Monday- we're finally oriented--> Wednesday

Today we finally went through orientation- all day long......
The past 2 weeks  we have just been asking questions as they come along, so by the end of it, i felt like i had already been through orientation, but it was nice to get the overview of the Healthcare system in Belize.  The healthcare system is very interesting, In order to get to the large hospital in Belize City, one has to go to a local satellite clinic or polyclinic, then be referred to the hospital 2 1/2 hours away in Dangriga and then can be sent to the hospital in Belize City. So by the time you would make it there, your condition would be progressively worsened. In the afternoon, we went into Punta Gorda and had a tour of the hospital and poly clinic.  The hospital was not what i was expecting at all. Very small, bright walls and not a lot of staff.  The maternity ward had 1 room where the mothers stayed right after birth, with the birthing room a door away.  The polyclinic was much larger than I expected, lots of people waiting there to see the doctors. There is a pharmacy there that one of the pharm students here go to each week. 

Tuesday : Mobile to Midway Village.....
 Today we went on a mobile. I rode in the mobile vehicle with the other students instead of in the therapy truck.  It was nice to socialize with the other students, and I didn't even get car sick!  PT did not have many patients at the mobile. We had one house visit to make, and we were backing the truck out of a road, and got stuck in the mud. The doctor and the male med students came out to try to rock the truck of the ditch. that only ended up with one of the students covered in mud! We ended up having to get the community health worker to get a rope from his home and we used the mobile vehicle to pull us out. After that ordeal, we went to the patient's home, and she wasn't even home! So much for that. But we had 1 patient referral from the med students and then Carol gave a quick education session for a women with knee pain who just received injections in her knees. 

When we returned from mobile, Stacy, the new PT here, was working out so I joined her in the education center for a circuit session- she planned the workout and i just followed along :) it was great, then we went for a power walk. It's nice to have a work-out buddy, since i'm missing my DPT workout buddies and Jillian Michaels.

Then it was time for a group dinner. We've been making community dinners this week. Tonight was chicken wraps, with delicious homemade tortillas from a neighbor. 

Wednesday:

Today we finished up restorative lectures with Florecita. I lectured on body mechanics and assistive devices and gait training. Then Carley and I did a lab on transfers. Bringing it back to PT science 2 and 3! Next we went out into town and saw 2 patients before lunch, then took a long lunch break at the "Snack Shack" in town. We finished up the afternoon with 2 more house visits.  The house visits are part of the restorative program that we are re-vamping for Hillside.  We are going to all the patients that are in the restorative book and re-evaluating them, since their previous evaluations were at least 5 months ago.  
It was a great day seeing patients in their homes. It's much more challenging to come up with exercises and what functional things we can help them perform better. These patients have adapted well to their injuries and it is neat to see how they perform their daily tasks.  One of the men who had a stroke, has a grab rope from his ceiling, that is in the middle of his room and helps him get to and from the bed.  Another patient was using a yard stick as a grabber/reacher to get his clothes.  All the patients welcome us with open arms into their homes, and are great!