Clinic Day 3- Lots of Joy

Sometimes it just feels you never get enough sleep. But when the alarm goes it reminds us that there are still people who need help and that is why we are here.
I shocked the team by actually being early and not holding up the van this morning. It’s hard to shower and be motivated when the sun is still rising.
Arriving at the church at 7am, there was already a line up forming. How could we possibly do more than we had done on Friday. The answer was with grace, one by one.
Once again, the church youth were cheery and energetic as they arrived and quickly helped us get everything set up and arranged for receiving patients.
I smiled at Irene and Nelson and said, “Let’s go!”
It was a older crowd that came through today. Mostly needing readers. I got to do a follow up with the patient from Friday that we had started on antibiotics and his eyes looked so much better. He was so grateful for our help and he blessed me for coming to his country. That is just the best way to be appreciated.
I had some of my oldest patients today 91yr old whose eye were really good and 99yr old, Antonio. He was cheerful and funny. When I first asked him about his eyes he said that he could see a beautiful girl in front of him. I told him that it didn’t sound like he needed glasses at all! He laughed. He still works every day selling produce and flowers at a roadside stand!
There were also some first views(people who really need glasses and have never had them) today.
First was Dianna, 29yr old mother of a 7yr and 2yr girls. When the machine came up as a high minus, I re-did it 3 times. These extreme nearsighted people have been very rare but with a manual check of her vision revealed that she needed a -7.75 glasses. For the first time she could see her daughters playing and their faces clearly.
48yr old Julia was another -6.50 who could now walk around without tripping and see people across the table.
There was a sad case of a lady who’s eye had been pushed into her skull so far that it was completely displaced due to a fall. I am surprised it wasn’t removed and got her glasses and sunglasses to protect her only eye.
At lunch I realized that I needed charging and I had left the necessary cords back at our accommodations. I polled the whole team to see if anyone had one to substitute but not luck. Apparently you can either have me cutting short on time with all my equipment OR you can have me on time without all the stuff I need. Bother.
Melvin, as wonderful as always, said he would run back and get it. Great because we were going to have to stop soon as we would have no powered equipment. I told him where the cords should be in my room but we got a call saying he didn’t know what was the right one. In the end he just grabbed everything electronic and brought it all back. Perfect, good call and thanks for saving the day.
There was another guy, when asked how his eyes were, gave a long answer. I asked Nelson to translate and he said that it wasn’t important. No-no I need to hear his answer. Nelson smiled. He said that he fell and hurt one of his testicles. Umm, ya, that’s out of my scope of practice. He also said he had been drinking. Well at least his eyes were dilated so I could get a good reading.
We had a steady day and even the police came at the end to get an eye exam. They were really scoping out the joint so no problem. Irene advised me that we had to assess them and they were at the end of the line and did that bother me? NOPE, not if they came in last.
When the last person was fit just after 5pm, 215 people had been assessed. I am surprised but for the first time, I wasn’t completely exhausted. We stayed to re-organize luggage and for the prayer service. During the service, I checked to see what Dina was making for snack. As I came up to the counter, she tossed me a bag of forks to put on each plate as she readied more snacks. I love that she knows that I am there to help and just gives me something to do as if I am part of her team/family. it is always follow by “Gracias, Inez” No problema, mi amiga.
I told Melvin I would love to have a ride on his motorcycle before we left and tonight was the night. I have always wanted to ride on a motorcycle in a developing country! Check!
It was awesome! And a great end to a really good day.
Back at the accommodations, we all scrambled to get most of our packing done. We have a lot of gifts and souvenirs to bring back and by”we” I might mean “Me”. I am grateful for teammates who are willing carry some stuff for me. I’m trying to give them each a little bit of each thing so we can all declare the same things and amounts and it just looks like a bunch of crazy people travelling together. To which Mabel responded “AS opposed to the one crazy person it all belongs to” Ummm..Ya kinda like that.
It’s been a good day. As I said, for the first time I don’t feel completely used up and exhausted. Its hard to believe that tomorrow is our last day. But it is another full clinic in the community and there are more people who need to see clearly.

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