray to allow her to sit up on her own and begin building strength in her trunk and upper body. A stroller seating system will allow Mary to easily transport Promise. Finally, they worked with Mary to educate her on Promise’s range of motion as well as exercised for her legs and ankles.

The ankle-foot orthosis, along with Mary’s education of lower body range of motion, will prevent ankle contractures. By creating a seating system for Promise to sit up on her own, she will begin exercising her trunk and arm muscles. This will strengthen them so that she will eventually be able to sit up on her own without any support. This will also give her independence from Mary and a good table to play with toys, engaging her vision and hand movements. The seating system will allow Mary and Promise to move more easily in the community and at home.

As the therapy team was hard at work and Promise’s chair was being made, it was empowering to see Mary- a quiet spoken youth, attentively watching over her little girl. Her bravery in staying with Promise and fighting for the best life possible for her little girl was the reason we were there. It was the reason Promise had life-altering brain surgery, can sit up straight, and won’t have ankle contractures. Promise isn’t old enough to speak for herself, but her mother’s love is all it took for her needs to be met. Mary’s bravery in not returning home without her baby and her drive to give Promise the best life possible is an inspiration. She did not choose an easy road, but she chose a valiant one. Mary is a hero. The members of our therapy team are heroes. Each person who fights for the improvement of another person’s life is a hero.

Whose hero are you?

Buenos noches, familia y amigos!

We had another fantastic day, seeing over 170 patients in the rural town of San Luis de Amayo. The heat and working conditions have begun to take hold by day 4, yet spirits remained high throughout the day. We had another interesting ride to today’s clinic site. Our local Project Director Bill was struck in the head by a metal sign while walking into a gas station. Fortunately we had a few suture kits with us and Dr Ed stitched him up with the help of our favorite fainting Physical Therapist, Evan.

With that out of the way, we set up shop and began triaging the 50+ patients awaiting our arrival. Some noteable patients included a man who had difficulty walking due to having polio as a child. PT/OT helped his functionality immensely with braces and crutches. We also treated a toddler with impetigo covering his chest and back. Several mothers brought in their basically healthy children, and mostly needed reassurance. All the providers did a great job treating the extremely ill patients we saw today.

As providers, a lot of our treatment has been patient education and lifestyle modification. For example, many of our patients have multiple complaints resulting from dehydration: headaches, painful urination, dizziness, blurred vision, and fatigue. By simply counseling the patients on drinking more water, we provide lasting care. Hypertension and type 2 Diabetes are also major problems in this area, which can sometimes be corrected without medication. Surprisingly, many patients here are actually willing to make these adjustments to improve their health. How refreshing!

Tonight after dinner several team members shared their testimonies and shouted out things we saw our teammates doing in clinic today that deserve recognition. This has been a nightly routine and a great way to connect with each other while winding down from a long day.

Tomorrow we enter our last day of clinic. We hope to maintain our energy to serve the people who have been awaiting our arrival all week. If its anything like the last several days, it will be a fantastic finale to this amazing week!

Adios muchachos!

Amy S. y Sarah K.

Thanks for your continued support!

Hola!

Today we made a much shorter trip to Posoltega, in the community of asentamiento Carlos Huete.  We set up the clinic in a one room church.  When we arrived, there were already people lined up waiting to be seen but instead helped us unload and setup our traveling clinic.  Today the heat was challenging especially for the therapy team who was setup outside of the church.  Everyone stayed in good spirits despite being on the verge of heat stroke.  We saw 150 patients before lunch.  Triage was quick and efficient.  The most common complaints were flu, back pain, headaches, loss of appetite, fever, and vision problems.

After lunch thankfully Claire made the executive decision to move the therapy team inside. The providers ended up seeing 211 patients total.  The therapy team was very creative in fabricating adaptive equipment out of PVC pipe and leftover child crutches and duct tape.  They constructed a cane, shoe inserts, and wheelchair modifications.  The pharmacy filled easily over 300 prescriptions while keeping their cool in the back of the church.

The meals have all been great. Tonight, we got french fries and chocolate ice cream which was a real treat.  We ended the day by hearing some great testimonials and learning about the exciting future of PMI here in Nicaragua!

Buenos noches,

Kellie and Catherine

Bus Miracles

Hola from Nica.  Today, we traveled 3 hours to the Northwest corner of Nicaragua, near the Pacific Ocean. God delivered us safely, as our bus broke down at the clinic site and not on a dirt road with no A/C.  We arrived to smiling faces and set up clinic in a one room church.  The day kicked off very busy in triage and the entire team saw 233 patients throughout the day.  A lot of the patients today were children with parasites.  We provided medication and education on boiling their water to make it safe to drink.  Dr. Shook provided care for an 8 month-old patient with hydrocephalus.  Drinking more water, consuming less soda, and wearing shoes were common prescriptions handed out today.  The patient population included humans, chickens, piglets and dogs (not really, but all were present).

Life is what you make it.  The people of this area don’t have much more than their smiles and their families. They welcomed  us with open arms.  The village let us take their only public bus and bus driver back to Chinandega since our bus was out of commission.  The day ended with a wild ride on a roller coaster, aka on the new bus with the village’s driver at the helm.  We are safe and sound, fed and happy, ready to gear up for Day 3 clinic.

“Mucho amore para mis amigos y familiares.  Buenos Noches.”

Much love to my friends & family. Goodnight.

Amy & Meg

Hola todos!

Jessica and Heather here bringing you the latest news from the PMI clinic site here in Nicaragua. First of all, just want to give a quick shoutout to Dr. Vernon for saving Heather’s life a couple of minutes ago when she got all choked up dinner. Without his quick thinking  we wouldn’t be able to bring you this juicy blog entry. So thanks Dr. V!

Our day began bright and early at 7:15 this morning. We loaded our bus with medical supplies and eager volunteers and headed into town. There we picked up a dozen interpreters and a couple of Nicaraguan nurses. Although the city is bustling with bikers, vendors, and school children, it maintains a very laid back feel which is refreshing during this hectic week for us. As we made our way into the countryside, we saw dirt roads filled with wandering dogs, pigs, and chickens. On either side of the road, we were surrounded by tall fields of corn and other crops with mountains and even a VOLCANO in the background! The locals stared in wonder as our big yellow school bus splashed through the puddles in the road.

When we finally made it to the clinic site, people were already lined up waiting. Some had walked, some had come on horseback, and one man had even ridden his bike for an hour in order to get to the clinic for treatment! We busily set up tents for people to escape the heat while they waited for their turn to see our team. Luckily there was already an open air  building for us to set up exam rooms and a make shift pharmacy. Registration and triage quickly made use of the front porch while physical therapy/occupational therapy (PT/OT) and glasses worked out on the back porch. Within an hour there was a steady flow of people being seen by our volunteers.

To give you a better idea of our setup: an arriving patient first sees registration where a translator helps take a general history and understand the patient’s chief complaint. They are then given a number and wait to see someone in triage. In triage, vital signs are recorded and a multivitamin and deworming medication are administered to each patient. Next, they go to a provider who examines the patient and makes a diagnosis. Pharmacy, PT/OT, and glasses are referred to as needed. Diabetes, hypertension, and a rare form of kidney disease are prevalent in Nicaragua. These were no exception in our clinic today as well as many with low back pain and osteoarthritis likely due to the physical nature of their occupations.

I, (Jessica), got the opportunity to work in the therapy group today. While it was overwhelming at first to overcome a language barrier and my first real experience treating patients, I quickly got into the flow of clinic work. Many of the patients we saw today had complaints of low back pain and responded well to simple exercises and education on proper lifting. Some of the patients, had never had any type of medical treatment so it was really inspiring to their reaction to just simple treatment techniques. You could see the spark of hope when they felt they were getting better and it felt awesome to be able to give that to them! I may not know many Spanish words, but I definitely recognized the appreciation and joy when they told me “gracias!” Today was one of the best days of my life and I’m grateful to PMI for letting me be a part of it.

I, (Heather), found myself the Lone Ranger in glasses distribution today. I was nervous at first because my Spanish is limited and rusty. I should have been practicing more since the high school days. However, I quickly found that people thought I was a miracle worker when I gave them a pair of readers that allowed them to see small print they could not read for years! “Perfectamente!” They shook my hand, hugged my neck, and told me gracias before I sent them off to the next station. It was a remarkable experience to  see such a reaction and impact made immediately before me!

Although we had limited supplies and a limited amount of time to spend with the patients, we made a lasting impact through simple education, medication, and a new affordable clinic in the near future. People left with smiles on there faces, both volunteers and patients!

Buenos noches (goodnight)!
Jessica y Heather

Hola familia y amigos!

Today we made the journey from Managua to Chinandega. It was about a two hour bus ride during which we saw lake Managua, small towns, and a volcano. We got settled at our hotel and headed to lunch. We had tacos and fajitas at Rostipollos. Then we headed to visit the recently purchased PMI property in Viejo. This will become the site of an outpatient clinic come early this fall.  After lunch and our tour we had a few hours of downtime at the hotel. Some people chose to go to the pool, some rested, and others played card games. We are headed to dinner now and will have team meetings after to prepare for our first day of clinic tomorrow. We are sending lots of love to all of our Moms back at home today. We are so blessed to have such a wonderful team and look forward to all the adventures that the week is sure to bring!

Lauren and Ella!!!

We’re here in Managua! All 34 team members made it safe and sound with no hitches in travel. That alone is quite the accomplishment. We’re so glad to be back in Nicaragua, with familiar faces like Alvaro and Luis! Tomorrow we will continue on to Chinandega and Hotel Los Volcanes. The team will tour the newly purchased facility that will one day become a hospital, and meet our newest PMI family member, Project Director Bill Rose!

Looking forward to sharing some stories with you later this week!

Claire O’Bryan

To all the loving friends and family out there,

The Uganda team has had a full week and is excited to return to your open arms. In the morning we will travel to Entebbe to catch our flight home. After a short flight to Addis Ababa and a quick layover, we will board the plane for the long trek across the Atlantic. The team will arrive in Dulles at 8:30am on Monday. There the team will branch off onto their respective flights home, with the Charleston leg of the team getting home at 2pm!

We can’t wait to see you soon!

xoxo,

Team Ug

“I pray you speak through me, if necessary in spite of me, and always beyond me.”

Hi All!

Today we packed up and headed from Masindi to the Paraa Lodge at Murchison Falls National Park. What an amazing day! After a week of hard work we relaxed poolside and enjoyed a car top safari.  We ogled over giraffes, hippos, hyenas, and a three legged lion! It was a wonderful, relaxed day, which was much needed after the very fulfilling but long week.

We discussed leaving Africa for America and all the mixed feelings that accompany the journey back. I used to participate in Mountain TOP, a Christian organization in Tennessee, in which we provided labor and prayer to those in need in the more rural areas of Tennessee.  At the end of the week, we’d discuss the lessons we’d learned and how we would take the message of Jesus and service back ‘down from the mountain’ to our ‘regular’ lives.  I think we all struggled a little with that today, how we would deal with our return to the US.  It is so easy to become the ‘assimilator’, returning to the US to fall back into the cycle.  But the truth is, we have all been transformed here. What we had to offer the patients this week doesn’t compare to how they have touched and shaped each of our lives.  Not only do they remind us of all we have, but of our duty through Christ to do unto others and the fulfillment you receive in return.

The quote above is what my preacher starts each sermon with. It’s what I prayed each day this week.  I know I feel HE absolutely has worked beyond anything I expected I could succeed in fulfilling this week.  I can’t wait to see where HE leads this group into the future!

Jessica Cartoski