Clinic in Xejox

I met Juan and Gaspar in the park this morning and then we headed to the Texaco Gas Station to meet Josefina, Manuel and Tomas. It was good to have clinic with them today since I do not see them very often.

The number of patients was somewhat of a disappointment with only 7 medical patients and 4 patients to have their teeth cleaned. I try to stay optimistic and think that maybe something was said or done for one patient that really made a difference for them.

The photos are of some boys that were playing outside of the clinic. They were throwing sticks up into the tree for entertainment.


The almost 2 hour drive to Xejox is interesting. Part of the road is paved real nice, part has been repaired multiple times and part is nothing but dust. I was not aware the tires can spin in dust like they spin on ice. Manuel was driving a head of me and I watched his tires spin and the truck slip..........then when you get out of the truck, you actually sink into the dust. In another month, the dust will be replaced with mud :)

When we returned home, everyone was in their own world. Sometimes we talk about patients that we saw, sometimes the guys have questions or we talk about future plans or clinics. Today

as I was day-dreaming, Gaspar was listening to music on his phone and Juan was in the front playing with the radio.

It seemed out of character for Gaspar but he was singing in the back seat with his earphones on........just singing away!! We could not hear the music, only him and he was really enjoying it! Juan was changing radio stations and flipping the dials. One time I reached down to change gears and accidentally grabbed his hand thinking it was the the gear shift.......we just laughed and went back into our separate thoughts.

I asked about Pedro today. He was the young man that we visited in his house in February. The guy translated for me today is his brother, Luis. He told me that Pedro can now eat and talk......and that is all. He spends all of his time in bed, unable to move or to walk. It is just one of those difficult situations with no explanation.

Tomorrow is a catch-up day for cleaning, laundry, studying and packing for the clinic in Montellano. A surgical team will arrive tomorrow from the States and they will be at Clinica Ezell for one week.