I'll put some back-posts about our time in Monterrico- what was kind of nuts was that we stayed up late to try to see nesting turtles in the middle of the night (and we didn't see any). Then, the next day (our free day), it was sort of overcast, and Tim came back with the news that he saw a turtle come up the beach and lay eggs! So after lunch I went on a major walk (miles), trying to find one; then on my way back I ran into Calvin, Shira, and Derek, and Calvin spotted one behind us! We watched it- it took several attempts to get onto the beach from the waves, and then was very slow walking up the beach- which you might expect, but what we were surprised by was how exhausted it got, and by how far from the waves it went (well into the grass beyond the beach). Then it turned around and dug a hole. But it did not lay eggs; it ended up just digging a whole, turning around, and returning to the ocean.
Gallivanting in Guate: rain, stoves, and patient care
This is a blog about my month-long rotation in Guatemala, as part of my family medicine residency- follow along!
Friday, October 8, 2010
Turtle!
I'll put some back-posts about our time in Monterrico- what was kind of nuts was that we stayed up late to try to see nesting turtles in the middle of the night (and we didn't see any). Then, the next day (our free day), it was sort of overcast, and Tim came back with the news that he saw a turtle come up the beach and lay eggs! So after lunch I went on a major walk (miles), trying to find one; then on my way back I ran into Calvin, Shira, and Derek, and Calvin spotted one behind us! We watched it- it took several attempts to get onto the beach from the waves, and then was very slow walking up the beach- which you might expect, but what we were surprised by was how exhausted it got, and by how far from the waves it went (well into the grass beyond the beach). Then it turned around and dug a hole. But it did not lay eggs; it ended up just digging a whole, turning around, and returning to the ocean.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Arenales por VIH testing
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Daily life in Buenos Aires
So I usually take a "minibus" ( van) about 15 minutes to Rio Dulce (Q7), then a "tuc-tuc" (Q2-3) from there to the Centro de Salud. Both can be squishy- maybe 20 people or so in the 4 rows in the minibus, and the "tuc-tuc" fit 7 people (several were children). The tuc-tuc is pictured here- no doors, and 3 wheels.
Working in the clinic
Monday, October 4, 2010
Centro de Salud: Rio Dulce
Today was my first day at the Centro de Salud (public health clinic); I worked with a nurse there, who was great.
Here is some handy vocabulary for the day:
Acuosa (diarrea acuosa) = watery
Cefalea = dolor de la cabeza
Comadronas = midwives
ITS= infecciones de transmision sexual
Moco = mucus
I ran into an Epidemiology article that lists what was seen Jan-July 2001 in Guatemala (I'm not sure where the data are from exactly):
Resp infections 498,746
Intestinal parasites 367,112
Enfermedades diarreica agudes 221,181
Anemia 190,628
Skin infections 127,621
SOMA 31,793
Peptic ulcer 30,583
Malaria 29,107
PNA y bronchopneumonia 19,589
UTI 13,549
Malnutrition 12,307
Conjunctivitis 5511
Hepatitis 2234
Varicela 1580
Leishmaniasis 317
Cardiopatia isquemica 240
Parotiditis 236
TB 73
Colera 3
Here is what I saw today and how it was treated (by me and the nurse):
- 11mo F with cough: tylenol, ibuprofen
- 5mo F with PNA: amoxicillin x7days, tylenol
and diarrhea: zinc
and amoebas: metronidazole
- 2mo M with stomach pain; amoebas: metronidazole
- 24yo F with moderate inflammation and infection with Candida on Pap: doxy x5 days, ibuprofen (already got antifungal at last visit)
- 60yo M with HTN: atenolol
and back pain (scoliosis): ibuprofen
- (Que’chi) 10mo F with vomiting and diarrhea: zinc, metronidazole, SRO (oral rehydration)
and PNA: trimethoprim
- (Que’chi) 14mo F with diarrhea, amoebas: metronidazole, tylenol
and parasites: mebendazole
- (Que’chi) 34yo F with reflux: antacid Rugel q8 hours
- 7yo F with vomiting, dolor de estomago, and nurse had concern for jaundice/hepatitis: we checked her urine
- emergencia- 73yo F from Las Flores with chest pressure/pain: we gave her Atenolol and sent her to Morales for an EKG
- 79yo M with HTN: atenolol
- Prenatal check at 33 5/7 weeks: listened to FHTs with stethoscope: PNV
- Dolores translated in Que’chi for a death certificate of a 1 year old, who had had cough and fever before death
- removal of remaining stitches in the skin post-C-section
- 15. (Que’chi) mastitis: Amoxicillin, ibuprofen