Sunday, May 9, 2010

Our Jobs in Belize; Save the Clinic


     I fear that I have made many of my postings on the esoteric side and people won't have a clue about what we are doing and about the needs down here. Just wanted you to know I am not lolly-gagging around here writing sonnets and taking photos.  We are in need of some financial assistance for the sake of many villagers and employees! We are working hard in heat above 100 degrees and are seriously wanting to continue. PLEASE READ ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING AND SEND A TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION TO THE GLOBAL FOUNDATION,  P.O. Box 58328, Nashville, TN 37205 with notation 'for the Butlers' or "for Noah's Workshop."  We, the Butlers, are Noah's Workshop, under the umbrella of Global Foundation; (PLEASE DO NOT SEND OUR DONATIONS TO THE BELIZE PROJECT-we were under their umbrella only for short term work)
    The Medical Clinic in Patchakan, Corozal District, Belize was started in 1993, the dream of Tom and Helen Lacey.  Many long-term and short-term nurses and doctors have provided quality care for Patchakan and many villages in the area.  People are now coming all the way from Corozal and even Orange Walk for medical care here.  This is somewhat astounding as the largest government medical center in Northern Belize is in Orange Walk.  I am the only full time doctor here now.  When full time docs go away, the patients gradually dwindle but now the daily load is picking up.  Though I was originally invited to be here long term by Dr. Wiley Smith, this visit I was told by MTW that I could stay at the clinic until the end of June but when they saw I was able to do the work and they saw that they had no MTW docs coming they invited me to stay.  They want to know if I can stay until the end of July and want to know long it will take me to raise more funds to return quickly.  At a staff meeting last week a portion of the board stated that the clinic would close after I left.  There are thousands of open patient records.  So many would be left without medical care.  Also very importantly,  some wonderful staff would be without jobs.  I am working on some possibilities that would allow me to be here much of the time but to have some cross coverage. Also, delightfully, several patients have offered without request that they would donate to my being able to stay.
      I am seeing a wide range of patients and problems:  hypertension, diabetes, rashes-mainly scabies and fungal, worms, acute respiratory infections, asthma-especially with the dust and cane burning the way it has been, wounds-dog bites,  failure to thrive in infants, tabino fly bites with allergic rxns, a drunk man who said he was “stoned in battle” (sounded better than he was drunk and a rock slashed his lips deeply and I did some pretty good plastic surgery :)  ), tooth pulling accident resulting in torn gums, boy who fell from tree and gashed his head,  typhoid fever, dengue fever,  urinary tract infections, sexually transmitted diseases,  diabetic ulcers, depression,  one bipolar dual diagnosis patient, internal and external otitis, bronchitis, etc, etc.   Currently, I am seeing about 16 patients per day.  It would be good for me and assistants to see about 40.  Pastor Arturo Ku is available in the waiting room to help people deal with spiritual and family matters, and I am able to follow up on these as patients come on in to see me.
     I learned how to use the ultrasound machine also and checked a pregnancy-taught by our great nurse Estela.  This is rewarding work. I love this work more than any I have ever done.  Yes, I am called.
    I am generally at the clinic from 7:30 until at least 1:00, often 2:00 or 3:00 Monday through Thursday,  except on Fridays when they just do a half day and beginning yesterday I also been working on Fridays.  I have also gone on home visits with Anita in the afternoons at times. 

     I have also done a training session at the prison on suicide and self mutilation.  I have consulted on issues and seen patients from Jacob’s Farm.  So this is a more than a full time occupation for me especially considering the after hours emergencies with which I deal.
     I have also done a training session at the prison on suicide and self mutilation.  I have consulted on issues and seen patients from Jacob’s Farm.  So this is a more than a full time occupation for me especially considering the after hours emergencies with which I deal. 
     I have spoken at Help Age which is basically like our YMCA/ Senior Centers in the U.S. My talk was on recognizing Alzheimer’s in a loved one. It was very well received and brought at least one new patient into the clinic. The situation for residential care for dementia: non-existent except for Ladyville.  My Belizean friend in Nashville, Carla Jenkins Hausepian, is a psychiatric nurse, who has been trained in care of Alzheimer’s patients and trains caregivers. She is working with the center in Ladyville.  She comes down intermittently and has the npo, Bridging Belize. We have been discussing what more can be done for dementia patients and their families. 

     Daniel has definitely been working more than full-time also, doing daily (weekday) groups in Restore Ministries from the YMCA program based in Nashville with the men at Jacob’s Farm Rehab.  He is called throughout the day to assist Ismael with needs and emergencies of all kinds.  He is teaching two of the men how to use a computer.  He has also done chapel/assembly for Cornerstone.  All the while, he is trying to keep up with doing videos for Jacob’s Farm and “Farming God’s Way” with Alfonso Vallejos, an amazing man and the oldest brother of Ismael, who farms using the old organic Mayan techniques.  He and Pete have learned some of the farming techniques by assisting Don Alfonso with his watermelon patch.  I love to sit and talk with Alfonso about Mayan medicine in which he began his training with his grandfather, who was a Mayan doctor, at age 12.  Unfortunately, he never was able to finish because his grandfather passed on. 
     Pete has been doing home school.  He is just about to finish the Narnia series.  He is reading "My Time with God" as his devotional.  He has started the Russian language and has pasted the Russian names of things on them which looks very nice with the Spanish shower curtain.  He is working on some pre-algebra and geometry.   God ordained the perfect friends for him, an 11 yo and 6 yo brothers whose 12 yo brother died about 1 month after Jake.  He has gotten to be the big brother he has always wanted to be and use the kindness and rough housing he learned from his big brothers while Christian and Rylan have had a big guy to get them active again.  Pete is also in charge of watering the horses, handed down by the Arends, a missionary family who left 2 years ago, not his favorite thing as it is strenuous carrying heavy buckets but he is getting muscles. 
     A last word:  I have located some original Belizean artists and would like to put together a Mayan feria (fair).  The Mayan arts are being lost at an alarming rate.  Hope we get to do this sometime.  
 [The photos below captioned (left to right): Me enjoying a day at the clinic; Front of the clinic; Denny & Bonnie Scharine; Antonia's Birthday Party- Pete,  Daniel & Alfonso;  Fellowshiping with the Scharines, Pete, Anita, Mrs. Lacey, Hilario, Marcela; Rylan, Pete & Christian caught playing soccer in the hallway; Pete studying; Patty-the receptionist, medical records keeper, & PR person & me in the clinic; Diana Chan, mother of Christian and Rylan, with her niece; Chan and Vallejos family; field trip to the clinic; Lucy-the cook, Marcela-the housekeeper, Hilario-the handyman and nightwatchman, 
Estella-the RN and midwife; Pamela-the director, Patty, Dr. Marc (a short term, 1 wk doc), Pete, Hilario; the first and third place winners of the national high school race at my/the clinic's first aid station; Hilario and Daniel; Denny, Pete, Bonnie, Garry; Fighting wild fire next door; Patients on a cold day (60 in am) at the clinic with Mareya, the nurse tech and pharmacist with Dr. Marc; Anita and Mrs. Lacey;  Pete with Chris; Junior and Amigo; Me, Mareya, Anita and Dr. Mark at the pharmacy.]