It is getting hot, again.

Luckily, we have fans.  At night, I just pop the fan on and point it right at us.  The sweat evaporates, cools us off, and we sleep.  Another benefit is that it keeps the bugs off. Continue reading →

Day 37/46 of Lenten blog, in the home stretch…

Just before he was dragged off to prison, Owen composed the essay below about his family life, as assigned to him in his grammar class.  Owen (yes, this is his real name) is our 12 year old middle child, and he attends an online school, called TPS–The Potter’s school (no, not a wizarding school in London, it’s actually a reference to Isaiah 64:8).  Here is his guest appearance: Continue reading →

36/46 of the daily Lenten blog…

The 50 year old gentleman, Barney (not his real name), went out of his way to get my attention in the hall today.  “Doctor, I want to thank you all.”  I looked him in the eye as we stood in the hallway.   I recognized him, but couldn’t quite put his face to the scenario.  I noticed he had crutches, and so my eyes worked their way down the aluminum shafts and settled on his feet.  His right leg looked fine, but coming out of his left tennis shoe was a metal prosthesis. Continue reading →

35/46 of the daily Lenten blog…

Almost every day we have to ‘Admit’ someone to the hospital.  ‘Admit’ sounds like a privilege, right?  Like you’ve been accepted into a prestigious university or club.  I think it’s our way of hoodwinking patients into staying overnight.  The patient thinks “Oh, I’ve been approved to the medical ward?  I have been recognized as worthy to stay the night?!  Does this mean that I, too, can have an IV jabbed into my arm? Continue reading →

34/46 of the daily Lenten blog…

Not gonna lie, today hasn’t been my favorite day.  Between a busy ER and clinic, difficult patient situations, struggles with my own competency as a doctor and Spanish speaker, and questions about the future, I’m ready for Tuesday…  But enough pity-party.  🙂

My colleagues said that it couldn’t be done.  They said it was going too far, even for me… Continue reading →

33/46 of the daily Lenten blog…

Remember the Vampire  (Day 20)?  Well, she did great after almost bleeding to death, and we were able to release her.  But would you believe, we still haven’t been able to discharge her son, we’ll call him Gordito (Little Chubbo—Not his real name).  He’s been here for almost 2 weeks now. Continue reading →

32/46 of the daily Lenten blog…

Still got these two young men from yesterday on my mind.  I saw them this AM in the hospital.  Both were sober and solemn, but doing well.  In fact, I was able to discharge them home.  Their family was with them, mom, sister and youngest brother. Continue reading →

For the first 9 months of my service here, I wouldn’t touch a motorcycle (or ‘Moto’ as we call them).  I had a healthy fear of 2 wheels.  After working at Harborview Level 1 trauma center for a couple years after college, I had seen enough twisted bodies, shattered limbs, and crushed skulls to immunize me against the allure of the motorcycle.   Who knows a Rider who hasn’t laid his bike down?  I don’t… Continue reading →

30/46 of daily Lenten blog…

Today, I cared for a patient that really got to my heart.  It’s easy to become numb to all the cancer and advanced disease processes we see routinely, but no one could be immune to this young lady’s plight. Continue reading →

29/46 of daily Lenten blog…

We live about an hour and a half trip away from La Ceiba, which is the 3rd largest city in Honduras (although only population of around 200,000).  Half the trip is made on a dusty, pothole-ridden dirt road.  Just before arriving at our hospital on this journey, one passes a town called Balfate.  It’s a cute little village on the beach, with a quaint plaza and close knit community.  Today, the president of Honduras decided to visit this little town. Continue reading →