My Camera and the Powercord to my Computer Were Stolen out of my Backpack at Cusco.....

.....so I probably won´t be blogging any more on this trip. I did save my computer at least and the only pictures I lost were the final day at the clinic. Could have been much worse.....

We're Half-Way Through the Week and the Crowds Are Growing Larger....

.....The clinic is pretty much in full swing now and there have been a number of medical problems come through but nothing catastrophic yet. Lots of expectant mothers and lots of babies. This area is basically only serviced by a midwife who virtually takes care of all problems from teeth to deliveries. Most of the expectant mothers have never had a true wellness exam and most of the babies up to, and including, small children have never had any follow-up exams or treatment since childbirth. The group this trip includes a female gyn (which is important down here), a physical therapist, an emergency medicine doctor, a pediatratian and a couple of family doctors as well as several nurses. There is one American dentist and one Peruvian dentist. We have two pharmastists.
The village is truly impoverished but the school is surprisingly modern and clean. There is limited electricity and water is pumped in from a nearby irrigation canal--therefore not clean, but I've seen the children drinking from the hoses.
The dental clinic only does extractions--no cosmetic treatment, cleaning or checkups. We have been averaging about two extractions per patient and only one required oral surgery and sutures. Lots of children coming in for their very first dental checkup. Most handle it pretty well but some are scared to death. First they get pain killer, then wait five minutes before the extraction. This morning we had a little boy about five years old get his shot and then he climbed under the fence and took off and we never saw him again.
The US dentist brought his own portable exam table and it's really neat. If you look closely at the photo, you'll notice it folds up and has a backpack frame built in so it can be carried up mountains, through jungles or wherever you want to go. What's really neat is that it also has a pole with a solar panel so the dentist can operate a drill. Since we're working inside, he didn't bring it this trip but it's really a neat concept.
So far, so good......

Made it to Northern Peru and Set Up the Clinic For the First Day.....

.....It was a six hour flight and 15 hour bus ride but we made it up here in pretty good shape. Ther are 25 of us--a pretty good mixture of medical and dental and some optometrists.

Piura is the oldest Spanish colonial city in South America--Pizarro landed here and moved throughout the Continent from this location. It is a large city by Peruvian standards but very easy to move around in with good restaurants and a really nice plaza across from the hotel. As in all South American cities, plazas and statues to leaders are everywhere.

The clinic is about an hour bus ride from the city and is in a very poor area but is different from the first time I was here. That trip, the village was basically desert sand but this location is very tropical with lots of agriculture. We set up in a school--and Peru has very nice school facilities--even in these remote areas. They have electricity but is is only available at certain time of the day.

The first day of clinic went pretty well with only a few glitches. I am working with a dentist from South Carolina and a Peruvian dentist who doesn't speak any English but we have a translator who smoothes things out. I think between my Texas accent and the South Carolina twang, though, we keep her off balance. Basically, I'm working with the Peruvian dentist and she is very good with the children so we are seeing a lot of them.

I'll post more later, but we're off to a good start......

Headed Back to Peru and Machu Picchu This Month; Nigeria in December; and Bermuda in January......

.....This will be my third trip to Peru with the medical group. This time we are going into Lima then north near the border of Ecuador and then traveling each day to a very remote village that hasn't had medical services for nearly five years. I will be working with the dentists again this trip. We will be flying up into the Andes afterwards and spending a few days at Cusco and visiting Machu Picchu again.











In December, I am scheduled to go to Nigeria for two weeks for the State Department. I've never been to Nigeria and despite all the negative reports about it, I'm looking forward to seeing a new place. It's only a nine-day job and I'll be home by mid-December.

From January 12-15, I'm going to Bermuda to do the Bermuda Triangle races: a one-mile race on the first day; a 10K (6.2 mile) on the second; and a half-marathon on the third. I've signed up for all three--we'll see how it goes.

I am taking my computer to Peru and will probably have Internet access to post pictures.....