It is the end of work week ONE

Hello to all from Bolivia. The first week flew by, obviously I did not have much time to come to the internet cafe and post to the blog. Mostly, I was just too tired. Our work team is working on what I believe is a daycare center across the street from District 2 clinic in the area known at Urkopena - so far only Mary Griffin has the pronunciation down correctly. The other work team is out in the compos and will have the house built today. Eric Lane has worked so hard on the house for a 75 year old couple with no home. Yesterday there were gale force winds of approximately 60 miles an hour and during their lunch break the top five courses of brick blew off because the cement was still wet. So far the Urkopena team has been laying brick under ground for the foundation. I think walls were being started today with the assistance of Eder, our site boss, and Jamie his cousin. Eder and his wife Lora live in the house in front of what we are builing and they take care of the clinic maintenance also. They have a beautiful little girl, Geraldina, who is in kindergarten and six month old Leonardo. Lora´s parents are visiting from the compos for a couple of days - so if my math is correct that is 6 people staying in a one room house.
The medical team has accomplished great things this week. Dr. Alexander sees about 80 patients a day and Dr. Fleming just about that many. They fit glasses and send the more problematic patients to Dr. Griffin who in turn sends the surgical patients to Dr. Chang. There were three cornea transplants done this week with the aforementioned problematic ´¨human eye tissue¨´. There are a lot less cataracts in Montero this weekend than there were on Monday. Dr. Griffin in removing some pterygium this afternoon and fixing a closed tear duct. Dr. Chang and Amy were getting ready to leave for a little sight seeing in Santa Cruz before they leave tomorrow and a patient came in with a chainsaw cut to his forehead, eyelid and upper cheek. From Dr. Chang´s description, it was best that I missed seeing that. He sewed it up and off they went.
The Changs, Davis, and Eric are on their way to the states tomorrow and we will pick up Karen and James Harris from the airport. Dr. Harris will be doing surgery next week.
I spent today with Daniel in the clinic learning about their record keeping and statistical processes. In many ways they are a bit further ahead - no physicians write on paper at the clinics, they chart directly into the computer. It was facinating the way they store the paper records that they have. I think I am going to write an article for my state newsletter on this experience. I am glad I was able to go and experience the clinic that I have heard so much about for so many years. Thanks to Amy Chang the supply closet is now clean, clear and ready for next week and next year.
Love to all back home and we will see you on July 3.