Hospitalito Atitlán Blog

These volunteers feel somewhat guilty that their pictures appear on the Hospitalito Atitlán blog and they aren’t working. Corrine Abalos  and Sharon Rubin are medical students from the University of Virginia volunteering for one month. Dr. Alan Bock and his wife Lynsey are in Santiago Atitlán for six weeks. He will return to work at the Self Regional Hospital in Greenwood, South Carolina. His wife Lynsey worked in the development office on the diabetes educational materials.  They are enjoying banana and pineapple smoothies, now for sale next to HA for 6 Quetzales. Also available are strawberry and papaya. Wonderful to have fresh fruit in February!

Last month we received a lot of help from Liam Mackenzie, a professional carpenter from London. Liam worked with Ezekiel and Manuel to put together some pieces of furniture and assisted in training. The furniture looks great. We look forward to his return!

Our nursing staff was pleased to have Thomas Swenson, RN, CCRN, visiting this month from Seattle, WA. Thomas created a quick reference guide for our emergency medications and a dosing guide for cardiac life support medications. We are thankful for his nursing expertise!

Thomas is an ICU nurse and plans to attend nurse anesthetist school in the fall.

 This is the donation that traveled the furthest to reach Hospitalito Atitlán.  The trip was long and complicated, and the relief was great when everything (1200 pieces of glass) were safely at the Hospitalito.

SunGrid is an Australian solar energy company that distributes solar modules… down under.  The donation to the Hospitalito started when SunGrid’s owner, Phil Livingston offered a donation of panels to Solar Energy International (SEI). Ian Woofenden SEI solar energy expert was instrumental in the training of Santiago Atitlán electrician Henry Mendoza Ian asked Phil about a donation of panels for the Hospitalito.   Phil Livingston must think the world of Ian and his ideas (as we do).  Phil sent a full container of photovoltaic modules to us. Twelve hundred 42 Watt panels in total. Twenty seven boxes, containing 47 panels and each box weighed 1500 pounds.

It is expected that HA will save up to $10,000 annually when the panels are installed. Ian was also instrumental in an incredible donation from Outback power.

Our gratitude is immense…  thank you Phil and Ian.

The Hospitalito nursing staff invited everyone to a little Valentines Day Celebration with games and a gift exchange for those who wanted to participate.  Dr. Andy Smith and his daughter Rosie are giving their gift to Rebeca, whose name they drew.  Everyone enjoyed chuchitas and orange crush. 

The new Mayor and his administration for 2012 - 2016 took office in January, and today they visited the Hospitalito. Alcalde Tomán Chiviliu and councilman Pedro Napoleon Sojuel Ravinal were given the tour and spoke with the department heads.

Whilst Dr Ciara was back in the UK she visited Aid to Hospitals Wideworld - a charity based in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk that recycles used but still functioning NHS equipment. They were able to provide us with a semi-automatic defibrillator, electronic baby scales and much more. In order to help with the charity´s operating costs the staff and pupils at Priory School, Bury St Edmunds held a special fundraising day. Here is a picture of her with some of the children and the baby scales. Thanks so much to Aid to Hospitals WorldWide and Priory School!

The doctors and nurses were surprised to hear that the defibrillator speaks with a British Accent!

On a Saturday, every six months Somos Hermanos brings a group of volunteers from Quetzaltenango.  These young people all have an interest in medical and healthcare and are living in Guatemala for six months to study Spanish and volunteer. Today they moved inventory, folded laundry, washed windows and enjoyed a delicious comida tipica… pulik. Having this many hands gets a great deal accomplished. Thank you all!

We want to thank our friends at St. Rita’s Parish in Fairfax California, especially Bill Cuneo and Father Ken Weare for the donation that was shipped to Guatemala last month. We needed desks and furniture for the second floor and this donation was a big help.  Every year, this group sends a container with school supplies for the children in El Sitio near Patzún. ¡Mil Gracias!

Nori Nozumi, Penelope Caldwell and Susan McVey visited Hospitalito Atitlán after returning from their tour of midwifery work in Honduras with Shoulder to Shoulder.  They would like to pursue similar work with Hospitalito Atitlán… bringing medical volunteers to Guatemala and offering education to the community and traditional midwives. They brought donations too!

Colorado based Dr. Ted Ning has been working in Guatemala for many years as founder of Puente de Amistad and Starfish One by One. He and other family members also volunteer at Hospitalito Atitlán. There is great need for service of a urologist in the community. There were many questions for Dr. Ted during morning report today. Patients will be scheduled to see him over the next two months.

Four babies were born at Hospitalito on Monday within four hours.  This was a first for the staff and fortunately they arrived like clockwork, as one woman left the labor and delivery room for her patient room, another was admitted.  Three girls were born, and one baby boy born to Petrona Lopez who is sponsored in the Maternal Infant program.  http://www.hospitalitoatitlan.org/sponsorship.html