LOOOONG Day!

We had the opportunity today to go out with a team of Americans to clinic in Xepocol (pronounced "SHAY-poe-cole"), a very poor aldea (village) just outside Chichicastenango. Xepocol is where two of our cleft lip babies are from. The team had two pediatricians, so we took the side room where the adults were. Between the three doctors, we saw 183 patients. Heidi and I saw 65. Yes, it was a VERY long day.

Most of our patients needed a Walgreen's a lot more than they needed a doctor. The most common diagnoses were muscle pain, headaches, and gastritis. Of course, there IS no Walgreen's in Xepocol, so we made a pretty big difference in quality of life for most of these patients.

We did have one woman who was pretty sure she wasn't pregnant because she doesn't have a husband (that assertion USUALLY holds here - a whole lot more than in the US). Unfortunately, she IS pregnant - it turns out that the baby's daddy is her ex-husband, who she says she doesn't have a relationship with anymore. Well, maybe a little. Around here, that is a pretty big deal (think what it was like in the US 50 years ago). So we prayed with her and gave her all of our contact info in case she gets tossed out of the house or needs help in any way.

We also got to make a house call on a supposedly 110 year old woman who couldn't come to clinic. 110, you say? If you saw this woman, you might believe it. She's older than any 100 year old in The States, I can tell you that! She had a yeast infection under the fold of her breasts. 110 years with no bra and Lord knows how many breast feedings can cause a bit of saggage. Under all that, you can get things like yeast infections. Her grand-daughter had about the worst case of Athlete's foot I've ever seen, too. So she got treated, as well.

Then it was back to Chichi, dinner with the crew at the fabulous Casa Del Rey Hotel (owned and operated by American missionaries), a movie (with surround sound, I might add) and a drive home. It's now after 10:30, Heidi is repacking our stuff for clinic tomorrow, and we have to get up in not NEARLY enough hours, and do it all again. Whew!

We tried to post more pictures, but the lovely software we are using is not cooperating and we're too tired to try again. So you get one. No whining!!!