One Gal, One Backpack, and an Open Mind

Skulls from people in Paracas-all had brain surgery
Two skulls above: Families that wanted to be distinguished shaped their skulls with sticks so they could be identified!

Who knew one could be so busy in a foreign country on a solo adventure?! I seem to have not made it home before 9 p.m. at all this week! This afternoon, my translator Ana invited me to the archeological museum, then to her house for soup this evening. The museum was incredible. The artifacts told so much about the Peruvian history and Ana is so knowledgable, she should be a paid guide! Ana was born and raised in Lima and is one of six children (like myself). She told me a lot of her family history on her fathers side, from Nazca, Peru and her mother's side (from the highlands). Two very different regions! She also told me about the terrorism from the 80's to the early 90's. She said she would hear or witness at least 2 bombs everyday. She had to replace her windows weekly. She said the country is corrupt and she really cannot trust anyone. I went to her house after and had a wonderful chicken soup. Her roomate, Mary was there and they both lead fascinating lives. Inside their home was a small room. This is the room where Mary fabricates ALL of the braces, bolsters, exercise mats, raised toilet seats etc. She is not paid by the hospital system but all of the therapists have her card and they call her when they need something fabricated. She showed me many photos of things she has made. She is one talented woman! She was at her sewing machine making a straight leg brace out of hand cut PVC piping, velcro and a thin piece of padding. She said she sells a straight leg brace for 50 sols (about $15) and is in the business to make braces people can afford. She comes to the hospital (or patients home), takes the measurements and has the brace made in a week.

Mary, Ana and I at Ana's house

Mary a her sewing machine making a straight leg brace

Ana and Mary-Ana's bike 1950's, Mary's banana seat

Teaching is going well at Hospital Almenara. It is a bit more frustrating because of the fact that PT's and students have to come and go during the lab to treat patients. Seems like I explain one technique and right after 5 more people will arrive! I did come up with a good solution though-I picked four of the students that seemed to really grasp all of the techniques and had them teach in small groups. Seemed to be very effective. One of the PT's came up to me today and told me she tried one of the techniques right after she learned it on a patient and that was the first time in 2 months the patient had been painfree. She was VERY excited, and I was very happy to see the PT's applying the skills. I had an adorable elderly patient this morning that had an anterior dislocation 5 months ago. This was perfect since one of my talks is on glenohumeral joint instability. She just smiled and said 'thanks to your treatment I can move my arm.' I think she hugged and kissed me 10 times before she left. The looks on the patients faces and their thanks after I treat them is honestly better than a paycheck. I brought Theraband that I had saved from patients and scraps. Ana had this in a double black plastic bag so that nobody would take it and locked it in her locker. She organized it so that each group of students got 4 pieces. They were so excited, they could not stop hugging me. I think what I might do is continue to have patients return any unwanted Theraband and save it for those that really need it. So many patients will go through 5 different colors, and most of them throw it away when they are done-this is cherished by the hospitals in Peru. Tape cost $50 per roll to get in Peru since it is imported. We used duct tape today since it can be bought off the street for $5.