After finishing in the clinic yesterday we headed out to the batay. This is a small, poor Hatian community that was originally meant to be temporary housing for people that came to work during the sugar cane harvest season. Unfortunately, these areas have developed into very poor living conditions as many of the Hatians have made this their permanent homes even though sugar cane no longer grows in this region.
Our trip to the batay yesterday was the first of three. This trip was meant to be an orientation to the batay. We played with the kids a lot and then held what I like to call "fly by the seat of your pants physical therapy clinics". My group ended up seeing a man that had a stroke, a woman with Bells Palsy (paralysis of one side of the face), and an elderly man that had a stroke 10 years ago and now has pressure sores from laying in bed all day. It was an eye opening experience to say the least as playing with the kids was like living one of those commercials that asks you to adopt a child in an underserved area. They just loved having people around! They wanted hugs, wanted to be held, have piggy-back rides, dance, etc. The little boys also loved having the guys there. They kept making Ryan take baseball card posed pictures of them. It was hilarious cause they wouldn't leave his camera alone. Then treating the patients was definitely a whole other story mainly because some of the people we treated actually spoke creol meaning both of us were trying to use our second language to communicate. Luckily I had a translator to help with paient with the wound. However, I am apparently hiding my frustration with the language pretty well as everyone seemed to think I knew what I was talking about. Little do they know I just smile and nod a lot....hehe :)
As for the clinic, it is getting better every day. The dominican professionals seem to be getting used to us being there. They bring us patients that they don't seem to know what to do with like a woman who had a mastectomy, an amputee, and lots of spinal cord injuries. It is so crazy to see the difference in the type of care these people receive because you know that they would be in a totally different position or state of health if they were receiving care back in the United States. We do our best to improve their care, but we are definitely limited by resources! What I do like is how the Dominican professionals have started asking lots of questions about what we are doing. I just hope that some of this information carries over to after we are here because there is so much room for improvement in the quality of care delivered.
After the clinic today we ventured out on our own for the first time in the city. We managed to find our way to La National or the major supermarket here where I bought my first Dominican candy bar....un chokito. It was actually really good. It was a combo of a crunch bar and a peanut butter cup. I will have to bring some home for people to try.
Welp, it's almost time for spanish class. My brain hurts from all the spanish!! Anyways, I hope all is well at home, and thanks mom for the email. It was my first one from this travel journal. :)
Love, Heather
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