SubscribeWe left our villas in Ciudad del Saber around 7:30 this morning and split in two groups to go to Nutre Hogar and Casa Esperanza. I went to Nutre Hogar, a center that takes in malnourished children and babies and educated their families about health and nutrition. Thanks to Wuesthoff (and Erin and her mom) and a woman who put scrubs on Tampa's Freecycle, we were able to bring the nurses there almost 100 scrub tops and 50 bottoms.
After a tour, we played with the kids (about 1-3 years old) in an outside play area they have. All of them seemed happy we were there. Some would run up and jump on us, and others were quiet and content just sitting and playing alone. The nurses there seemed like they were happy for a break and were glad we played with the children, but they also seemed tired and worn out. I played with a little girl who was very quiet and seemed bored. She was probably about 2 years old, but she didn't talk much. None of the kids did, but they were generally happy and smiling. A woman there told us they cry like crazy when parents leave, then cry like crazy when they leave Nutre Hogar.
Also in the play area was an older boy who is partially paralyzed. He has been there since he was young — probably more than 10 years — and was there when the honors group visited in spring. Though it is sad that he is still there, it's nice to know that he has somewhere that accepts and takes care of him. He was also happy to throw a tennis ball around with us and thought it hilarious when it hit us in funny places, like our head, or when we couldn't catch it, or when we had to jump or crawl to get it. It was fun to watch him play and sad to see his face when we had to leave.
There was also a paralyzed boy upstairs at Nutre Hogar, where babies were taken care of. It was sad to see that he had such a small bed, and we've talked about possibly getting him something bigger with some of the money we've raised. It's hard to tell if they can accomodate a larger bed, though. It's hard, too, because it needs some sort of railing on it. But we will see what we can do and talk to the women there tomorrow...
Others took care of the babies upstairs, feeding them and holding them. There are only a few nurses, so it was hard for them to take care of the babies and hold them enough. But they do what they can with what they have, and it seemed as if the extra hands today were helpful.
After Nutre Hogar and Casa Esperanza, we visited the Hospital del Niño (which is actually on a 25-cent Balboa here). I think our general impression of the hospital was that it was less "sanitary" than U.S. hospitals — many of the windows were open, the floors weren't spotless, the walls were painted and paint was chipping, and much of the furniture was outdated. The areas for people also seemed very crowded. There were many more people hovering and waiting throughout... but other areas were very empty. At the same time, though, it felt more comfortable, like there wasn't as much worry or stress. Basically, it didn't feel like what most Americans might think of when they hear the word "hospital." But the doctor who showed us around was interested in her work and speaking with us, and overall it seemed as if the hospital could adequately provide the care needed to the people there. For people in more rural areas, though, there are some drawbacks. There were hardly any private rooms, even for intensive care patients. When we looked through the windows, there was a bed, parent, bed, parent, bed, for rows in certain wards. But again, despite the circumstances that might seem strange to us, the people seemed content, and the children seemed well taken-care-of. There are also "houses" for families who travel a long way to seek care. The doctor told us a really common problem was children in rural areas falling in hot pots or cooking fires. It's interesting to see that there are much different health issues here.
The hospital was in a really busy area of Panama City. There were street vendors set up all around, the hospital goes over a busy street, and the cars and buses are relentless. It might be difficult for people to actually access the hospital.
We drove to Casco Viejo next, which is the older, downtown area of the city. The buildings there were beautiful and old. Many, under a government resolution, are undergoing restoration. There was a lot of construction. We couldn't find the restaurant we originally were scheduled to go to, so we went to "Tomato," a tiny restaurant on the bottom floor of apartments that could barely accommodate us. Their food was good, but still not the unique "Panamanian" food I think we are all craving. Then we walked around. There were brick roads, people in dirty clothes, people in business suits, military and police men, dogs, cats, old buildings, new buildings, French buildings, rain, sun, tourists, shops, locals, building remains turned into an art gallery, water, crabs, kids peeing in an old swimming pool, birds, Kuna women, a shaved ice vendor who let us shave our own ice (it was much more delicious than American ones and had condensed milk on top), statues, plaques, the presidential palace, a "Hannukah bush," crazy drivers, and more. It was an interesting experience and one that helped us learn a lot more about the history and living conditions of Panama.
Half of us went to the Albrook mall to purchase items for the kids at Casa Esperanza and Nutre Hogar. We were told items that each of them need and we also picked up a few things we thought would be good for them to have. Soap, shampoo, vitamins, deodorant, toothpaste, floss, medicine, formula, diapers, a blender, a DVD player, basketball, soccer ball and nets, lotion, wipes, band aids, gauze, Lysol, and some other items like that. Hopefully these items will really benefit them. They are many simple things, but things that are needed nonetheless.
Thank you for all the donations through our bowling fundraiser and "paint your professor" fundraiser -- we really wouldn't be able to do this without everyone's help.
We've got another full schedule tomorrow. Also, the lottery drawing is tomorrow! I bought a lottery ticket for $1 yesterday, so I am interested to see how it works here (and to win).
Sorry for the lack of pictures... we should have more soon as they are uploaded to the internet.
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