Day 5

Posted by Lauren

Dear Mom and Dad,

You are going to be grandparents. I am stealing the little girl that I have been playing with at Nutre Hogar. I promise to feed her and walk her and everything! Hope you don't mind! :)

Just kidding!

So, this was our second day at Nutre Hogar and it was so amazing to see how the children's faces lit up when we walked into the room today. Since we were able to establish a bond with certain children yesterday, those were the ones who immediately ran to us. The little girl who I am completely enamored by is about 1.5-2 years old. I am not sure of her name yet because she cannot speak and the nurses have been too busy for me to ask. It's a shame to think that a child that old cannot even murmur their own name, or rather common starter sounds such as "ma" or "ba". I know that the children I watch back at home are about 5 months old and are already beginning to speak.

There was a Christmas Party held at the facilities for all of the children. Some parents attended the party, but the majority of them did not show up. It's really sad to see about thirty kids without anyone there with/for them. I understand that some families have a legitimate excuse, but I could not imagine going through any part of my life without my family there. I'm looking forward to seeing the children again tomorrow, more than one could imagine, but I am completely dreading having to say goodbye. To end the section on the children on a positive note, the faculty was so gracious of our supply donations and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the clowns performance with the children who did not have relatives present, even when I was part or their joke!

Touring the Ministry of Health was an experience in its own. It is not aesthetically pleasing. There is dirt on the floor, the chairs are torn, the equipment is old, the fourth floor is completely open so birds could possibly fly into the building, and there was even a dog who managed to wander into the building, get up to to the third floor, and urinate on the floor. Despite the appearance, the people who work in this facility genuinely care for their patients. They view their patients as people, and not a price tag, something that I personally feel that many physicians in the U.S. have lost sight of. The cost difference on anything medical is significantly cheaper than it is in the U.S. For example, the guardasil shot in the U.S. is over $1000, where it is a mere $2 in Panama. Not only that but they're doing research to try and get a particular vaccination available to Panamanian citizens for free. When have we ever had any sort of medical care available to us for free? Never. It's just so reassuring to see people going into medicine for all of the right reasons. This is why I want to be in medicine.

Well, it is getting late so I am going to end with a very warm HAPPY BIRTHDAY HANNAH!!!