Subject: Campo Santigo Report
This week during my visit to the doctors office in town with four patients I met
a family from a small community about an hour and a half away. They
were trying to find help for there loved one, a middle ages women who has been
coughing up blood all night. I began to talk to them about the clinics and
hospitals around and I offered to help. Them women most likely has TB.
She is very very skinny and just by looking at her she looks horribly sick.
Her cough has been going on for the last nine months and the family had been
taking her to a doctor nearby, but have not been getting any answers. They
say they have taken her for blood test, chest x rays but she continues to get
sick. I accompanied them into see the doctor and we were able to get a lot
of their questions answered. It is not positive that she has TB yet, but
from the x rays she had back in December, it showed she does have pnuemonia.
The doctor advised us to treat this first and then get the medicine for the TB.
I was so grateful to be able to pay for the medicine which costed about eighty
dollars. We are meeting again in three weeks for a follow up. I have
to say that it felt so good to be able to help this family. They were very
worried, scared for there loved one, and finacially in need, that I know they
will never forget the help they encountered today. Thanks for everyone who
continues to donate money, for it really goes to those who count on god to
provide for them when there in need.
For the other four people, a two year old with parasites, who is very
malnourished, her mother was seen for a cough, and her grandmother for gastric
reflux. The fourth was the elderly women seen last week, she is doinng
much better. She is up out of bed, walking around, and eating. We did get
her some vitamins today.
In the community I brought milk to two famillies, one who I have been bringing
milk two continually and the baby looks much better. He is getting a round
face. I brought lice shampoo one last time to the family with lice.
There was a baby born last saturday at home, both the mom and baby are doing
well. The mother was not able to go yesterday to receive the bi monthy
money the government hands out for families with kids in school. She was
told to go Thursday to town to get the money. Becuase she just gave
birth, and it has to be her that goes I have paid for gas for a neighbor to take
here to town so she wont have to walk all that way. I have also been
appoached in the last few weeks from women who would like to get their tubes
tied. All of these women have kids ranging from five to 8 kids. The
one with five kids is 22 years old. All of their husbands are in support.
I will follow up with them.
I will be leaving for the states this week for three weeks. I will
continue my work when I get back.
Emily