This morning came way too fast! I was so tired I didnt even hear the roosters and that is almost impossible. Breakfast was awesome except I think I made my first mistake while in belize...I didnt like the homemade pineapple juice because I hate pulp....so while no one was out on the porch at the table I poured it into my water bottle, making it look like I drank it all. But.... now Marlin is going to think I really liked this. If I wasn't such a rookie I would have left some in the glass....Oh well, like lessons haha! I walked to the clinic this morning from Admas and got there around 8. It was slower this morning, so again I chatted with the doctor and kind of checked everything out.
Today was a little more exciting around the clinic. Dr. Mesa had to remove a cyst from a patients back which involved just a local anesthetic and a minor incision. There was a young woman who had a very severe allergic reaction and needed some shots, i am thinking they were probably in the steroid family. A man came in that had a chest trauma previously that the doctor had sutured up. The skin had not come together but instead folded under and bunched up therefore there was an area the size of probably a half dollar where there was no skin. Dr. Mesa also showed me some mammograms and explained what cancerous deposits look like compared to non cancerous.
The most exciting thing today was actually feeling like I was helping and that I may have made a difference in someone's life, which is essentially what I came here wanting to do. First was a very minor event, but it still made me feel as though I was actually in this clinic to help and not just for my benefit of observation. The doctor speaks english but isn't always confident in his word choices and phrases so he had me check his letter and help him use the word processor. It was hard for me to stand back and watch him type as I wanted to just do it for him!! He also had no idea how to get the letter in the right place to line up with the letter head. Its amazing how the small things can really help someone. It was crazy that a doctor was asking me for help...
The most exciting part of my day was making my first legal diagnosis and medication recommendation....yes a little scary!! A 19 year old girl came into the office and was complaining of pretty typical depression symptoms, so the doctor did some blood work to rule out anything serious and then told this girl and her mom that I was a psychologist; I said no no just studied psychology, but I guess when there is no psychologist then I am considered one. So, the blood work was done and the doctor said now katelyn is going to talk to you and figure some things out. The doctor gave me specific directions to find out what is going on and determine whether she had anxiety or depression or if something else is wrong. The mother also came up to me and gave me instruction to look deep into her past and childhood. I just couldn't stop thinking that these people really had the wrong idea...I did not know the correct way of doing this nor am I qualified. But, I guess the past 3 years of education may not have been a total waste!
I talked to the girl for about 45 mins and got a lot out of her and could easily say she was depressed, there was no question about it. She seemed so happy to finally be talking to someone that wasn't biased and that wasn't also worried about having food to eat or money to get home on the bus (pertaining to her family members). The doctor asked for my clinical assessment along with my medicinal recommendation....He is giving me way to much credit. We talked about different types of medication that would work and decided on one. Later while the girl and her mom were waiting for their medicine in the pharmacy I gave her my phone number and told her to call me anytime before the 16th and I would take her to get ice cream and chat. I dont know if I was allowed to do that but oh well, I shouldnt have been allowed to “counsel” her either. I am really hoping she gives me a call! I finally had that feeling of knowing you may have helped someone and that you have done what you set out to do. It was exciting!
The rest of the afternoon was pretty slow. I messed around with the docs Iphone and tried to show him how to use the computer. We talked for a few hours about the clinic and belize. He is so full of knowledge and just a really good person to talk to. It is kind of weird because I dont feel inferior to him at all an can feel like an intelligent person talking to him even though he is very smart and educated in medicine. I am going to take many life lessons as well as medical info away from this experience because of him.
On a side note I am shocked at the lack of sterilization and cleanliness there is in belize. Gloves are not really a requirement and I havent seen one person wash their hands in the clinic. It was VERY different than the U.S. The patient that has the cyst removed was Belizean but his wife was from the U.S. She was very nervous the whole time because of how the doctor was “sterilizing” or lack there of, things.
I got monsoon-ed on today and was not a happy camper. I was walking for 40 minutes after my umbrella broke and after I realized I went the wrong way; street signs do not exist here and dirty roads make for a mess in the middle of a monsoon.
Okay, that was a lot. I am in a rambling mood. I am just sitting in my room listening to music coming from the town and about to read a book and relax. Life is great!
Miss you all!!
P.S. I hate bananas but the bananas here are AMAZING!! I am going to be so disappointed when I get home and try to eat fruit!
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