Back home

Please don't stop the prayers. I am feeling pretty bad now I think I have a fever. Achy. And might have cellulitis from a mosquito / spider bite. I worked today but have gone down hill quickly since about 3 pm. 

We LOVE Oregon !!!

We are home. Thanks for the prayers and support! 

Here we are at the coffee plantation taken yesterday!! Rachel was in her element. They showed us how they graft the coffee beans together. It was educational. Btw don't store your coffee in the freezer it doesn't keep as long. 

Day 8 boarding flight in Guatemala

All is well 

We have made life long friends luckily 1 Is from Portland . Rachel is considering moving to the south . More from DFW

Day 7

We went to a coffee plantation and shopping in Antigua . We saw a volcano erupt right before our eyes. Nice dinner wrapping things up and preparing to enter the country again. Thanks for all the prayers .

Day #6

We stopped at a pottery shop and watched a man throw 3 bowls. We are now an hour outside of G C we stopped at SARITAS. Basically a Denny's .   Our pt that needed blood yesterday is up walking around and doing well. She will have a long recovery but she will live . Rachel is much better and lead devotions this morning what a delightful daughter I have. 

Leaving culbuco

We are leaving now so may not have wifi anymore . Unsure if we will have it in Guatemala City 

Day 5

Top picture is outside hospital. Bottom left is Molly our pharmacist and Lordes our interpreter. Bottom right is Kristen MD Katie MEDICAL Student. And Stephanie our friend 

Circulating in Guatemala

This is circulating in Guatemala. No charting love it. 

Day #5

Rachel is better and joining me in the OR this morning . We have s pt whose H and  H is 3 and 13. I might need to give a unit of blood . Pray for me as I have fainted 2 of the 3 times giving before. 

Here are the people waiting to be seen in clinic. 

Preparing for first case. More later

Day #4

Big surgery day today.  4 surgeries . Started at   0800 and it is 1745 and we are just midway thru our 4 th and toughest case. 24 year old hysterectomy .  No children very sad. You may have already seen my FB  post about Rachel. She is quite ill. Has GI upset. In bed since. 10:00. Hasn't eaten anything but is drinking well. No fever. With so many doctors and pharmacists there are all

Kinds of opinions about how to treat. We started her on abx  zofran Tylenol and Benadryl to help her sleep   She feels bad cuz she is missing the kids. It has been good that we are in surgery so our room of 6 girls have been in the OR so she isn't disturbed too much. We give all the patients fun colorful socks in recovery. They are all very grateful. Our interpreters are cute fun girls . Well and Stanley too. We have 3 surgeries tomorrow and then we head bank to Guatemala City early Friday morning. We have fun things planned but I will wait to post on Friday so I have something to post  about :)

Pray for Rachel

Rachel got the GI crud. 

Day 3 started with Kristi rounding on post op patients. Rachel getting kits together for kids. We then walked to the clinic and  passed out animal balloons -- earrings--and stickers .  From there we walked with Julio Veronica and Lordes about 2 miles to a school for special needs children. After a lengthy explanation about the school we were driven to a church where the children were until the school is finished . Some kids were on vacation but with the 12 that were there we colored pictures-- gave away bracelets and earrings-- made animal balloons and played ball and bubbles with them.  They gave us laughter and hugs. They really thought it was funny when the balloons popped. Below is Pedro he loved the bubbles and balloons 

Reminds me of Rwanda.

Day #2

3 surgeries today. Lots of clinic patients and the pharmacy has been hopping. The pictures I posted earlier show Rachel and the kids. She is loving her job.  I have to say about 5 people have walked up to me and said how much they "love Rachel".  They go on and io about how wonderful she is and what a great person she is, very proud mamma moments. Rachel is now climbing a nearby mountain with her new friends.

It's hot

Rachel and Rosa

Surgery #2

Team mates

First day

We made it through customs without a hitch. We also didn't have to pay for the extra baggage even though the ticket lady said we didn't get any free bags.  She just said ok go to security and didn't collect any money. Yea that saved us 105.00.  Rachel has made lots of new friends. We had a tire blow out on the way here and had to help Stanley our driver change the tire. If you have FB I have posted some pictures. Good night

Before we left

We are getting excited for our trip. We fly out tomorrow evening at 7:10 and arrive in Guatemala at 0730 Sunday morning.  We will hit the ground and hop on a bus for a 5 hour long ride to Culbuco.  They are anticipating that we will start doing surgeries that day.  Our bags are almost completely packed, but we are still waiting for a package to arrive in the mail that is going with us.  We each have 4 bags, as we are carrying down medical supplies and medications.  Please pray the airline waves the extra baggage fee and that we don't have a problem in customs.  Thanks for your support.
K and R