Day 3 – January 9, 2025
I slept really well last night. The room was very quiet; there was no road noise that was always present when in the guest house, and the room was cool because of the air conditioning. Plus, the hot shower this morning was an absolute delight. My experiences here has always included cold showers which precipitated a very long inhale that wouldn’t stop when that cold water hit my back. Most of the Ecuadorians we see have no warm water and many don’t even have running water. This is what they live with and don’t complain. Their example shames me for enjoying the warm shower. But, I hope to continue with this luxury!
Today, Jane and I will be seeing patients to screen them for surgery. These people Jane has already seen and then wanted me to give my opinion based on my exam. We saw several this morning and now have over half of the surgery schedule for next week completed. This afternoon after lunch, we will see some more patients.
Claudia spent her day with Piedad helping prepare food and then folding gauze to make 4×4” and 2×2” surgical sponges for surgery. Jane purchases the gauze in large rolls and then they cut and fold into the sizes for surgical sponges. They then sterilize them for surgery. This is a much lower overall cost compared to buying prepackaged sterile sponges.
This morning one patient was helpful in putting a complainer in her place. While waiting, the patient was upset for waiting longer than she wanted to and the fact that we couldn’t do her surgery immediately. This lady then spoke up saying, “I have waited for Dr. Eastlund to come for over 8 years.” In essence, she told the lady to sit down and shut up. When the one who waited for several years came in the room she was so excited to finally meet me and to actually get her needed surgery taken care of. Her problem is more related to a bladder weakness with incontinence. The surgical approach is to restore the normal position of the bladder so it can function normally. Think about dealing with constant leakage for over 8 years just to wait until the surgery could be done. In the States, we really can’t comprehend that level of patience that I see often here in Ecuador. The patients are very grateful just to be seen and the waiting for them was worth it.
Jane was telling me about the additional staff and the effort she has made to pay them a fair wage that is actually generous. They have been asking for a raise so she started having a “store” for them to purchase needed items for their homes. She buys several things at the grocery and then marks them with deeply discounted prices. She then gives them a $25.00 credit each month and they can then shop at the store using up the $25. They love the idea and the morale has jumped up considerably. Here are a few pictures of the store and the shopping spree that took place this afternoon before the crew went home.
After a long day in the exam room we have filled the surgery schedule for me. Next week will be a busy week with several hysterectomies and some patients with significant problems with pelvic relaxation and associated bladder and bowel function symptoms. Jane may add in some general surgery cases she has waiting to do in between my surgeries so I can take a break from standing in one spot for lengthy periods.
Piedad made Ceviche for lunch today. The recipe they use here has a different taste compared to what I have sampled in restaurants in the States. The soup was absolutely delicious and I was honored to have it as she made it for me. She also made patacones, also called tostones. These are twice-fried plantain slices that are really good when warm and a little salt added on top. For dinner, she made empanadas filled with some beef. Those, along with more ceviche and some fresh papaya made a delicious dinner.
I am soon to turn in for the night and am filled with praise and worship to God for leading me here again to help serve the people of this area. The patients are so thankful for the care they receive and they thank me for making the effort to come to their area to help them in their healthcare needs. Jane’s ministry here provides such hope and joy as she not only brings physical healing but also spiritual healing. Jesus Christ is the focus of her ministry and the work He allows me to participate in while here helping Jane. To me it is such a privilege to come and be a small part of the work that Jesus is doing in the lives and hearts of the people here. Thank You Jesus!
Medical Missions 