Wednesday Evening

Well, I am back at the Internet Cafe again. No wireless thus far and no immediate plans to have any..so here I am. Hopefully, I will be able to have more wireless acess in Antigua so that I can blog at times other than in the evening when I am beat.

Today was our second day of clinics. It was slightly busier than yesterday, and rumor has it that it will be busier tomorrow as they announced on the local radio station that we were going to be there doing clinics. Hopefully is is a bit busier, but not swamped.

I was in lab and pharmacy again today. I did quite a few more blood draws and came back with several positive tests for TB. There was some question as to whether I was reading the tests right or if the tests were bad as they were outdated. No conclusion was made, and while it was possible I was reading the tests wrong, I kind of doubt it. I followed the directions and I have used these kind of tests before. They don´t have a history of TB in Cipresales, but it can spread pretty fast and 3 f them were in the same family. They are being sent for further testing and will get started on medication just in case, which is really what is important.

We also had a newborn baby in the clinic today, but not as a patient. The community health worker´s sister-in-law had an emergency c-section and then had a stroke. The outlook isn´t good, so Tomasita (the community worker) went and got the baby and brought it back so they could care for it. What a darling little thing. I wanted to get a picture, but Rolando said it wasn´t a good idea (culture and photos don´t always mix). Please keep her sister-in-law, the baby, and her 4 other children in your prayers.

Currently, I am stuffy and have a very nice cough going. It makes it very interesting to try and talk to patients...I get some pretty weird looks. The team is taking good care of me, which is totally a blessing.

Off to dinner! Buenos noches