Hospitalito Atitlán Blog

Very beautifully article written by Hospitalito Board member Karin Bergstresser about a young woman who grew up in SA and won the Denmark Eurovison song competition.

http://www.cojolya.org/blog/

Jody Slocum is a long time friend and frequent visitor to Hospitalito Atitlán. She heads a Wisconsin organization called Farmer to Farmer, and each year brings people interested in learning more about Guatemala, Santiago Atitlán, and the Hospitalito. The group generously brings donations from our wish list.  Pictured are Peggy McDanial, Lyn Dickey, Jody Slocum, Fitzie Heimdahl, ZaKayana Drung and Mary McDanial. Thank you all for the wonderful visit and thoughtful gifts.

 The word jornada means that someone has traveled to another place to work. Dr. Kevin Bjork a surgeon from Stillwater Minnesota has volunteered at Hospitalito Atitlán several times, as a surgeon and also with his friends from Mano Amiga on the construction of the new hospital. This time Kevin brought anesthesiologist friends Dr. Jim Turner (Minnesota) and Dr. Bill Falinski  from Chattanooga TN.

On Sunday nearly sixty people arrived for pre-surgery evaluations. Monday the team did ten scheduled surgeries and an emergency appendectomy and another emergency. In total the team performed 35 surgeries this week. Dan Cummings also helped in many ways. They also did some teaching while they were here, some climbed the volcano San Pedro and all enjoyed their time here.  We look forward very much to their return.

Josefa Daiman Ajuchan is a woman who has been part of the Maternal Infant Sponsorship program for about one year. Two months ago the doctors discovered that baby Maynor Isaac Sapalú Sacarias was not growing as he should be… and they learned that Josefa wasn’t producing much milk. Because she is sponsored in the program, the Hospitalito was able to purchase formula for little Maynor who is seven months old now. Josefa and Maynor are both very happy with the help from the program. If you would like to help a Tz’utujil Maya woman to have a healthy pregnancy and baby, please consider sponsoring a woman.  http://www.hospitalitoatitlan.org/sponsorship.html

Yesterday Rita and Cristobal made the move to the new laboratory on the second floor of the Hospitalito. Rita and her husband John have volunteered at HA since the first surgical jornada in 2005. In November they arrived so that John could lend a hand with OB and Rita help Cristobal with the move. Unfortunately, Rita fell the first day she arrived and fractured her patella, but it barely slowed her down.  Today they leave Santiago Atitlán and will be missed by all. What great and loving energy they have for the community. Thanks John and Rita.

In April 2005, we dedicated Hospitalito Atitlán in Panabaj. Then because of the disaster of Tropical Storm Stan, we started over. In 2006, we dedicated the land where the new hospital would be built.

In 2007 we dedicated the completion of the medical bodega and welcomed hospital architect David Schele, who donated his design for the new HA. In 2010, we dedicated the completion of phase II and opened the first floor of the new hospital.

Saturday, we dedicated the second floor and the completion of construction. Thanks to all of you who have made this possible. It has been a long journey… but the efforts were worth it. Hope our donors will all visit soon.  

Bonnie O’Neill is presented with a gift of recognition for her work with Amigos Hospitalito Atitlán and the campaign to build the new hospital. Out going K’aslimaal secretary Karin Bergstresser spoke about Bonnie’s contributions.

http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/?u=5707448b923bc5d4fda1f77e7&id=38afde3e90&e=

Dr. Andrew Smith arrived yesterday with his wife Sara and daughter Rosita. Dr. Andres plans to volunteer at HA for 18 months. He was here five years ago as a medical student and since that time it has been his dream to return.  A small welcoming committee met them at their new home and then in the new office of medical volunteer coordinator Rebeca Petzey.

The Centro de Salud gave a talk on family planning during the monthly Maternal Infant Sponsorship meeting.  During the meeting, volunteer obstetrician Dra. Sharan Abdul Rahman answered questions with the help of Dra Maggie Jolley. It was a slow process as all questions and answers had to be translated from Tz’utujil to Spanish by Hospitalito Atitlán’s social worker Chenta Chavajay, and then from Spanish to English by Dra. Maggie, and then back again.  The class went very well and was enjoyed by all. Please consider sponsoring a pregnant mother…   for just $25 a month, you can really make a difference and a healthy outcome. http://www.hospitalitoatitlan.org/sponsorship.html

Today the fire hoses were tested on the back side of the Hospitalito.

 Staff at Hospitalito Atitlán received a day of training in the new education room. Topics included vaccinations, the incidence of maternal death in Sololá and family planning. The presentations were lead Public Health lecturer Lic. Mariflora Castro M. and by Dr. Francisco Mendez. In the photo above, Dr. Mendez uses a tool developed by the Japanese to explain the female anatomy to the father and pregnant woman. Tono is wearing the apron, which has a pouch where medical personnel can insert drawings that show the development of the baby.

Today was a thank you and goodbye lunch for the construction workers at the new hospital. The crew number is less than at its peak of 37 workers, but all have been employed to build the hospital for three years. An old wheelbarrow was used to grill steak and everyone enjoyed avocado, rice, vegetables, tortillas and hot sauce. None in the group had ever had three years of continuous work.  They did a beautiful and fantastic job.

Thanks to David and his crew at the Posada de Santiago for the successful Hospitalito Atitlán Halloween FUNdraiser! $445 was raised and a great time was had by all ages. Thanks to the restaurants, hotels and shops in Santiago Atitlán and Panajachel that donated items for the auction and especially to everyone who so generously supported the bar. 

These three wonderful people are some of the first to volunteer at Hospitalito Atitlán. In 2005, just weeks before the grand opening of Hospitalito Atitlán in Panabaj they came to volunteer with members of their churches, the Cranesville and West Springfield United Methodist in Pennsylvania.  Cyndi Howland, Debbie and Denny Hills painted, waxed floors, installed sheetrock, built a darkroom, hung curtains, built shelving and more at the old hospital. In 2008, many of the same group returned to dig giant holes for the foundation of the new hospital, and add a kitchen to the temporary hospital in Tzanchicham.

Imagine their surprise when they arrived this weekend. It was great to see them.  They brought baby blankets, clothing and hats made by the women in their church. We look forward to when more of the group visits again. 

Robert S. Carlsen published, “The War for the Heart and Soul of a Highland Maya Town” in 1997, after 15 years of research into the religious society of Santiago Atitlán.   A revised edition out this year looks at how SA has fared since the end of the civil war. Carlsen has generously donated royalties from the new book to Hospitalito Atitlán. Santiago Atitlán artist Angelika Bauer created the cover art. Thank you Prof Carlsen. To learn more and to purchase your copy- http://www.utexas.edu/utpress/books/carw2p.html

Isobel Harvey created an Amazon wish list of Nursing Text and Reference books in Spanish for the Hospitalito.  This week some of the books arrived. Isobel is working as a nurse educator and these books will be a great help in the process. Here Brenda, Maria, Andrea are getting their first look at the new books with Isobel.

Julianna Burket-Thoene, (second from right) daughter of Doctors Brent Burket and Jennifer Thoene graduated from kindergarten last week. Three of their children attend classes at the Parroquia in Santiago Atitlán while Nicolas the youngest is at home.  Brent and Jennifer also continue with the children’s studies at home. Congratulations Julianna!

Today is the last day at the Hospitalito for two medical volunteers. Dra. Alexis a 3rd year OB resident at the Albany Medical Center in NY and is volunteering with the Saving Mothers Program.  Dr. Neil is a Family Medicine resident at the University of Pennsylvania.  Thank you both… we hope that you return.

The second floor of the Hospitalito will be completed in just seven weeks! The lab and blood bank will be in this area. There will be floors to wax, painting and cabinets to install, but everyone is very excited about the coming year.

Tropical depression 12-E has brought rain and mudslides to all of Guatemala. 52 bridges are out,  84 people have died and more than 78,000 are homeless.

http://www.prensalibre.com/

October 31st is right around the corner, and we’ve got plans! We’ll be holding our first annual Halloween Fundraiser at the Posada of Santiago Atitlan (see their excellent TripAdvisor rating) starting at 4:30pm and going all night.

There will be live music, great food and drink, an auction and a costume competition. Reduced door prices for costumed-guests. All procedes will go to subsidizing care for patients at the hospital.

Spread the word! We look forward to seeing you there!

Check out the photos on our new Hospitalito Atitlan Facebook Page by clicking here. When you have a moment, be sure to become a fan by ‘Like’ing us.

This week’s meeting for the Maternal Infant program brought with it a visit from Conception and Juan Israel from ADECCAP, which in English stands for the Community Development Association of Panabaj. They spoke to the group about how to keep your home clean for children, recycling opportunities in Santiago Atitlan, and how to dispose of trash appropriately (so that it doesn’t end up in the beautiful lake). All the participants had a great time and learned a lot. Conception and Juan Israel brought with them delicious Atol (a local oatmeal drink) and roasted bananas. We look forward to their next visit!

Recent arrival Dr. Ciara Mackenzie (left) and nurse Isobel Harvey (right) look over an EKG reading in the Emergency Room.  

Hospitalito Atitlan welcomes our newest addition to the medical team, Dr. Ciara Mackenzie. Dr. Mackenzie is an internal medicine physician from London and will be working between the outpatient clinics and the emergency room for the next year. We are very excited to welcome her and she is excited to get started!

Dr. Matt Strecker is an Emergency Physician from Louisville, Kentucky. This is his second time as a volunteer at Hospitalito Atitlán. Working with him this week was nurse educator Isobel Harvey a long-term volunteer from Philadelphia.  Matt and other volunteers enjoyed a hike to ‘la nariz’, and spent a day in Antigua. Staff was very happy to see Dr. Mateo…   thanks.

The University of Virginia has several programs in Guatemala and today several members of the faculty involved in the programs visited Hospitalito Atitlán.   Dr. Bob O’Conner, Jessica Gonzalez, Dra. Leigh Grossman, Susanna Williams, Dra. Susana, Dr. Chuc, José Reanda, Dr. David Burt and Dr. Max Luna. 

The Centro de Ancianos in Santiago Atitlán is a project created by Sharing the Dream an organization in South Dakota. It is a senior citizens center where people meet for lunch during the week. Participants are enrolled in an ‘insurance’ program at Hospitalito Atitlán, that covers their medical care. Here a woman and her daughter are finishing up their consultation with a stop to the office of HA social worker Chenta Chavajay. 

Recently Hospitalito Atitlán received an educational video that was created with Obras Sociales Hermano Pedro and translated to Tz’utujil through a grant from Club Rotario Guatemala Norte and several US Rotary Clubs. The grant was written by Joe Hamilton of the Sunnyvale California Rotary Club. The DVD was just one part of a $54,000 grant that included medical equipment. The film touches on five topics, hygiene in the home, interpersonal relationships, nutrition, maternal infant health and most common illnesses.  Patients are being educated daily with the DVD and are so happy it is in their own language. 

Above, Hospitalito Atitlan’s social worker, Chenta Chavajay, interviews an expectant mother. This mother-to-be, and many others in Santiago Atitlan, are in need of generous sponsors to assist them financially through their pre and post-natal health needs.

The mothers we enroll in the program are poor or determined to be ‘high-risk’ because of their age or a history of difficult pregnancies. And oftentimes it’s a combination of the two.

In taking part in the program, the mother’s are given pre and post-natal counseling, and free medical services, including the option to give birth in the Hospitalito, if they desire.

We’d like to increase the number of women currently taking part in the program. To sponsor a woman, it costs $25 a month for a year (or $300 in a lump-sum). For more information, visit the Maternal Infant webpage here.

The Hospitalito was built in large part to address the high levels of maternal and infant mortality in the Atitlan region. This program brings us closer to that goal. Please consider sponsoring!