Back in La Farmacia!
Here I am back in Volcan, where I have to climb up in a chair to get in the middle of my favorite triple-bunk bed, and in Bongo where I have returned to the little room know as "la farmacia" at the clinic in Bongo. We transform this little room into a pharmacy stocked with medicines we bring from the US, many of which aren't easily available to the poor people with whom we work. This year my Panamanian partner, Sandra, is in the US, but I'm delighted to be working with Betty, who is a real pharmacist. This is my 8th year here, and every trip is a new experience, every team different. We have a great one this year. Many of the patients at the clinic are old-timers and we have a few "frequent fliers," as Wes puts it. Today we saw Daniel, who we first saw about 5 years ago after he had had a stroke due to extreme hypertension. He's an old friend now, and is doing well on the medicines we bring and what he can get through the disability system of the Panamanian government. We understand that the new Panamanian president is making radical changes in the social services system here, and that by next year, many of our patients will be able to get medicines, medical care and preventive services here! Wish changes could happen this quickly in the US!
All is well with the construction team also. They have finished painting a new education wing at the church and are working on wiring.
Hasta luego!
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