Internet access has been very limited, but here wa are. We are just finishing our 3rd day of work in Paraiso, and have seen approximately 300 patients in the school clinic and another dozen on housecalls.

Things have been challenging because our medications have already started to run low, requiring a re-supply today courtesy of a local wholesale pharmacy. Still, we were able to obtain the necessary meds and can continue with a full-speed clinic tomorrow and for the next few days at least.

We´ve been seeing typical illnesses–upper respiratory, GI, high blood pressure and asthma being fairly typical. Among the less common problems are Parkinson´s disease and tuberous sclerosis (a childhood seizure disorder syndrome) as well as a patient just released from the hospital after an apparent episode of unstable angina.

The isolation and marginalization of this community, so near to the capital city and the tourist areas and yet with so few services and such limited access to medical care, is in stark relief as we see patients with treatable illnesses left untreated for the want of access to the healthcare system or to affordable medications.

We have been very welcomed into the community, and the HOMBRE students have been working together as an incredibly generous, flexible and efficient team. They are all talented and focused, skilled at the work we are asking them to do, but fun to be around at the end of the day.

I will try to post again in the next few days now that things seem to be settling in a little bit.

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