Oh well...such is life in the tropics

There's been a bit of radio silence with the blog the past couple of days as we ended our mission week.

Friday, we treated the last of the medical and dental patients and packed up all of our supplies that will either remain at the clinic or come home with us.  Paula, her children and several of the helpers gave a presentation through song, prayer, music and words to let us know how grateful they were for our presence and the help we provided the Ngäbes.  Several tears, lots of hugs and handshakes later we loaded the bus for our trip to the airport where we boarded a plane from David to Panama City.  There, we had our last meal together as a team and had an opportunity for a devotional time on the rooftop of the hotel, with more conversation and tears, as we shared our experience for the week and how this mission trip has changed our lives.

Saturday, we got up quite early with very limited sleep (meeting in the lobby at 5 AM), some of us taking cold showers (due to a defective hot water faucet in Bron and Kayla's room the night before) and made our way to the airport.  Many more good-byes, our group continued to go on their separate ways as we took different flights starting in Panama City, Atlanta, and finally for Steve and I in Chicago where the last of our group left for home to be greeted by their love ones and back to our lives.

The phrase "Oh well...such is life in the tropics" was coined by a friend of Rhett's and as we had our individual and group experiences in Panama, my opinion of that very appropriate phase can mean:
               things will get done in it's own time;
               sometimes we'll arrive (or depart) on time, but hardly ever;
               we can't always control the outcome;
               we have to rely on ourselves and others to get things accomplished;
               we may not always like the process;
               it will be hot or rainy or both;
               there will always be work to be done

So, such was our time in Panama this week.  We all came for the same reason and despite our differences, beliefs, challenges, obstacles and frustrations we were able to provide medical treatment to an average 60-70 patients a day and provide dental treatment to over 70 patients throughout the week.

And as we were packing up on Friday at the clinic, there were 2 more medical patients and a child requiring dental work asking us if there was anyway we could see them.  We know others will follow us to Panama and we hope we can pull together another team next year.  There will always be work left undone and "such is life in the tropics" and the world.

Peace, Nancy


             
             

More Pictures

Song was sung in Ngäbe and then Spanish.

Another song by Eloania and another Ngäbe boy

Paula's daughter (Elania) plays a song for us on her piano.

Thank you presentation.  (from left to right)  Bella, Paula and Joaquin.

Closed and waiting for lunch.  (from left to right) Janet, Chalino, Dr. Berry, Bron, Dr. Tom, Jane and Tracey.

The registration desk where Rosa would fill out cards we used for patients

The Big old Rooster in back of the community house

What is left of patients waiting for Medical with craft sellers in the background.

We felt the earth move under our feet...

...or in our hotel rooms...literally.  Last night there was a minor tremor in David when we were all snuggled in for the night.  This was one of 20+  they've experienced in this area over the past couple of months.  No damage were aware of, but a very odd sensation so that we were not sure what really occurred until morning.

We were asked by Jane at lunch today to think about God's presence during our time together.  Here are my observations:
--Janet literally washing the filthy feet of a stranger
--Dianne and Tom giving up their shoes for that stranger
--Care by the pharmacists team (Lynda, Mary and Dianne) in being sure the right medicine is given to all the patients
--Tom, Tracy and team coming together late yesterday to be give treatment to a child with an infection and using the dentist's chair to be sure it was done right
--Barry, Rhett and Chalino helped care for a sick patient with pneumonia on the bus from Cientaguita to the hospital in David, staying with her until she was admitted, being sure they had money for a bus to go home and communicate with the son for follow up to see how she was doing (she stayed overnight and was released this afternoon)
--The dedicated team for the children's program led by Elizabeth, Julia, Kayla and Austin who worked through many challenges but found creative ways to bring joy and happiness to all who they touched during the week
--Dental team (Pete, Jim, Nancy and Richard) in the care given to treat all the patients; today they stayed late to treat 2 last patients who starting walking at 4:00 a.m. to make it to the clinic "on time" for medical and dental care by the U.S. team
--Our intake team (Steve and Amy) who started out the process with the patients and kept track of helping with prioritizing what was needed
--The team (Bron and Harvey) that coordianted in providing the patients with proper reading glasses and sunglasses
--Bron finding a creative way to get twice as many glasses for the same price when she ordered them on-line
--Our local translators who without their help we could not communicate with the Ngäbe and allowed us to do the tremendous medical/dental work this week
-- Our medical professionals (Tom, Barry, Jane, Amy, Tracy and Janet) who treated the patients with tenderness and compassion
--The work could not be done without the loving care for the Ngäbe and Panama people as exhibited by our local VIM leader - Rhett.
--Reminder by Jane that this one team was never together before and will never be together again...yet we pulled together this week and did awesome work

So we not only literally felt the earth move, we also felt the spirit move within us this week despite the heat, delays, communication challenges and obstacles as we treated the poorest of the poor, the Ngäbe of Panama.

Peace and Love
Nancy Middleton

Today's Pictures

Thank you Dinner

(from left to right) Zaraida, Lynda, Amy, Elizabeth, Jane and another interpreter.

(from left to right) Marcos, a nursing student,Marcos' daughter Eliana, Marcos's wife Rosa, Jose, Janet and Harvey

(from left to right) Jim, Pete, Rich, Rhett and Nancy.

(from left to right) Zaraya, Tracey, Austin, Pablo and Mary.

Julia and Kayla.

Nancy and Steve

Outside Kitchen used to feed the people waiting for Medical/Dental  attention.

A couple of little patients...

Rhett talks with Jane and Tracey after we close for the day.

Marlon and his wife Zaraya.

Bron took ill, Harvey got a promotion and Dianne tok over as assistant in Eye Care.

Tracey gazing toward Dr. Tom and his patient.

Ngäbe girl

Lesly and Pablo sitting at in-take after we closed for the day.

Austin, Kayla and Julia with Felix (wheelchair) and friends.

Some Pictures from Today

The Other half of the Dental Team (Dr. Pete and Nancy)

Joaquin and Bron

Our Fantastic Breakfasts and Lunches are made by Bella (Ba'ya).

Lynda and Zaraida

Play time with the kids.

Kayla and a new friend.

Julia and a new friend...

Harvey and a little friend...

Trust and "Patients"

Our devotion for this evening on "trust" was triggered by my experience this week as a "dental assistant"..not my real profession and something I've only done once before when I came to Panama last year.  Fortunately, I have a very "patient" dentist, Dr. Pete, who has endured my lack of experience with  helpful suggestions and proper placement of the instruments in the patient's mouth without too much discomfort.  I'm also only allowed a few of the less challenging instruments like "mr. thirsty" (small suction).

So I've had time to sit and watch Dr. Pete perform what is his vocation as a Dentist.   As I'm watching his work,  I realize that these "patients" have never met him, received no referrals, done no "Google" search or checked his credentials.  They have walked many times 4 hours just to catch the bus to see a doctor or dentist.  Without our translator, Dr. Pete has only a few words at his disposal to communicate with them and sometimes rely on gestures to show them what he wants them to do.  We've had "patients" of all ages sit in the chair and they tell our translators to do whatever Dr. Pete says is the right thing to do.   My skills sometimes only allow me to hold their hand.  Trust..we can only see in their eyes.  Patience...to allow us to continue to finish the week no matter what challenging circumstances come our ways.

Thanks Jane, Rich and Rhett for your trust in us and for your "patience" with us.

Nancy Middleton

Half Way Through Already...

We made it through Wednesday! Yay... Today was another tough but satisfying day for me(emotionally and physically) at the Mission site. Since Monday, I have been doing triage and checking in all the patients along with my faithful nursing assistant Steve Middleton... Upon registration, patients get their blood pressure, pulse and weight taken by Steve. Then I interview each person or family and "try" to ask them in Spanish why they need to see a doctor. I have learned many new Spanish words in the last 3 days such as cold, fever, itchy skin, lice, other lovely medical terms I won´t share with you now... FYI, the word for diarrhea in Spanish is "diarrhea" but its pronounced differently and I still can´t roll my r´s and say it correctly! On Monday, we saw 50 patients, yesterday we saw 60 and today was a back breaking 67 all in the heat and humidity of lovely un-airconditioned Panama. Sarcasm aside, it has been both overwhelming and hearbreaking. Today was the kicker though for me. A family of 6 walked 4 hours to see us in the clinic; one of those family members was a women in her 50´s who had a fever of 102 and was obviously severely dehydrated and could barely walk by the time she was seen by a doctor. She had been suffering from a week long period of bronchitis or pneumonia. It was obvious to all of us, we could´nt just send her on her way back home after receiving simple medications. Fortunately, we were able to transport her tonight to the hospital via our team bus for extended treatment. So, this poor women (who also barely understood Spanish to boot) traveled alone with a bunch of weird looking strangers to an unknown environment. What trust she had in us, but then again, what choice did she have? (In case you were interested, it costs .50 cents to see an ER doctor and 13.50 for a chest x-ray). Can you believe that? Wow... If you read this tonight or tommorrow, please say a prayer for this women that she gets back to her village safely and her health improves greatly. That is enough for now, sorry for my rambling... Gracias a Dios for todo!