Triage clinic patients: Edgar and Jose
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Edgar lives in El Progreso, Jose in Montericco. The distance between them is more than 5 hours by car. Without tragedy they probably would never have met. But, through tragedy, they have become, as Jose says, brothers.
Edgar and Jose were each carried into the national hospital in Esquintla, two weeks apart, having suffered a debilitating trauma to their lower extremities in motorcycle accidents. For months they languished in the hospital, in pain. For months, they suffered failed surgeries and treatments, as they witnessed others die, the under-resourced hospital being completely overwhelmed. Through this time, they watched their families slip more deeply into poverty, because they were incapable of providing for them.
Through that pain, they formed a bond. A bond that was forged in their support of each other, in the ways they assisted other patients across those months, and above all else, by their faith. Their faith in the God, as they have said, saved their lives and who gave them each other. That was in 2019.
On March 5, 2021, through another twist of fate, these two strong and faithful men, these brothers, met again. This time, they found themselves in the courtyard in the Obras hospital waiting to see Dr. Mark Ishimaru to be evaluated for the upcoming Parsley/Woolf orthopedic team. Edgar had come from El Progreso through our volunteer Georgina. Jose had come to the Obras through his community in Monterrico. There are hundreds of patients awaiting orthopedic surgeries across Guatemala. And, yet, somehow, these two were scheduled for the same day.
On March 5, there were many tears as the two ‘brothers’ reminisced of the long journey that had traversed. Jose spoke of how Edgar had sustained his faith, encouraging him when he found himself discouraged. Edgar spoke of how Jose helped him find forgiveness in his heart. Both spoke of how God had saved their lives and blessed them with each other.
On May 2, these brothers shall meet again because they are both scheduled to see Dr. Jack Dawson on the Parsley/Woolf team.
Mobility clinic patient: Margarita
Imagine having a dislocated hip and a broken femur for more than a year. Imagine being in excruciating pain with no belief that the pain would ever end or any understanding that there might be relief for you.
Margarita, 79, fell down a ravine thirteen months ago. Since then, she has been unable to walk and has been in constant pain. Then, her devoted husband, Camilo, heard of a mobility clinic that might be able to provide a wheelchair. A wheelchair would make their lives easier, despite the pain, he thought.
So, they made the arduous trek, praying to receive a wheelchair, their greatest hope. Never in their wildest dreams, however, could they have imagined what would happen next.
At the mobility clinic, when Blanca, our wheelchair tech, saw Margarita, she knew something was very wrong, so she suggested to Josh Greenman that we obtain an x-ray. Right away, Josh organized the x-ray which revealed not only a broken hip, but a dislocation.
Knowing that the Parsley/Woolf team was arriving on May 1, Josh immediately contacted Jaime DeLeon to see if Margarita could be triaged for the team.
Snapping into action, Josh and Jaime arranged for this older couple’s transport to the Obras hospital and on March 26, Margarita was evaluated and scheduled for surgery.
On May 2, the team will see Margarita and hopefully operate. A surgery to repair Margarita’s hip, to allow her to walk again and end her pain—something beyond anything she could have ever imagined—is only weeks away.
**UPDATE**
Due to Margarita's long confinement in her wheelchair, Dr. Parlsey decided Margarita would need to strengthen her legs to prepare for surgery. Working with the municipality, we are arranging for physical therapy in their town, with monthly visits to the Obras Hospital. And, as the Guatemalans would say, ‘Primero Dios’ Margarita will return for her surgery during the Heinrich/Pond Orthopedic Team which will serve with Faith In Practice from June 19-26.
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