I have really been enjoying my time at the shelter, especially this last month. I am learning SOOOO much. Let me tell you all about it!
We have two different guests who have recently had bad fractures needing surgery. The hospital has had difficulty getting the orthopaedic materials they needed for their surgeries. Liz waited 22 days before they operated on her fractured ankle. Pedro is still waiting. It’s been a month. My learning experience with these two is I’ve been the contact person with the hospital. They don’t use phones here much. Every transaction is face to face. So, I went to the hospital “the first thing in the morning” (8:00am) as told, and ended up waiting until 10:00 for the director of nurses to come in. She was my contact person for the materials. Finally after 3 weeks of checking every couple of days, the materials came.
When I found out the materials were in on a Thursday evening, I told Pedro not to eat anything after midnight because for sure they would operate the next morning. Woops, it’s not quite so simple. I had to get the surgery scheduled. That meant I was again to go to the hospital “the first thing in the morning” to talk with Dr. Suarez, the director of surgery. He was in at 8:00. But, he sent me to the director of nursing…….who again didn’t show up until 10:00. When I talked to her, she sent me back to Dr Suarez, who by that time was gone! Finally he came back and asked me which Dr. was going to operate. I had no idea but the name on the medical summary said Dr. Cruz. However, Cruz was on vacation. Finally Dr. Suarez told me to leave my papers with him and come back Monday morning.
When I came back Monday morning Dr. Suarez wasn’t in yet. When he did come in, he hadn’t done anything with it. So, I went with him to find another orthopaedic surgeon, who then sent me to medical records to get Pedro’s chart. After some manoeuvring, I got it and returned. I waited while he reviewed the chart and again we needed to return to Dr. Suarez………who again was gone and we had to wait again. Finally, with the 2 Drs. together, we were ready to schedule surgery------but the anaesthesiologist is out on vacation!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, surgery is now scheduled for Tuesday morning. Pray that it actually happens!!!
(Picture above is Pedro washing his leg the day before surgery is scheduled. He said he´d appreciate your prayers.)
Another learning for me is working with social agencies here. We have 3 older men who should be able to get a type of social security pension every month and I want get that for them. My very first step is to find out how to get some type of identification for old men who have no ID or families. So far I’ve been to 5 places and it LOOKS like the last place might be able to help me get IDs for them. I need to go back Monday. I want to know VERY clearly what is going to be required so I don’t bring these guys to an office and then be told it isn’t the right office or I don’t have the right paperwork in hand. Once I have their IDs, I’ll begin to look for how they can register for the social security pension. By now I’m not under the illusion that it will be simple!!!
I’ve also been having fun working with shelter guests learning crafts. We made 100 Guatemalan dolls that we put on little bags for cell phones. Liz, the woman who waited for her surgery, is also teaching us how to make piñatas. We certainly won’t get rich quick on our crafts but it’s been fun learning and working together. The first picture here is a picture of us …….wheelchairs, crutches and canes, in front of our shelter showing off the piñatas we´re learning to make. Today was Ramon´s 69th birthday so he is holding his “Sponge Bob” piñata.
Maintenance in the shelter is also teaching me a lot. I bet I now know more about wells, bombas (the pump to draw water out of the well), bathroom fixtures, Mexican home sewer systems and remodelling cement and block rooms than most of my friends! There are so many things that need to be done and could be done with about $10. However, the $10 isn’t there. So, I’ve been helping out. It looks like if I put in about $10 a day that is enough to keep someone busy on the little repairs. They’ve already fixed leaky faucets, the well pump and tubing, and replaced a sink that fell off the wall, broke, and had been propped up for a long time. (See photo of Wilson putting up the sink and Anita, Donar, Francisco, Regino, and Cesar opening up the sewer line to unplug it.)
I’m even learning to cut hair! (I only dare that if I know the person doesn’t have access to a mirror!) We have a 98 yr old man who was brought to the shelter by the Red Cross. They found him on the beach and think he was there 2 or 3 days. He smelled of Ketoacidosis-----someone starving. After working with him a couple of days he is much improved. I cut his hair so he no longer has dreadlocks!
Well, this has been my fun and learning since I’ve been working more consistently in the shelter and I’m loving it. I don´t enjoy just sitting and talking, but these activities allow me to visit and spend time with the guests while we are busy about some activity together. They also seem to be enjoying it as much as I.
I´m missing big stuff with my family this week. Mike and Erica got married on Friday before they move to Hawaii with new jobs and the extended family got together for our annual family reunion weekend at Dead Colt Creek. I´m sorry I missed it but I felt like I was included in part as all the emails were flying around with who is bringing what. Now I´m waiting for the pictures!
Blessings on all.
Lillian
