Granddad Weekend in Canilla

Well, Friday was Heidi's day at the Hospital Buen Samaritano. Isaac, Daddy, and Granddad stayed in Quiche. While Heidi was seeing a dozen or so patients and scheduling some surgeries, the boys worked around the house, went to the ruins in Quiche, visited Martin's family, and spent some quality time with the baby.

Saturday morning, bright and early, we headed out to Canilla for clinic and some good fellowship. Heidi's dad, Eddie, went to clinic with her. They saw the standard fare of patients, plus a very sick pregnant lady who we hope will go to the hospital (her husband was marginally interested in helping her), a young man who was so dehydrated from a stomach bug that he got an IV, and a variety of sick kids.

After lunch, Matt and Eddie went out on the tractor with David to pull out a truck that had gotten stuck in the river. When they got there, it had already been pulled out by someone else, but wouldn't start. No one could pull it up the mountain between the river and town, so David did it on the tractor. Funny moment - the guy asked David how much it would cost. David quoted a pretty small amount of money and then the guy told him he didn't have any money. So why ask?

The truck engine was completely full of water - air intake, cylinders, exhaust manifold, everything. David spent a pretty fair amount of time helping clear the water out of the engine and attempting to get the truck started - mostly because the kid driving said it was his dad's truck and he was really going to be in trouble when he got home. The likely thing is that the truck's computer got wet and fried - not something we can fix on the side of the road, so David pulled him to a mechanic in town.

The afternoon was spent doing some more work on the F-350 that's been out of commission for a few months (and that Eddie brought some parts down for) and changing the oil on the plane.

This morning, Duane and Aaron flew Eddie down to Guatemala City (a 20 minute flight that saved Matt about 8 hours on the road) and the girls went to clinic. Patients in San Andres included a non-compliant diabetic who can no longer feel part of her foot, a two year old with severe hives, a term pregnancy with possible early labor pains, some kids with scabies, a two year old with problems with his - well, let's just say that Heidi's training didn't exactly prepare her for that... etc.

This evening will be spent relaxing and getting ready for Heidi and Gail to come in on Tuesday (Heidi's friends from pharmacy school). We have clinic in Chicabracan tomorrow, then will head to Guatemala City to spend the night, have Isaac's 2-month check-up with his pediatrician, pick up his Guatemalan passport, then pick up Heidi and Gail.

Below are some pics with Granddad...