Updates from Chichicastenango

Today was another clinic day in Chichicastenango. We have a few updates on patients we've told you about before.

One was a three week old baby who had been born at 34 weeks. We had been quite worried about him but he was back in clinic today, still alive and growing well. He was only 3lbs 13oz when we saw him before. He's now seven weeks old and up to five pounds! His parents brought him in because he has developed an inginal hernia. We told them to just keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn't change in any way. We were able to consult with Dr. Edgar, a Guatemalan orthopedic surgeon, who does clinic once a month in Chichi. He said that they typically don't like to operate on those kids here until they're about 20 lbs (due to anaesthesia concerns). So please keep Miguel Saqueo Calel in your prayers - that he'll keep growing well and that no complications will arise with his hernia until he's big enough for the surgery.

Well, they say that these things come in threes. We saw a cleft palate here in clinic last week (Osni Arturo Peliz Peliz). He was back this week with a fungal infection in his mouth, but has put on 3oz in the last week! Last week, we told you about a mother who knocked on our door with a baby who had a cleft palate. And today in clinic, we got another one. This one is Maria Buchan Chitic (like Osni, she is from the village of Xepocol). She was born on September 7 and is in the milk program at ASELSI so she can get formula and special bottles. We have contact info on all three kids so when we find a surgeon who can work on them, we'll try to get all three down to Antigua for the surgery.

We have a sad story today, too. Fifty year-old Tomasa Ramos came in looking uncharacteristically disheveled for a Mayan woman. Normally, they take a lot of pride in their clothes and hair. She was wearing a torn blouse, her hair was a complete rat's nest, and had some cuts on her face. She told us that her 18 year old son had beat her up. Her husband tried to help but he used to drink a lot (and still does some) and was no match for the son. The son threatened to kill the husband if he threw him out of the house.

We called Sister Maruka at Casa Social here in Quiche to ask her advice. (Casa Social works with lots of abused and widowed women.) She suggested that Tomasa find some relatives she can go live with. Tomasa indicated that she had some relatives she could live with who were sufficiently far away that she could be safe. She broke down and cried a couple times and said that she was too afraid to go home. She is a church-goer (an Evangelical church) and said that her pastor might be able to help, too. She only speaks K'iche, but we prayed for her in Spanish and then she said she was going to her relatives' house. We gave her an appointment card to come back any time. In any case, she knows there are people in Chichicastenango who care about her and want to help...

We're also still looking for the two women who had molar pregnancies. Laura Hernandez was the one who had her surgery here in Quiche (after waiting ten days). We are worried that they did not get all of the tumor out, but we haven't seen her in clinic. Someone there knows someone who knows her, so we'll try to sort that one out that way. Jacinta Pol Suar is the woman we asked to come meet us here at the house last Friday morning and she never showed up. She lives in a small village outside Chichi, so we'll try to track her down through someone who lives there.

Some days are easier than others. Today was not one of the easy ones....

Tomorrow we're going out with Kemmel and Dr. Lisa Dunham from Chichicastenango. Lisa is a family practicioner we hope to learn LOTS from!