Saturday August 23
The cows are in the garden, the laundry is on the line and the rain is coming down.
This morning I did the daily physiotherapy for Jasein Garcia while Sandy did the laundry outside.
Jasein is getting stronger, his incision has completely healed and he maintains a positive attitude.
Wednesday we return to Santo Domingo for another assessment of his condition and for some pointers on the direction his therapy treatment should go. For more info on Jasein visit our blog at
http://web.mac.com/daveandsandy/losalgodones
Sandy has been working hard at keeping the medical clinic up and running. She has been doing most of the real work, organizing the medicines and directing the afternoon clinics that Dr. Lambert comes in to do once a week. We have been blessed with two indispensable volunteer helpers. Gerry and Phil Staples, a retired couple who live in Puerto Plata, who also help out at Dr Bobs. Without their help keeping the clinics going would be impossible.
Although not officially opened we have been holding clinics three weeks in a row and the doctor has seen approximately 135 people in three afternoons.
We are still going in to help out at Dr Bobs twice a week but we rarely have to take patients now as we often visit Dr Lamberts other clinic in Congrejo with people from our village.
Sandy's health has been steadily improving as mine seems to have been declining. I ended up having to see the doctor myself this Wednesday's clinic and was put on antibiotics for bronchial problems. However today I feel great. We have been into the hospital in Puerto Plata about three times in the last little while with women about to give birth, thank God it hasn't happened in the car yet. The last time the woman was refused admission because she had not had her, required by hospital regulations, ultra sound. Doctor Lambert came to our rescue meeting us at the hospital and directing us to a 24 hour clinic where we waited (the woman lying on the floor in labour) for the technician to come in and do it. (Another 500 pesos). Then we went back to the hospital where she could now be admitted. She gave birth in the morning and is now back in the village with her baby daughter.
This morning we had a request to visit an older man(80) from the village who had collapsed in the fields and only been found a day later laying out in the hot sun. We mixed up a pitcher of rehydration salts and ice and I visited him. He looked about 90 pounds wiry and strong but thin as a rail. I think we have another victim, oops, I mean candidate for our feeding program. I joke about victim because Doctor Bob just gave us a large bag of donated nutritional supplements which we give out but the way they taste you wonder wether you're doing anyone a favor.
We are grateful to have had several requests for info on ways to send packages to us here in the D.R. but most inquiries we have made have been very discouraging due to the cost of shipping and the cost of import duties which seem to be at the whim of whom ever looks at it(potentially 30-40% of the perceived value). At the moment my best suggestion is to wait for Sandy to return to Canada in September and send it back with her or with anyone else who may be visiting the D.R. (any takers? we could use the help).
Yes, unfortunately for me Sandy returns to Canada for all of September bringing with her some much needed good weather and her smile. I will stay here and try to keep up with the clinic and other assorted "problemos".
We did receive some encouraging news. Today, as I was leaving the home of the older gentleman, I bumped into Elio leading a group of very distinguished looking Dominicans around the village, they were filming for Christian television and there was a doctor with them who looked in at the old man. One of the men with them pulled me aside and said he believed they were very close to getting permission to build the homes in Los Algodones. I couldn't help it, I cried. (so what else is new?) As they were leaving I noticed the diplomatic plates on the vehicles.
One last thing. " la Esparanza" (the Spirit) is the new name for our village soon to be built, thanks be to God.
God bless you. Thanks for your prayers.
Dave and Sandy, yours in "la Esparanza"
