Rehabilitation Medicine Faculty,
Please consider this a continuation of our gratitude for all of the support that you gave our group to make this trip possible.
Beginning with Cheryl Kerfeld, the organizer and connection to the co-founder of Manos Unidas, this trip became a reality. For the last two years, students of GROW have looked to faculty and received support from Cheryl in fostering a program that connects to communities nationally and internationally. We aim to serve individuals in need of physical therapy to the best of our ability and to match their needs. Cheryl has been paramount in advising this group of students and bringing together the pieces that enable us to continue in our endeavors. Thank you for everything from logistics to emotional support to the clinical challenge.
We would also like to thank the current and former heads of the department, Sally Westcott McCoy and Mark Guthrie. Without your support and belief in us as individuals, we would not have been blessed with such an incredible opportunity. The ability to travel to another country, experience another culture entirely, and meet people where they are is a life-changing experience in itself. To think that we did all of those things under the context of physical therapy is inspiring. This is a situation where our passions, our studies, and our experience were able to meet the deep needs of another community. We recognize that this would not have been possible without you, and hope to express our gratitude as fully as possible so you at least begin to feel how important you have been in this experience.
Finally, we would like to thank the rest of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine faculty. During your time at the University of Washington, you have challenged students to reach their potential and become not only better physical therapists, but better people. We recognize that you push us to be better people as a whole, while also giving us ample opportunities to hone our skills as physical therapists. Thank you for your continual support in the process of our growth as professionals.
Kindest regards,
Catey Whitlock
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Monday, September 15, 2014
Hasta Luego, Peru
Well, here we are.
The end of another journey; the beginning of a new chapter; the continual discovery of what is to be. I know my other posts have been less formal and have a certain amount of humor, but I don't know how much of that will come through here. For those of you who don't know this about me, I am terrible at saying goodbye. Truly awful. I'm hoping the words I write will capture a moment, a feeling, a wish, or a memory that I can keep. It's less of a 'goodbye' that way.
Moment: Today I found my world a blur of emotions from the time Rossana was making lunch for us, Lucho calling to say he loves us and won't ever forget us, one last photo in the apartment, and Rosanna helping with luggage and hailing the taxi. Her smile and kisses goodbye while waiting on the corner to wave until our taxi is out of sight will forever capture my heart.
Feeling: Hope. The effort, time, and energy that we were able to give to Manos Unidas is merely a drop in the ocean of never-ending need. While this intimidates me, I know that whatever the size of the drop, ripples are sure to follow. The supplies that we brought will continue to bring happiness, learning, and further opportunities to the children and teachers. Physical therapy techniques and ideas that we introduced will help children interact with their peers and family members. My hope is that the amount of joy and love shared will continue to grow and impact that community in a positive way.
Wish: I wish that each person who has supported me in this journey knows how much of an impact they have made. While I have mentioned the difference that physical therapy has made in this community, that is not possible without the generosity, love, and support from family members and friends.
Memory: I might have to cheat on this one and keep more than one memory. You know about Manos Unidas and my host family, but I have hardly had the chance to capture an image of the people I traveled with this September.
A month and a half ago, I remember sitting in the health sciences library with Corrin and Abby while we were on the phone with Jessica. We booked our tickets together that night and the trip became real. That being said, this trip literally was not possible without Jessica. From the beginning, she has been someone who jumps on board with excitement, passion, and a drive to help others. It has been incredible to observe her work as a physical therapist, constantly ask questions about techniques, what could be improved, and be provided the opportunity to try. Jessica has always been there for us during the trip, making sure that we felt comfortable enough to work with the children, but also challenging us to use our clinical reasoning. There is a lot to be said for someone who can find the balance to encourage you as a student, respect you as an individual, and have fun with you during a night out salsa dancing.
To the now-third-year student of physical therapy, Liz, I'll admit that I met her before the trip was even a glimmer of something real, but I didn't really begin to know her until a couple of days before the trip. Meeting up for froyo, I immediately recognized Liz as a down-to-earth person with a good sense of humor. Her compassion for others and patience became more apparent during our time together. It was a blessing to be with someone who exemplifies quality of care, integrity, and an energy to work with children that I have yet to see paralleled. I loved following her example and will continue to do so as I practice physical therapy.
For a girl that can only be described as hilarious, that's Abby. She has a way of bringing laughter and fun to any situation, making the hardest days lighter and constantly reminding you of what is good. In my mind, this makes her irreplaceable. I don't think she is someone who truly realizes the impact that she has on others and the light that she brings to every instance, but that's because she isn't one to dwell on that. I will forever be grateful for the kind of friend she is and I'm happy we had the chance to travel the world a bit together. As a student of physical therapy, she reminds me of the questions that should be asked and kindles my thirst for knowledge. Pretty tough to beat that combination in a friend!
The last personality to compliment this Peruvian physical therapy adventure belongs to Corrin. She is the type of person who keeps you grounded, causes you to look beyond the obvious, and is always there to support others. I know that I could not have processed my emotions the same way each day without her as a sounding board. Corrin also put up with my random questions until the wee hours of the morning, which I'm sure is no easy task. The love and genuine care that she showed me also went into each interaction she had with students, teachers, and every individual involved with this trip. I admire the way she treats others with such a high level of respect and kindness. This is something that I will continue to strive towards and look to her as an example.
A little over two weeks later, here I am. A traveler in an airport, waiting for the airline to open. A physical therapy student with valuable lessons in adaptability, resourcefulness, and serving the whole person, waiting to further my knowledge and skills. A daughter with appreciation for a supportive family, waiting to see them at home. A friend with stories and love, waiting to share them with those in my life. A person ready to chase the next adventure, write the next story, and see how my life changes because of it.
Thank you for all of your love and support.
Catey Lynne
The end of another journey; the beginning of a new chapter; the continual discovery of what is to be. I know my other posts have been less formal and have a certain amount of humor, but I don't know how much of that will come through here. For those of you who don't know this about me, I am terrible at saying goodbye. Truly awful. I'm hoping the words I write will capture a moment, a feeling, a wish, or a memory that I can keep. It's less of a 'goodbye' that way.
Moment: Today I found my world a blur of emotions from the time Rossana was making lunch for us, Lucho calling to say he loves us and won't ever forget us, one last photo in the apartment, and Rosanna helping with luggage and hailing the taxi. Her smile and kisses goodbye while waiting on the corner to wave until our taxi is out of sight will forever capture my heart.
Feeling: Hope. The effort, time, and energy that we were able to give to Manos Unidas is merely a drop in the ocean of never-ending need. While this intimidates me, I know that whatever the size of the drop, ripples are sure to follow. The supplies that we brought will continue to bring happiness, learning, and further opportunities to the children and teachers. Physical therapy techniques and ideas that we introduced will help children interact with their peers and family members. My hope is that the amount of joy and love shared will continue to grow and impact that community in a positive way.
Wish: I wish that each person who has supported me in this journey knows how much of an impact they have made. While I have mentioned the difference that physical therapy has made in this community, that is not possible without the generosity, love, and support from family members and friends.
Memory: I might have to cheat on this one and keep more than one memory. You know about Manos Unidas and my host family, but I have hardly had the chance to capture an image of the people I traveled with this September.
A month and a half ago, I remember sitting in the health sciences library with Corrin and Abby while we were on the phone with Jessica. We booked our tickets together that night and the trip became real. That being said, this trip literally was not possible without Jessica. From the beginning, she has been someone who jumps on board with excitement, passion, and a drive to help others. It has been incredible to observe her work as a physical therapist, constantly ask questions about techniques, what could be improved, and be provided the opportunity to try. Jessica has always been there for us during the trip, making sure that we felt comfortable enough to work with the children, but also challenging us to use our clinical reasoning. There is a lot to be said for someone who can find the balance to encourage you as a student, respect you as an individual, and have fun with you during a night out salsa dancing.
To the now-third-year student of physical therapy, Liz, I'll admit that I met her before the trip was even a glimmer of something real, but I didn't really begin to know her until a couple of days before the trip. Meeting up for froyo, I immediately recognized Liz as a down-to-earth person with a good sense of humor. Her compassion for others and patience became more apparent during our time together. It was a blessing to be with someone who exemplifies quality of care, integrity, and an energy to work with children that I have yet to see paralleled. I loved following her example and will continue to do so as I practice physical therapy.
For a girl that can only be described as hilarious, that's Abby. She has a way of bringing laughter and fun to any situation, making the hardest days lighter and constantly reminding you of what is good. In my mind, this makes her irreplaceable. I don't think she is someone who truly realizes the impact that she has on others and the light that she brings to every instance, but that's because she isn't one to dwell on that. I will forever be grateful for the kind of friend she is and I'm happy we had the chance to travel the world a bit together. As a student of physical therapy, she reminds me of the questions that should be asked and kindles my thirst for knowledge. Pretty tough to beat that combination in a friend!
The last personality to compliment this Peruvian physical therapy adventure belongs to Corrin. She is the type of person who keeps you grounded, causes you to look beyond the obvious, and is always there to support others. I know that I could not have processed my emotions the same way each day without her as a sounding board. Corrin also put up with my random questions until the wee hours of the morning, which I'm sure is no easy task. The love and genuine care that she showed me also went into each interaction she had with students, teachers, and every individual involved with this trip. I admire the way she treats others with such a high level of respect and kindness. This is something that I will continue to strive towards and look to her as an example.
A little over two weeks later, here I am. A traveler in an airport, waiting for the airline to open. A physical therapy student with valuable lessons in adaptability, resourcefulness, and serving the whole person, waiting to further my knowledge and skills. A daughter with appreciation for a supportive family, waiting to see them at home. A friend with stories and love, waiting to share them with those in my life. A person ready to chase the next adventure, write the next story, and see how my life changes because of it.
Thank you for all of your love and support.
Catey Lynne
Robbery, Salt Flats, and Tradition
Saturday was our day trip with our host mom, Rossana. Our initial plans were to visit the ruins at Pisac, but after some discussion the night before we decided instead to visit Moray and Salineras. After a late breakfast we took a taxi to catch our minibus (thankfully, the intense seat-filling lady was not on this one! ) We took another amazing trip through the countryside, this time being treated to some incredible views of snow-capped peaks in the distance.
Arriving just outside the village of Maras, we caught a cab to take us to the ruins at Moray. However, we ended up being quite disappointed as it appeared you could no longer buy entrance just to Moray, previously 15 soles, but had now to purchase a tourist ticket for 70 soles (about $25) that included entry to four other sites, which we would not have time to visit. Apparently, the change had just happened a month before, unbeknownst to both Rossana and our taxi driver. Downside, no Moray. Upside, we did get to see Rossana turn it up to 10 on the staff complaining about robbery and treating tourists well. So that was fun.
So onward to Salineras! This place was fascinating. Community members dig shallow pits which form salt flats as the water evaporates. There were easily hundreds of them and we got to see many members at work. They also had many flavored and medicinal salt blends to sell.
Heading back toward Cusco, we stopped by La Cusqueñita, a traditional restaurant in the style of a Pikanteria. According to Rossana, Pikanterias were once common eateries run out of colonial homes. Food was cooked on wood - fire open stoves while the cuys ran around at your feet. We still didn't try cuy (have you looked it up?), but we were treated to some traditional dances. We ordered typical dishes and different varieties of chicha, the typical drink of the area. Some were made of quinoa, most of corn, and two varieties were slightly fermented, tasting a little like kombucha.
After our very filling lunch we needed to burn off some calories, so we headed down the street to a statue of Pachacuteq, one of the great Incan ruler. We were treated to a mini - museum recounting the history of his rule and then great views from the top of the tower.
We walked back home, and reality set in as we began to pack up our things to prepare for our trip home on Sunday. Amilcar, the physical therapist from the school stopped by for one last goodbye, and two special requests from the states... some Kinesiotape, and equally as important, some Jelly Bellies. We were more than happy to oblige :)
Then it was time to turn in for the night and get some rest before our marathon trip back to Seattle.
Signing off,
Jessica
Jessica
Last Day at Camino Nuevo
Friday was the last day of school.
(First with a brief stop at Celeste's apartment while en route to the school. We helped her move a few things out before catching a plane just hours later for the first part of her trip back to the US...classic Disney songs played in the background as we bustled around, thanks Catey for bringing those beloved childhood memories back).
Upon walking into the school and receiving a warm welcome from the teachers, we were able to see one of the teachers facilitating play with a student using one of the cause and effect toys that was donated. Talk about being overcome with honor while witnessing the impact these materials generously donated by so many people across the nation in support of our trip. Thank you again to everyone who donated; your gift has a true influence in the lives of these children. We quickly assessed our agenda for the day and took on our next task of modifying a seating system for a student who regularly uses a wheelchair. The teachers had expressed their goal to have this student sit at the same level as her peers during play time; a fundamental goal to increase participation in daily activities. A piece of foam, three lanyards, a few knots, and a little bit of geometry later we MacGyvered a chair that supported the student in maintaining good posture for her current impairments and most importantly allowed the student to sit at the level of her peers.
The next item was checking to make sure all the donated materials were outfitted with batteries and left in running order. We then created a home exercise program (HEP) for another student with cerebral palsy that would facilitate trunk stabilization, head control, and eventually reaching for items. After handing the HEP off to the teachers to give to his parents, we took the students out to the park right across the street to play. How perfect to have a park across the street from the school! Realizing our time at the school was coming to a close, we started to say our goodbyes and were pleasantly surprised when the teachers all gathered around for a small thank you ceremony in gratitude of our two weeks at the school, complete with beautiful paintings for each of us handmade by students at the school. I wish I had it all on video, because I'm pretty sure it would have shown how much everyone gained from the experience. After many heart felt goodbyes with the students and teachers, we took one last picture in front of the school and walked home for lunch. The magnitude and spectrum of emotions that were felt and shown today definitely moved each of one us in a unique way.
Following lunch was an impromptu tour guided by Lucho, to a church nestled on the hillside that provided a vista point and open view of the city. A few pictures and a history lesson later we were on to our next stop; a cemetery. You're probably wondering why a cemetery would warrant a visit during a volunteer trip, however cemeteries in Latin America are quite different than what we see in the states. Instead of flat tombstones and acres of freshly cut grass, cemeteries here are built up (keeping in mind that space can be limited), are fairly ornate and in this case a beautiful cathedral and museum surrounded the site. In addition, some grave stones are encased in glass allowing cherished items to be placed inside. Lucho then dropped us off at Qoricancha, which is another site that displays ancient Incan ruins. Lucho has been so gracious during our stay, making sure that we fully experience the cusquenan culture (elaborate stories during dinner included). We toured around and then found a spot on the stair case outside to watch the sunset.
Next was dinner at Los Toldos (again...we couldn't get enough of their oven roasted chicken!). Salsa lessons and a concert (best described as tribal/worldly/fusion...and quite amazing) with some local musicians consumed the rest of the night.
More weekend adventures are soon to follow.
Hasta Luego,
Corrin
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Therapy, Tres Leches, and New Company (Oui Oui = Wee Wee)
Our last day working with Amilcar, the physical therapist at Camino Nuevo/Manos Unidas! Started the day off with our usual delicious breakfast prepared by Rossana, our host mom. We then headed out for our bus and arrived to the school, Camino Nuevo.
Today we worked with 4 kiddos. With the first little lady, we got to observe as Jessica and Amilcar used kinesiotape to extend her wrist and thumb bilaterally. Amilcar was really excited to use the tape we donated and see the awesome k-taping book Jessica brought. He requested for us to help him get a hold of a k-taping book, even if it was in English, because he could look at the pictures and get ideas. From there we continued to work on prone over a wedge and encouraged her to weight bear through her now taped hands by using our own hands to hold them down in the proper position. We got to introduce the new cause-and-effect toys we donated to the kids, which they especially loved! They were so helpful in gaining their motivation and interest as we tried to promote head and trunk control while in prone.
The next kiddo is one that has primarily extension tone. One goal is to help him find his midline by reaching for toys that are at the center of him. Last time, Jessica showed Amilcar that adding deep pressure to the boy's abdomen can facilitate extremity movements because he will feel more stability at his center. We then continued to work in prone on forearms and also in sitting to encourage weight bearing through his hands.
With the third boy, Jessica and Amilcar used kinesiotape again to help with his right concave scoliosis which expanded through his thoracic and upper lumbar spine. He was placed prone over a wedge and the tape was used to facilitate right trunk extension of the concave side of his scoliosis. Another tape was used to obtain a functional correction that went across his back. We then continued therapy by doing activities that encouraged him to shorten the left side of his body and actively elongate his right side. This was to facilitate the work that was already being done with the tape. Examples of the activities include prone play by having him reach for toys placed to the left side of his body but using his right hand. It seemed a bit challenging for him so we moved him into sitting and kept encouraging reaching with his right hand.
The final kiddo we saw was a 6 year old little girl. We spent the time working on head control by using new light up and musical toys we brought in to gain her interest, which were quite successful and fun! We also practiced sitting and balance reactions on a therapy ball we donated. Amilcar usually uses a peanut ball with the kiddos but mentioned he used to use regular therapy balls except they all had popped. So he was excited to get a new ball to use!
As this was our last time with Amilcar, we gave him a post card with a picture of Mount Rainier and wrote out a thank you for working with us and sharing his knowledge. It was a bitter sweet moment, and he was really appreciative of us coming in and invited us to come back and stay at his home. We said our goodbyes and took a picture with him. He was definitely a great therapist and we were so happy to have had the opportunity to work with him.
After school, we headed home for lunch and then Rossana taught us how to make a cake called Tres Leches! It translates to a cake of 3 milks and is super moist and yummy. We had been waiting for this day for a long time and had been holding off because different girls were having stomach problems, but finally we were able to do it. Three hours later, the cake was ready and was amazing as expected.
Later that night, the family was expecting company from French boys their daughter had met while traveling in Europe. Rossana set the table with small chicken sandwiches, cheese and bread, the tres leches cake, and home made hot chocolate. Yes it was delicious :) Something cool about this new company was that Catey finally got her chance to speak French and be the main talker at the table as she translated some things back to us :) They did speak a little English and some Spanish but Catey's French was very much appreciated.
After the guests left, everyone was pretty exhausted and ready for bed. We were all sad to realize the next day would be our last day at the school and with the amazing kiddos we met.
-Liz
Today we worked with 4 kiddos. With the first little lady, we got to observe as Jessica and Amilcar used kinesiotape to extend her wrist and thumb bilaterally. Amilcar was really excited to use the tape we donated and see the awesome k-taping book Jessica brought. He requested for us to help him get a hold of a k-taping book, even if it was in English, because he could look at the pictures and get ideas. From there we continued to work on prone over a wedge and encouraged her to weight bear through her now taped hands by using our own hands to hold them down in the proper position. We got to introduce the new cause-and-effect toys we donated to the kids, which they especially loved! They were so helpful in gaining their motivation and interest as we tried to promote head and trunk control while in prone.
The next kiddo is one that has primarily extension tone. One goal is to help him find his midline by reaching for toys that are at the center of him. Last time, Jessica showed Amilcar that adding deep pressure to the boy's abdomen can facilitate extremity movements because he will feel more stability at his center. We then continued to work in prone on forearms and also in sitting to encourage weight bearing through his hands.
With the third boy, Jessica and Amilcar used kinesiotape again to help with his right concave scoliosis which expanded through his thoracic and upper lumbar spine. He was placed prone over a wedge and the tape was used to facilitate right trunk extension of the concave side of his scoliosis. Another tape was used to obtain a functional correction that went across his back. We then continued therapy by doing activities that encouraged him to shorten the left side of his body and actively elongate his right side. This was to facilitate the work that was already being done with the tape. Examples of the activities include prone play by having him reach for toys placed to the left side of his body but using his right hand. It seemed a bit challenging for him so we moved him into sitting and kept encouraging reaching with his right hand.
The final kiddo we saw was a 6 year old little girl. We spent the time working on head control by using new light up and musical toys we brought in to gain her interest, which were quite successful and fun! We also practiced sitting and balance reactions on a therapy ball we donated. Amilcar usually uses a peanut ball with the kiddos but mentioned he used to use regular therapy balls except they all had popped. So he was excited to get a new ball to use!
As this was our last time with Amilcar, we gave him a post card with a picture of Mount Rainier and wrote out a thank you for working with us and sharing his knowledge. It was a bitter sweet moment, and he was really appreciative of us coming in and invited us to come back and stay at his home. We said our goodbyes and took a picture with him. He was definitely a great therapist and we were so happy to have had the opportunity to work with him.
After school, we headed home for lunch and then Rossana taught us how to make a cake called Tres Leches! It translates to a cake of 3 milks and is super moist and yummy. We had been waiting for this day for a long time and had been holding off because different girls were having stomach problems, but finally we were able to do it. Three hours later, the cake was ready and was amazing as expected.
Later that night, the family was expecting company from French boys their daughter had met while traveling in Europe. Rossana set the table with small chicken sandwiches, cheese and bread, the tres leches cake, and home made hot chocolate. Yes it was delicious :) Something cool about this new company was that Catey finally got her chance to speak French and be the main talker at the table as she translated some things back to us :) They did speak a little English and some Spanish but Catey's French was very much appreciated.
After the guests left, everyone was pretty exhausted and ready for bed. We were all sad to realize the next day would be our last day at the school and with the amazing kiddos we met.
-Liz
Thursday, September 11, 2014
A day at an orphanage
Quick note: this is a rather wordy post and there is a very condensed version at the end if you do not have the time.
September 10, 2014
Today was an emotional day. Happy, sad, discouraged, joyful, and everything in between happened this morning. Today was the day we went to the Hogar Madre Teresa de Calcutta which is a home for mentally and physically disabled children and adults.
We brought a few donations with Celeste to the orphanage and then met with Mercedes, the co-founder of Manos Unidas and waited in the courtyard for the nuns to finish mass. We were kept company by two people, a young man who was sitting and rocking in the sun by himself and a young woman with CP who had been a former student of Mercedes and was very happy to see her again. We were then led to the children's area and given a brief tour of two large rooms with 9 beds and 9 cribs. Our first interaction was with a small boy who was tied with a bathrobe string to his crib so he wouldn't climb out and repeatedly banging his head on the side of the metal crib. He had extensive scarring and some hair loss where the head banging had obviously been his habit since he had head control. As we entered the main eating room a worker at the home and two volunteers (one from France and one from Mexico) were already hard at work beginning to feed the younger children. There were 17 kids we worked with of whom about 14 were extremely involved and needed almost constant attention during feeding. Nine were wheelchair bound and a few were malnourished. Three-quarters were nonverbal. All of them showed some sort of secondary complication to not receiving early and appropriate intervention. We got busy helping as it was rare to have five extra pairs of hands for the morning routine. Even with the extra help it took us about two and a half hours to feed everyone, brush teeth, change diapers, clean dishes (and floors, tables, and chairs) and then put everyone down for naps.
Feeding the kids at the orphanage varied widely. For two kids it was to put food in front of them and remind them to eat. For many others it was alternating between feeding one spoonful at a time and wiping chins to clean what they couldn't swallow. A few others needed games to eat and repeated reminders that spitting in faces, throwing food, stealing food, and hitting weren't quite the manners we were aiming for. After the cleaning routines they were put down for naps. We then learned that the rest of their day was a repeat of the morning. Two of the kids with Down's syndrome went to school but the rest stayed in their beds until the afternoon. There were no lessons, no games, and no outside play time. One of the volunteers said they get some good outside time about every two weeks but there just weren't enough hands to do it all.
I would love to show some of the beautiful faces of these kids but unfortunately there are no written consent forms there and many are involved in ongoing court cases. Many of the children were brought via the police or abandoned at the gate of the orphanage.
While it was difficult to see how the kids could benefit from so much more attention and help and therapy (many needed physical, occupational, speech, feeding, respiratory, and behavorial as well as other medical help) than was available, it was also amazing to see that all these kids were fed, clothed, warm at night, and safe. Each kid showed amazing responses to caring interaction and our head banger turned out to be a very good cuddler and imitator. It was also a good contrast to the village we visited in the campo the day before. There was one PT who worked at the orphanage and while supplies and time was limited, they were still receiving services that were totally unavailable if they were in the campo.
After the orphanage we came back to our sanctuary where Rossana supplied us with a delicious lunch of stuffed chiles and Peruvian coffee and passion fruit juice. We had a good debriefing with Celeste and (via Skype) our UW faculty liaison, Cheryl.
After dinner (the main course being pastries-- And I thinking more and more moving to Peru would be a sensible decision) we were very lucky to have Celeste's husband Calin come and show us his work. Calin is an artist who works with different materials to create gorgeous and unique pieces of jewelry. All of us had to get at least one of his works to remember our trip!
Rather exhausted and very full we turned in for the night. (Although there seems to be a domino effect of uneasy stomachs while we are here.)
Cheers and until tomorrow,
Abby
tl;dr We helped at an orphanage and learned more about feeding.
September 10, 2014
Today was an emotional day. Happy, sad, discouraged, joyful, and everything in between happened this morning. Today was the day we went to the Hogar Madre Teresa de Calcutta which is a home for mentally and physically disabled children and adults.
We brought a few donations with Celeste to the orphanage and then met with Mercedes, the co-founder of Manos Unidas and waited in the courtyard for the nuns to finish mass. We were kept company by two people, a young man who was sitting and rocking in the sun by himself and a young woman with CP who had been a former student of Mercedes and was very happy to see her again. We were then led to the children's area and given a brief tour of two large rooms with 9 beds and 9 cribs. Our first interaction was with a small boy who was tied with a bathrobe string to his crib so he wouldn't climb out and repeatedly banging his head on the side of the metal crib. He had extensive scarring and some hair loss where the head banging had obviously been his habit since he had head control. As we entered the main eating room a worker at the home and two volunteers (one from France and one from Mexico) were already hard at work beginning to feed the younger children. There were 17 kids we worked with of whom about 14 were extremely involved and needed almost constant attention during feeding. Nine were wheelchair bound and a few were malnourished. Three-quarters were nonverbal. All of them showed some sort of secondary complication to not receiving early and appropriate intervention. We got busy helping as it was rare to have five extra pairs of hands for the morning routine. Even with the extra help it took us about two and a half hours to feed everyone, brush teeth, change diapers, clean dishes (and floors, tables, and chairs) and then put everyone down for naps.
Feeding the kids at the orphanage varied widely. For two kids it was to put food in front of them and remind them to eat. For many others it was alternating between feeding one spoonful at a time and wiping chins to clean what they couldn't swallow. A few others needed games to eat and repeated reminders that spitting in faces, throwing food, stealing food, and hitting weren't quite the manners we were aiming for. After the cleaning routines they were put down for naps. We then learned that the rest of their day was a repeat of the morning. Two of the kids with Down's syndrome went to school but the rest stayed in their beds until the afternoon. There were no lessons, no games, and no outside play time. One of the volunteers said they get some good outside time about every two weeks but there just weren't enough hands to do it all.
I would love to show some of the beautiful faces of these kids but unfortunately there are no written consent forms there and many are involved in ongoing court cases. Many of the children were brought via the police or abandoned at the gate of the orphanage.
While it was difficult to see how the kids could benefit from so much more attention and help and therapy (many needed physical, occupational, speech, feeding, respiratory, and behavorial as well as other medical help) than was available, it was also amazing to see that all these kids were fed, clothed, warm at night, and safe. Each kid showed amazing responses to caring interaction and our head banger turned out to be a very good cuddler and imitator. It was also a good contrast to the village we visited in the campo the day before. There was one PT who worked at the orphanage and while supplies and time was limited, they were still receiving services that were totally unavailable if they were in the campo.
After the orphanage we came back to our sanctuary where Rossana supplied us with a delicious lunch of stuffed chiles and Peruvian coffee and passion fruit juice. We had a good debriefing with Celeste and (via Skype) our UW faculty liaison, Cheryl.
After dinner (the main course being pastries-- And I thinking more and more moving to Peru would be a sensible decision) we were very lucky to have Celeste's husband Calin come and show us his work. Calin is an artist who works with different materials to create gorgeous and unique pieces of jewelry. All of us had to get at least one of his works to remember our trip!
Rather exhausted and very full we turned in for the night. (Although there seems to be a domino effect of uneasy stomachs while we are here.)
Cheers and until tomorrow,
Abby
tl;dr We helped at an orphanage and learned more about feeding.
Pomacanchi and Fútbol at 13,000ft
Tuesday started out on Peruvian time. Leaving for Pomacanchi was a bit later than planned and happened during a busy taxi time. We met up with Victoria and survived the bus and taxi rides up to the village. The sun was beating harder on our backs because we were about 13,000 ft up without cloud cover. A quick sunscreen and water break later, we were walking around the community to meet families and their children with physical disabilities.
Trending with our tendency to improvise, today proved to be another time for that skill. The families were already at work and we were unable to see their children. Instead, we were welcomed into a home to look at their cuy farm (I mean cuy - look it up); it is their means of income that was established by a government program and maintained by that family. It is one of many programs that this community has created and provides its people with. They were explained to us further in the main government building by the mayor. He was most kind to fit us into his office space and talk to us during his busy day.
During our walk between buildings, we met a woman whose son had a hip dislocation when he was younger; a Dutch medical volunteer group reduced it six years ago. Now, he plays soccer, runs, and participates in other sports with his friends; however, he is hesitant to ride a bike to school because he falls frequently. Without meeting her son, the woman was asking us for ideas on exercises and things that would help him. It was a hard question to answer safely without seeing the boy at all. We had no idea if it was balance, strength, range of motion or another impairment(s) at the base of his behavior, but she clearly wanted help from us. We did our best to select exercises that had potential to be beneficial - or at the very least not harmful. After demonstrating, explaining, and leaving her a drawn copy (my stick figures cross language barriers that I can't cross myself), we had done everything we could.
We then walked over to the school to see students with physical disabilities. I literally cannot describe how excited I was to see a bunch of them at recess playing soccer. I asked Liz and Corrin about five times how to say, "can I play soccer with you," and five minutes later I felt practiced enough to ask. It might have been the first time they ever witnessed a tall, white, curly sand-colored hair girl do some tricks with a soccer ball. They were laughing and cheering every time I touched the ball and we put together some great plays! It was fun to be able play and connect over something we both love.
Recess ended and the principal and some teachers put together a group of students that they had concerns with and wanted us to help. With this scenario, we ran into another tricky corner. Most of the problems the children had were out of our scope of practice - that is to say they were not physically disabled. Whether it was memory, retention, learning, speaking, social skills, or some combination of the above, we were looked at like we had all the answers and solutions. It was a type of pressure that I haven't felt before. I wanted so badly to be able to help each of the students and teachers, but had to explain that it wasn't our expertise. They understood and we were able to end on a conversation about body mechanics when working with children. Hopefully that information will continue to help the teachers in the future as they work to serve their students to the best of their ability.
Catching a bus back into Cusco, there was plenty of time to reflect on the experience and I am more than happy to share the magnitude of emotions experienced that day in person. It is far too long to put in a blog post.
The evening was a bit lighter! Corrin and I went with Rossana to her aerobics class to rock out to some jams. We basically got to shake it, punch, run, and jump, jump, jump around at 11,500ft. :) So great! Then we came back home to watch a volleyball final between Peru and Argentina. PERU WON in 5!!! They came back to win the last three games of the match.
Alright, great talk. Sorry this took so long to post!
Best,
Catey Lynne
Trending with our tendency to improvise, today proved to be another time for that skill. The families were already at work and we were unable to see their children. Instead, we were welcomed into a home to look at their cuy farm (I mean cuy - look it up); it is their means of income that was established by a government program and maintained by that family. It is one of many programs that this community has created and provides its people with. They were explained to us further in the main government building by the mayor. He was most kind to fit us into his office space and talk to us during his busy day.
During our walk between buildings, we met a woman whose son had a hip dislocation when he was younger; a Dutch medical volunteer group reduced it six years ago. Now, he plays soccer, runs, and participates in other sports with his friends; however, he is hesitant to ride a bike to school because he falls frequently. Without meeting her son, the woman was asking us for ideas on exercises and things that would help him. It was a hard question to answer safely without seeing the boy at all. We had no idea if it was balance, strength, range of motion or another impairment(s) at the base of his behavior, but she clearly wanted help from us. We did our best to select exercises that had potential to be beneficial - or at the very least not harmful. After demonstrating, explaining, and leaving her a drawn copy (my stick figures cross language barriers that I can't cross myself), we had done everything we could.
We then walked over to the school to see students with physical disabilities. I literally cannot describe how excited I was to see a bunch of them at recess playing soccer. I asked Liz and Corrin about five times how to say, "can I play soccer with you," and five minutes later I felt practiced enough to ask. It might have been the first time they ever witnessed a tall, white, curly sand-colored hair girl do some tricks with a soccer ball. They were laughing and cheering every time I touched the ball and we put together some great plays! It was fun to be able play and connect over something we both love.
Recess ended and the principal and some teachers put together a group of students that they had concerns with and wanted us to help. With this scenario, we ran into another tricky corner. Most of the problems the children had were out of our scope of practice - that is to say they were not physically disabled. Whether it was memory, retention, learning, speaking, social skills, or some combination of the above, we were looked at like we had all the answers and solutions. It was a type of pressure that I haven't felt before. I wanted so badly to be able to help each of the students and teachers, but had to explain that it wasn't our expertise. They understood and we were able to end on a conversation about body mechanics when working with children. Hopefully that information will continue to help the teachers in the future as they work to serve their students to the best of their ability.
Catching a bus back into Cusco, there was plenty of time to reflect on the experience and I am more than happy to share the magnitude of emotions experienced that day in person. It is far too long to put in a blog post.
The evening was a bit lighter! Corrin and I went with Rossana to her aerobics class to rock out to some jams. We basically got to shake it, punch, run, and jump, jump, jump around at 11,500ft. :) So great! Then we came back home to watch a volleyball final between Peru and Argentina. PERU WON in 5!!! They came back to win the last three games of the match.
Alright, great talk. Sorry this took so long to post!
Best,
Catey Lynne
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