We've been asked what ASELSI stands for. It's an acronym for the Spanish version of "Association for Equipping the Saints, International". It's a combination Bible institute and medical clinic. It's probably one of the most American-style clinics we do. There is a front desk where patients come in and present their chief complaints. Charts are either pulled or started, labs are run, then the patients wait for their consults. Prescriptions are given by the doctor(s) and then filled at the internal pharmacy.
It's a very popular clinic with the Mayan people in the villages surrounding Chichicastenango. The reason it's held on Thursday is because that's the big market day in Chichi and buses come in from more rural areas on that day (in other words, our patients can get there on that day). They have, besides the medical clinic we work with, physical therapy, a chronic clinic (hypertension and diabetes, mostly), and a milk program. The milk program provides nutrition for well over 100 malnourished kids.
Anyway, Annie and Beth both did tremendous work today. They have both adapted very quickly to how medicine is practiced here. We practice with as much of an American philosophy as is possible but with an understanding of what resources are available and what cultural barriers there are to practicing with a fully American direction. (For example, we have to understand that illiterate patients cannot be expected to be able to take six different medications at a time - all at different times of the day.) Also, many medications require regular lab work to be done to ensure the absence (or managed control) of possible side effects. This is not necessarily possible where we are.
After market, they went to check on their surgical patient from yesterday, who is recovering nicely. Then they went to the tourist market in Chichi to check out their wares.
Matt and Isaac supervised the pouring of three of the 12 slabs that will comprise the new driveway. The workers seem to be experienced and conscientious and should produce a very nice new driveway. Their estimate is that they will be completed by Monday. We will likely use another contractor to put up a temporary fence around the construction site to prevent theft of the materials. Letting the two contractors know that competition exists should be beneficial to quality, cost, and time.
Tomorrow, the docs go to the OB/GYN clinic at the Hospital Buen Samaritano and Matt will meet Duane and David to oversee some more work here at the house, as well as starting to line up the fence contractor.
In pics, the first is of Beth, Annie, and a patient at ASELSI. The second is of Cecy and Heidi. Cecy is our translator who will shortly be starting nursing school in Solola. We are helping her with that expense. It's a lot for a Mayan single mom who only works part-time, but laughably inexpensive from an American perspective.
The third pic is in the milk program room at ASELSI. Fourth is Beth and Annie looking over some typical wares in the market. And last is what our driveway looks like today. They should finish pouring the left side of the driveway tomorrow and build the forms for the right side. Saturday will be a 50% pour on the right side and Monday will be a finish-up day - assuming all goes well...
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