TWECS Nicaragua Clinic Day 2

Today we were able to see patients at 3 Elementary schools:  Padre Ramos Elementary, Los Zorros Elementary, and Jiquilillo Elementary in the morning with two small screening teams.  The bulk of the TWECS volunteers spent the day at the Theodore S. Kin Hospital and saw 597  patients.  Today over 320 pairs of glasses were given to those most in need.  The project saw mostly farmers, fishermen and housewives.  Of the people seen today the average annual income was what most people in Canada will make in a week, so needless to say, glasses are not easily afforded by most.  

Alexande's life was changed today

The patient who had the greatest impact on me today was 8 year old Alexande.  This bright young boy had a few problems in his life.   He was afraid to ride a bicycle.  He was not able to understand his lessons in school.  He had few friends as he was not able to play any sports without falling.  All caused by his near legal blindness.  Today his mothers prayers were answered.  Alexande was registered late in the morning.  He went through several screening stations and was examined by several doctors.  By 2:30 pm he had made it to the dispensing station where Derrick had selected 3 pairs of glasses.  The glasses were placed on his face and his expression was priceless.  He was in disbelief that a world actually existed beyond the 6 inches in front of him.  He just focused straight ahead for a few seconds then the most beautiful smile crossed his face.  An 8 year old boys life was changed forever.  In the 2 seconds it took to place those glasses on Alexande’s face he had gone from a life of despair and reliance on others to having a productive and meaningful future. 

If we were to pack up and go home tonight I would rate this project a 100% success as a life was forever changed. 

Fortunately, we still have a clinic day in El Veijo tomorrow and 2 more days in Chinandega.  Hopefully we will see more Alexandes.

Dr. Roma-Marcha and the Nicaraguan Medical Director, Dr. Garcia

-David

Nov 22, 2011

My second day doing clinical work in Jiquilillo, I found very challenging.  In the morning a group of us went to the Padre Ramos Elementary School.  I was completely astonished to see the poverty that the school was in.  However, every child that I saw was healthy, happy and very intelligent.  I only found 2 annoying visual problems:  1. An 8 year old girl who is hyperopic.  2. A 17 year old boy who is myopic.  This is out of about 80 children.

Afterwards our team headed back to the hospital.  There I was devastated when I saw a 5 year young little girl.  Accompanied by her grandmother who recently has been operated on for congenital cataracts.   The operation was not successful.  In her right eye the intraocular lens fell out of place and there was dense secondary clouding on both intraocular lenses.  She will need to undergo more surgeries to have this problem fixed.  I can only hope for the best. 

-Jacques Gagne