Visitors and Busy Days

Friends,
This is a repeat of a blog I deleted by error.

The past days have been busy since the chirping of birds and roaring by of the early morn buses. To remind us of the fragility of life we have had occassional tremors and now the news of another devastating earthquake in Chile.

Visitors also have been present in our Mission. The opthamology team left and shortly after two good friends of mine arrived. Jerry, an organic farmer, and his wife Margy, a Maternal Infantil Nurse from Seattle. Since they were bi lingual in Spanish they were able to particpate in some important meetings and plans for a nutrition project. Jerry spent his days in our Medicinal, Nutrition garden, helping to plant more vegetables and left plans for organic compost and worm bed!! Malnutition continues a serious health problem. Margy participated in our Nutrition class with our malnourished children and moms and share important information on Breast feeding and the nutritional value of breast milk. Our hope is to improve the nutrition of the moms which would enable them to have better quality and quantity of breast milk. It is a slow process!

Last Wednesday I had to accompany the ambulance and a 16 yr old student from Asuncion, our parish school, to a private hospital with a diagnosis of ruptured appendix. A competent surgeon performed emergency appendectomy and though she suffered severe peritonitis she appears to be recovering. We hope to bring her back to clinic tomorrow to contnue healing. These are unexpected expenses to our budget but necessary. In the clinic she will be sharing space in our clinic infirmary with another patient from our parish, Maria, 85 years, who is recovering from surgery from a serious femur fracture. We have hired a quiche speaking nurses aide to provide needed care during the day to Maria. She is visited frequently in our clinic by parishioners and friends.

This weekend Margy and Jerry have returned home to Seattle and our Dental team and friends, Chris, dentist and wife, Aislinn have arrived from Helena, with three Dental Students. They will begin tomorrow to provide valuable, free dental care to our dormitory students at Asuncion and workers from the Clinic. This is their third journey here. THANK YOU TO THEM AND OTHERS WHO SHARE THEIR TIME, TALENT AND TREASURE!

Our Diabetic Club continues to increase in members who come monthly to receive valuable information, glucose and Blood Pressure checks. This past week the Nutritionist from our Diocese provided the theme.

Photos included are of Maternal Health Nurse, Margy Hinch in our Medicinal Clinic with Micaela, Clinica Maxeña worker and a Mother and child receiving instructions.
Second Photo is Sandra, student, recovering from Appendectomy surgery.

Again we thank you for your presence and valuable support to our work.

You can send donations to:
Guamemala Mission
Nurses Fund
Diocese of Helena
PO Box 1729
Helena, MT
59624
or at our web site: www.diocesehelena.org

Blessings! SHEILA

The GIFT OF SIGHT!

OPTHAMOLOGY BRIGADE A SUCCESS!!

SATURDAY WE BID FAREWELL TO OPTHAMOLOGISTS AND NURSES from Montana and California, AND their support team. In five days of hard work and long hours 247 patients passed consult, hypertension and diabetic checks. Thirty nine patients had surgery, 29 of which were cataracts. Sr Mary,BVM, and former director of clinic, has been successfully directing this project for ten years. We are grateful for her presence and expertise.

We were honored with the presence of Joe and Diane Kupko from Hamiliton, MT. Joe is an opthamologist and the DONORS responsible for the construction of the Surgical Opthamology Unit in the Clinica Maxeña more than ten years ago. All these Physicians, who have dedicated their time and talent to this eye service twice a year, have not only donated their time but also medications and equipment. We are fortunate to now also have a Laser Unit available in the Clinica Maxeña!

The Opthamologist team is accompanied by workers from PRO CIEGOS, which is the Guatemalan Organization that provides Opthamology care in Guatemala. Maria was the Guatemlan Opthamology Resident this year that accompanied our team of doctors and also given the opportunity to assist and learn in the operating room. Today she returned to see all the post operative patients from the week of surgeries.

The majority of clinic workers participate in the eye clinic and work extra hours to see that that each day and each patient receives excellent care. Our clinic Doctor, Ever, one auxiliar Nurse and a lab technician provided regular consult to the numerous patients that also arrived daily for consult for other ailments.

We all are aware of the GIFT OF SIGHT! THANK YOU TO ALL OF THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR TIME AND TALENT AND CONTRIBUTED TO THIS GIFT FOR THE PEOPLE WE SERVE.