Weekend Wrap Up

While in Peru, we are expected/required to "work" Monday through Saturday. However, Saturday morning instead of our regular clinical sites, we ventured to another public hospital a few minutes away and got a tour (IN ENGLISH!) of their facilities. It still amazes me at the work these doctors and nurses do each day with very few resources (in regards to what we are accustomed to). The woman giving our toured has visited an American hospital before and she was very aware at how different everything is. It almost made me feel shameful....below are some pictures of our tour! Nothing crazy. 

This is a waiting area inside the hospital. Yes, inside. Almost all of their rooms and hallways open to the outdoors and it's quite warm. We are also here during their "cooler" months. Ah!

Their new blood bank which is just over a year old! 

One of the units we toured. I think this was a surgical floor. 

Going through their OR and post-op areas. These Peruvians are so nice; they don't say no to much!! I can't ever imagine an American hospital giving a tour this willingly to travelers. 

One of the operating rooms. This one is used for smaller procedures given the size of it. 

We then traveled into the maternity ward and this is the delivery room at this hospital. It looks luxurious compared to the one we work at! 

Two little babies that were born last night a few hours apart. They are not related in any way but the hospital keeps their babies together for warmth and so they don't have to constantly use the warming lamp. I love the idea!!!

This is one room on the pediatric wing. One thing I forgot to mention is most of these units have one nurse and one tech assigned per shift. That's usually 25-35 beds for one nurse. AKA, Insanity. 

ICU and their trauma room which holds up to three patients. 

The children's emergency room which has 16 beds. 

Oncology!! The patients here only have outpatient chemotherapy so they don't require hospitalizations. Below is their chemo room.

After lunch and siesta, we got a 3 hour walking tour of Piura! It was great to see the surrounding area and get out to explore a bit. Most of our clinical sites are here in the parish clinics, at the hospital across the street, or out in the villages. 

This is a skatepark a couple blocks from the parish. We are permitted to walk/run to this park during free times.

Sarah and me in front of a statue--I think this man was the founder of Piura. It was difficult for me to understand because the tour was in Spanish and there was so much traffic and noise surrounding us.

The Marquette students in the Piura city center. (L to R: Tobin, Sarah, Alex, Lauren, Asmita, Anna, Kerry, Stef, Gen, Meghan)

While we were in the city center, a little blonde haired blue-eyed seven year old came up to us and started talking to us like we were long lost friends. It was totally hilarious; we found out she's from Arkansas but her mom was raised in Peru so they're back here for now. Luckily for us she was holding her new puppy, so we got to ham for a bit.

She was so awesome! Even better is when our tour guide started asking her questions and she responded in the most perfect Spanish. I wish she could fit in my pocket--I need her around all the time!

This is a mostly-dry riverbank that we walked across on the tour

The walking tour ended at this sweet exercise park where there was all sorts of equipment to get a little sweat going! This is Anna and Meghan on the running (?) machine.

Stef and Alex giving it a go.

A snap of the group towards the end of our tour.

After the tour we headed back to the parish for mass and a nice dinner then some time to relax. Today was an incredible day full of sunshine, relaxation, and laughter. Here's a sneak peak of what you'll be reading about (hopefully--having a photo problem) tomorrow... :)

On behalf of all of the Marquette gang in Peru, we hope that you all enjoyed your weekends and feel refreshed as Monday morning is knocking on the door. We pray that tomorrow you wake with bright eyes and big smiles just as we will as we prepare for another rigorous week! Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers!!! We wouldn't be anywhere without them :)

Love and laughter,

Alex & the gang

El Día del Agotamiento

This morning we switched things up a bit as Lauren and Kerry did their teaching projects at the elementary school! See, I told you it isn't all travel and fun--we are actually here for school! ;)

Kerry presented to sixty children on the importance of dental hygiene and Lauren presented to the same group on physical activity and what a healthy lifestyle looks like. They had the resource of an interpreter so the presentation was able to be given in English and translated into Spanish for the niños.

Lauren teaching the kids how to exercise

Kerry and Lauren with the class

Meghan and I spent the morning at hospice where we hung out with the same patients we've been caring for as a group this week. We continue to find horrendous pressure ulcers that tie my stomach in knots, but otherwise there's nothing very new going on there!

Meghan helping Alberto eat lunch

Tobin and Sarah spent their morning in the Pro-Life clinic where they monitored pregnant mothers and taught on pre-natal care. Tobin says his experience was awesome and he has loved getting to learn more about a woman's perspective on being pregnant. Music to a woman's ear!

Genevieve and Asmita had a somewhat unusual morning; as we were loading up the truck to head to our designated clinical sites, they were asked to change paths and go with a visiting dentist to work as interpreters between him and the Spanish speakers here. They both report that it was a great learning experience and was a great challenge to work as interpreters but also as the dentist's assistants. 

Asmita, dentist, Gen picking up some drugs from the local pharmacy. No prescription necessary! 

Asmita, Gen and dentist extracting teeth

Stef and Anna spent their morning in the OB clinic where they saw two births at the exact same minute! How exciting. Feeling a bit anxious before departure, Stef came back to the parish full of excitement and says it was an awesome experience. She was not sure what to expect but she really enjoyed her time there with the mothers and babies and looks forward to going back. Anna, of course, also loved it as she aspires to be a midwife in the future and got to put her doula training to use!

Remember how we love siesta? Tobin caught a few of us taking full advantage today on the balcony outside our rooms. :) 

(L to R: Alex, Lauren, Meghan, Anna)

(Top to Bottom: Alex, Lauren, Meghan, Anna)

This afternoon was a little different than our usual routine. We had a short class and then headed out to a village for a ceremony of the Virgin Mother. Seeing the faith practices and cultural routines collide was something else! Boy, Peruvians know how to have a fiesta. Snacks, drinks, games, dancing...the whole shebang. Here are a few pictures from the procession of the Mother. 

As I wind up for tonight, I'm going to have a moment of raw honesty: we are all WIPED out. Eyes are red, yawns are big, and beds are calling. We have worked our tails and brains off this week and we are feeling the consequences. If you think of it tonight, please keep us in your prayers for good health, positive minds, and soothing hearts. Thank you!!!! We appreciate your love and support and feel it constantly. :)

Peace and laughter,

Alex & the gang 

Todos Sus Juegos y Diversión...Excepto Cuando No

This morning Kerry and I had the opportunity to visit the women's nursing home in which we took vitals on all the ladies and assisted in various other tasks that the nuns were responsible for. One patient had a pressure ulcer on the ball of her foot that rivaled the Grand Canyon for deepness. Kerry and I both almost dropped to the floor. We had never seen anything as miserable as that nor have we been responsible for cleaning it. Thank the good Lord that the nun was there and took over the cleaning process; another blessing because her technique was much different than what we've learned in nursing school. I refrained from taking pictures for the good of all of us and because I was trying to focus on one thing: staying conscious. 

After finishing with patient cares, we were asked to package gauze and cotton balls for the nurses to use. It's incredible that these nurses are required to prepare their own materials; I think I touched on this in another post. Not only are the responsible for the patients, but for their materials and sterilization as well. Here we are working with cotton sheets!

One patient and I getting ready for lunch time!

And another! After she saw me take the first picture she seemed to show a bit of jealousy and was almost demanding to have her photo taken. So adorable.

Not all of the patients require help with eating, but those that do are a challenge. During this moment today I was thinking about all of the many, many babies I've fed. It was almost an identical experience: drooling, head tilt, distraction, etc. I was amazed at how true the "Circle of Life" is really applicable in most settings.

The circle of life is also so, so, so beautiful.

Gen and Lauren spent their morning doing pediatric physical therapy. They enjoyed their experiences and have a few photos to share!

Lauren and a baby

Physical Therapist with Lauren and the baby

Gen and the Physical Therapist helping out a little niño

Asmita and Meghan spent today doing Social Service home visits and delivery goods to the families. It's amazing to see the resources (or lack of) that these families have and the joy they radiate when a new delivery comes. It isn't always easy, but it's always, always worth it.

Meghan and a new baby! (There are lots and lots of pregnant women here)

A snap of some of the goods and services they were delivering. Toilet paper is not available in many places and people generally carry it around with them. It also is not permitted in the toilets so we have been learning to collect our toilet paper in trash cans. Always something new to learn! :)

Here are two girls excited for their new supplies!

This afternoon Kerry and I were re-energized at the obstetrics birth clinic! So much excitement. We walked in to the delivery room where there are two delivering beds just after two little niñas were born. We watched as the plecentas were delivered from both mothers within minutes and observed both newborn assessments--SO SWEET! Minutes later another expecting mother walked into the delivery room screaming, jumped into stirrups, and pushed her baby boy out within minutes. It was ridiculously quick. Here he is!

There was no doubt that his lungs worked--this little guy screamed for quite some time.

Durinng the lull in deliveries, we spent a few minutes checking out the babes in the nursery. A few were premature babies that have been there a while, and a few were babies just waiting for their mamas to be cleaned up.

I swear all the babies here have hair for days!!! It's so thick and beautiful right out of the womb.

To continue on with our excitement, an expectant mother needed an IV change, so the nurse let me do it! So fun. It was a dashing success, but I've never seen an IV bleed as much as it did. The most important part is that the mother told me she didn't have any pain and it was good to go--phew! I almost felt that doing the IV in this setting was easier because I couldn't understand what anyone was saying at the time, so I was able to be in my own little world and focus on the task at hand.

Stef and Anna had the opportunity to work in the Pro-Life Clinic today where they checked up on many expecting mothers. This clinic is a place for these women to come for prenatal cares, nutrition advice, vitamins, etc. The midwife that works in this office is awesome and so receptive to our learning!

Stef and Anna checking on the baby

Stef and Anna reading the ultrasound to the excited mother

Before I close tonight, I wanted to discuss some of the cultural rituals we have noticed. Because we are guests at a Catholic Parish for this month, we are expected to attend daily mass as missionaries and participate in their faith practice. Each evening we've been here, the church has been PACKED--and this is a church that can hold probably 1200 people. It's been so fun to watch and so impactful to see how faithful these people are. Additionally, they all give what they have in the donation basket which blows my mind because these people do not have much. The faith they practice is so encouraging and something I will definitely be leaving Peru with. Below is a photo from after mass tonight of the people reaching for Holy Water. It's a tradition that after each mass the attending priest sprinkles (read: drowns) the crowd with Holy Water. Again, their faith and trust in God is delightful.

Thank you for your continued support and love!!! We appreciate everything and pray that our thoughts, words, actions, feet, and hands are guided by the love of Christ. 

Sending smiles and a boat load of laughter,

Alex & the gang