Hey! Things have gotten much better since I last wrote. I'm understanding more, speaking a lot more, and am feeling a lot better about my PT skills.
Yesterday, we went to a community health center in the morning. It is amazing how many people just show up to need our help. I don't really remember much of what we saw, but in general, the past 2 days have been a lot of strokes and back problems. These are really common here. Strokes, because the diet is full of fat and salt. And back problems, because the women have 38439024 kids and are always carrying them. So, we did a lot of good fixing that. Later, in the afternoon, we went back to the hospital, and while I was waiting on supplies that we could never get a hold of, the rest of my group taught a group of nurses how to transfer a patient. That was pretty cool, because they always depend on the men in the hospital to move the patients, and now they can do it themselves!
We've also been seeing a LOT of kids with cerebral palsy. I have no intention of doing pediatric PT, but I have really enjoyed working with the kids the past few days. I held one today while we made casts for his feet and hands. Even though I sweated probably a gallon, and got puked on, it was still an incredible experience.
This afternoon, we went to a poorer community in the town, called Vista el Valle. It had dirt roads, wooden shacks, and people sitting out at tables playing board games. The first guy we saw, we found sleeping on his porch. He had suffered a stroke a long time ago, and we were checking him out. The whole time we were there, he kept saying "Gloria a Dios", which means "Glory to God". He also, at one point, just started shaking and then singing a beautiful hymn. It was SO moving. As well, he had the most contagious, no teethed laugh. He was telling us a story about when his father died, and he just started laughing so hard. It was one of those laughs that, when you hear it, you have to laugh along with him. It was one of those moments where I have felt so close to God and know that this is why I am doing the work that I am doing. I wish I could post pictures of him, but because of HIPAA stuff, we've been advised against it :/
We also saw a guy this afternoon who was robbed, had acid poured on him, was cut with a machete, and then shot. He was very anti-PT in the beginning, didn't want to do any of the exercises we were telling him correctly, etc. As time went on, he became more open to it, and we were able to help him walk better than he had walked since it occurred. It was another time where I've been so glad that I'm in the profession that I'm in. Amazing.
Tomorrow, we are going to a university in the morning, and then to a park and a museum in the afternoon. And then Friday, LA PLAYA (THE BEACH!!)!! I'm excited to use my mask and snorkel again and take pictures with my underwater camera!
I can't believe how fast this week is going. I am looking forward to being home, but I also am going to miss this place. This town has so much character, and I feel like the USA really lacks culture like this.
Until I get back, have a great week!
-Austin
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Monday, March 18, 2013
Dominican Republic Day 1 & 2
So, I know this blog isn't about my trip, but this is the best place I can think of to write something that everyone can see. Also, I want to write down this stuff as I'm experiencing it, so I don't forget it.
For those of you who don't know, I am currently on a service learning trip doing physical therapy in a town called San Francisco de Macoris, in the Dominican Republic. It is a fairly decent sized city about 2.5 hours north of Santo Domingo.
Sunday, we landed in Santo Domingo, and took a bus from there to San Francisco. I sat next to a nice young guy who was in med school to be a neurosurgeon. He told me I spoke Spanish really well and had a good accent, so I was pleased with that. It was also the most Spanish I had spoken since I studied in Trujillo, so my tongue was cramping up by the end of it!
Today, we woke up and went to the hospital, called San Vincente de Paul. It is the public university hospital in the town. And it was crazy. We were introduced to EVERYONE who works in the hospital. They all spoke so fast, and me, being all confident with my Spanish, understood maybe a word a minute. It was so discouraging. We did get to treat some patients in the hospital; for me (with other people) I saw a young boy who fell out of a tree and broke his arm in several places, and 2 people who broke their legs. I actually felt pretty good with the leg fractures, because I saw a lot of that at Grady this summer. Once we started treating, I was ok, but trying to understand conversations is super discouraging. I am told each day will get better, and that's what I'm hoping.
Then, in the afternoon, we saw patients in a community clinic. Our first patient was a hemi-spinal cord injury from a gunshot wound... something I didn't even see at Grady in the US! However, interestingly enough, this was the patient I would have felt the most confident with. I now know that neuro is definitely my specialty and what I feel the most confident about. Then, we saw 2 ankle fractures that had pretty much fused, so the people had no range of motion. And I had very little clue about those... I didn't see ANY ankles in clinic! Last, we saw a guy with back and chest pain, and it was fun to teach him lifting skills and to see him perform lifting correctly. That part was very rewarding. And, these people were easier to understand, which was helpful.
The last patient of the day was a little girl with extreme cerebral palsy. CP is another thing I haven't had ANY experience with. However, there is something about children that, even when you are doing anything to them, you feel like you are making a difference. This little girl had the biggest smile on her face, whether she was comprehending me or not, and that was awesome.
We also got to play with kids, and it was so much fun. There are motorcycles everywhere, and she was pretending her bike was a motorcycle, and was filling it with "gasoline", and then she would ride and crash. Another kid pretended to give me a potato. Children's laughter and imagination are the best.
The food is good, the juices are AMAZING, we hear a lot of dogs barking and roosters crowing, there are lots of motorcycles, and I am loving the sounds. Because my vision is so bad, my hearing and smell are extra-sensitive, and this is a great place to use that. I feel like I get so much more from the experience.
I'm hoping to write something like this every day here, if my computer lives. The power keeps going out, so we aren't supposed to charge anything. If not, know that I'm having a good time and experiencing A LOT. And miss you all, so much.
Love,
Austin
For those of you who don't know, I am currently on a service learning trip doing physical therapy in a town called San Francisco de Macoris, in the Dominican Republic. It is a fairly decent sized city about 2.5 hours north of Santo Domingo.
Sunday, we landed in Santo Domingo, and took a bus from there to San Francisco. I sat next to a nice young guy who was in med school to be a neurosurgeon. He told me I spoke Spanish really well and had a good accent, so I was pleased with that. It was also the most Spanish I had spoken since I studied in Trujillo, so my tongue was cramping up by the end of it!
Today, we woke up and went to the hospital, called San Vincente de Paul. It is the public university hospital in the town. And it was crazy. We were introduced to EVERYONE who works in the hospital. They all spoke so fast, and me, being all confident with my Spanish, understood maybe a word a minute. It was so discouraging. We did get to treat some patients in the hospital; for me (with other people) I saw a young boy who fell out of a tree and broke his arm in several places, and 2 people who broke their legs. I actually felt pretty good with the leg fractures, because I saw a lot of that at Grady this summer. Once we started treating, I was ok, but trying to understand conversations is super discouraging. I am told each day will get better, and that's what I'm hoping.
Then, in the afternoon, we saw patients in a community clinic. Our first patient was a hemi-spinal cord injury from a gunshot wound... something I didn't even see at Grady in the US! However, interestingly enough, this was the patient I would have felt the most confident with. I now know that neuro is definitely my specialty and what I feel the most confident about. Then, we saw 2 ankle fractures that had pretty much fused, so the people had no range of motion. And I had very little clue about those... I didn't see ANY ankles in clinic! Last, we saw a guy with back and chest pain, and it was fun to teach him lifting skills and to see him perform lifting correctly. That part was very rewarding. And, these people were easier to understand, which was helpful.
The last patient of the day was a little girl with extreme cerebral palsy. CP is another thing I haven't had ANY experience with. However, there is something about children that, even when you are doing anything to them, you feel like you are making a difference. This little girl had the biggest smile on her face, whether she was comprehending me or not, and that was awesome.
We also got to play with kids, and it was so much fun. There are motorcycles everywhere, and she was pretending her bike was a motorcycle, and was filling it with "gasoline", and then she would ride and crash. Another kid pretended to give me a potato. Children's laughter and imagination are the best.
The food is good, the juices are AMAZING, we hear a lot of dogs barking and roosters crowing, there are lots of motorcycles, and I am loving the sounds. Because my vision is so bad, my hearing and smell are extra-sensitive, and this is a great place to use that. I feel like I get so much more from the experience.
I'm hoping to write something like this every day here, if my computer lives. The power keeps going out, so we aren't supposed to charge anything. If not, know that I'm having a good time and experiencing A LOT. And miss you all, so much.
Love,
Austin
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