RMHM 2010 PAGE 2
DAY 3: 28 July
Wednesday began as usual, along with a short sermon on how to pray well in the midst of a day’s work. The warm morning, however, soon became very hot, and additional water had to be brought and portioned out. Fr. Couture left in the morning to join the group in Leyte, despite wearing a bandage around his head after a minor operation. Unfortunately, Fr. Castel came down with an illness the same day, so there was no priest available to give instructions and to impose Scapulars. Some patients intend to come back tomorrow in order to be enrolled in the Scapular.
The day seemed quieter than usual, even though there were about as many patients, mostly because the previous days had taught us how to keep the patients better organized. Even though the patients are remarkably cooperative, keeping them in order is not an easy task. It is made more difficult by language barriers, and by the need to continually move waiting areas as the valuable shade moves from one place to another. The doctors have been seeing many very difficult cases, including patients with Parkinson’s disease and cancer. These cases take considerable time and effort to diagnose and to find the necessary solutions, but many of these patients are urgently in need of attention.
We were also helped today by several Filipino soldiers who came to do dental work. As a result, we were able to attend to our dental patients more promptly and efficiently.
In the evening, Fr. Castel travelled by motorized tricycle to give Extreme Unction to a dying woman, who passed away less than an hour later.
DAY 4: 29 July
Today has been the busiest day so far. Since the medical mission does not advertise, the people learn about it by word of mouth, so that as the mission progresses, more and more of the sick hear about it and come to seek help. Medical help is so scarce around here that many are willing to travel long distances and to wait in line for hours to receive some simple medications. At the same time, many patients are seriously and urgently in need of help. Some, especially children, have become very sick because their families have not been able to afford the medicines they needed. So, despite the very long lines and the hot weather, they come to await their chance to see a doctor.
We are tired, having worked long days and not having had much sleep (every evening we meet until late, discussing the day and planning the next), but the doctors have been working especially hard. Practically all the other volunteers are there to prepare the patients for the doctors, who are scarce and whose time is so valuable. Some of our doctors worked through almost all of their lunch break, and then for an extra hour in the evening, so that patients who had been waiting for so long would not have to be told to come back the next day.
Although the day started hot, in the afternoon we were hit by a downpour. Patients crowded under cover, and volunteers scrambled to keep papers and medicines dry. Thankfully, the rain stopped after a couple of hours.
We were also helped today by an ophthalmologist, who came just for today to help patients with eye problems. She was able to provide glasses to some patients who wanted them, as well as to treat various problems and teach some effective exercises to improve their sight.
DAY 5: 30 July
Today, Friday, almost as many patients arrived as yesterday, although still many more than our doctors were able to treat before the end of the day. Even though some of our doctors were not feeling well, they still worked in order to help as many patients as possible.
We are continuing to see some very serious cases. A child came today who had tuberculosis at only 5 years old. Another patient had a bone-eating infection in the foot, and is being treated by a series of antibiotic injections. Another child came to the dentist today with two rows of teeth on top and two more rows on the bottom. The dentist pulled out the extra teeth.
To provide some more shade, we stretched out some makeshift canopies between the existing tents, which made it easier to organize the patients who were waiting. While a volunteer taught catechism to patients waiting in the church, the children in another area were given pencil crayons, and happily coloured religious pictures on some benches under one of the makeshift canopies.
Fr. Castel went out this morning and blessed about ten houses in the area surrounding the church, again using the occasion to stress the importance of various duties of Catholics.
The volunteers were treated today to some hot bananas. Bananas are very popular in the Philippines and apparently are prepared in many ways, including baked or fried. They are very good!
