Holy Foccacia!

---

Arrived in one piece - JUST!

The drive from the airport was one of.... madness. The roads are just unreal : structurally (pot holes, no road marking) and the people that drive cars on them (overtaking on blind bends, 80 miles an hour round corners whilst in a torrential thunder storm etc etc). For those of you who told me this would be an adventure - you couldnt have been more right.

Went to work in the rehab centre this morning and unfortunately i think i´m the most qualified there.... Its a really busy centre seeing about 80 - 100 patients a day (3 therapists) all with different problems (nerve damage, back pain, spina bifida, fractures, gun shot wounds, stroke patients, sore ankles etc etc). All treatments seem to consist of putting on a hot pack then cold pack and then a tens unit with maybe a few exercises. The equipment they have is severly limited and they are SOOOO pleased with some of the stuff i bought over so THANK YOU. I´ll be shaddowing the therapist there for a couple of days and then they are giving me my own patients which will be ace but need an interpreter because my spanish is dreadful!!

I work in the clinic in the arvo and the first day i worked with one of the student doctors learning how to take blood pressure and check ears, noses, mouths, samples. The patients at the clinic are probably the poorest of poor in Danli and is the only place they can come get a consultation for 25 Limpiras (50 pence) and then provided with free medication if required. I´ve seen a patient who had recently been shot 5 times and lost muscle strength in his legs, seen a domestic violence case, neuro problems, seen my first "unhappy triad" tear (for you physios out there), post-natal depression, parasites (lots of them) and ingrowing toenails.... All in two days!!

The town is just like out of the wild west. All dirt roads, tumbleweeds, small shacks, people staring at you wherever you go! On the otherhand there must be about 100 phone shops and internet cafes! Its a weird mix.

Food is good - lots of tortillas, beans, cheese! Ate out tonight for 75 pence (tortilla, drink and ice-cream) - no point in cooking for ourselves.

So anyway there you go - hope its not too boring for y´all.

Enjoy the photies of me and the crew trying out the new toys. Again thanks for all your donations - its means SO much to these guys.

xxx

---

Photos

Thank you so much
For those of you who donated money - this is what YOU bought!

Thank you again
In action

New equipment
Your money bought this....

Teaching exercises
Teaching to a local

Using the equipment
Setting up the equipment

The pill store
All of these medications are donated by the students who come here

Comments

[Cyril]

L'expérience sera mémorable et ton aide apportera sûrement plus encore que la rééducation. Bravo !