Primer Dia

What am I doing here? I am volunteering with Clinica Alabama, which is an internal/ family/ general medicine clinic who take care of the majority of the poor in this REGION. People travel hours to get care.  Why did I chose doing something in general medicine over ObGyn (my destiny)? I believe having experiences in the general helps you understand the specific.  And many of the health issues I will encounter on this trip, I will also encounter as an ObGyn (hypertension, diabetes, infectious disease).  And I could not let this opportunity go.  

So last night, I got off the plane, and I saw my driver through the window.  One of the organizers for my trip, Albertina, was gracious enough to set me up with her local driver so I would be safe.  And since my plane was 2 hours late, it was comforting to know that I would have someone there. 

He took me through some back ways through Managua to get to the main highway.  Drivers be crazy in this country, but as crazy and fast and rule dodging as they are, they make it.  In Mexico, I called it "offensive" driving.  I try my best to make conversation, but I am rusty. After 40 minutes, we pull into Granada. Unlike Managua, she is sleeping.  We find my house after turning down nameless streets and alleys, and I can't help but think of Charleston :) An older women, Dona Espinoza, greets me through her gate. -Pictures tomorrow-.  She leads through her yard/house to a bedroom.  She shows me around the room, and says goodnight, we will talk tomorrow. 

Needless to say, I've begun sweating.  One because it is hot, and two because I suddenly realize the loss of my grasp of the Spanish language. I also meet Fred.  Fred is a very big spider. And I can't catch him. And he makes noises. At least I have some company, right?

I wake up sweating, to a parrot or something screaming HOLAaaaaAA. His name is Shut Up.. jk. BReakfast is on the table.  Gallo Pinto, egg, jugo. Que rica.  I then put on my scrubs... pants.... now I am not pleased. 

Jaime, one of the other organizers of my life here and one of the big guys at Clinica Alabama, showed up at 7:30 to pick me up.  He is fantastic and shows me a round the clinic, introduces me, and tells me all about it.  He then takes me to Carita Feliz.  This is school for the poor.  I will dedicate a whole post, tweet, whatever you call it to this magical place. I fell in love. 

We go back to clinic and I jump into medical mode.  I take BPs, pulse, weight, blood sugars on 40+ people in 4 hours.  There are 2 doctors at the clinic, one very accomplished American nurse - Mary, and a 4th year med student from England- Rachel.  Medical Spanish is over my head, so I gave myself some homework to do this weekend. Vocab! Fun note: Doctor asked me if I had been running because I was sweating so much.  haha. 

Jaime comes back to the clinic to have a meeting with someone, and he says " I have a sorpresa for you". Earlier, when we were driving around to Carita Feliz, he was giving me directions and telling me where to walk and where not to walk.  I hate walking, so I asked how or where could I rent a bike down here.  He responded "I'll check into that for you later".  Well did above and beyond, and obtained a bicicleta for me.  I will photo it later. What a great guy though. The unrelenting kindness some people have always amazes me.  Something to learn from. 

Lunch was a dinner. In Nicaragua, like some other Latin countries, lunch is the biggest meal. I had a cheese stuffed pepper, a bounty of rice, beans, and bbq chicken... and juice water. mmm

I wheeled over to Carita Feliz after that, and taught some things and played with kids for the rest of the afternoon.  Tomorrow I will spend my whole day there, so I'll put up more about it. But it is a great program. 

I had dinner with the Dona and one of her friends.  I mentioned how much I love corn tortillas, so they prepared corn tortillas for me with something similar to al Pastor. I feel loved. 

I love Nica food almost as much as I love the people. I haven't stopped sweating since I got here.  And usually I don't like to eat and sweat at the same time.  But I gave that up with my first meal here. 

Going to watch a telenovela to get some Spanish in and then crashing. 

Buenas noches!