Clinic Day 1

An early start once again and I was ready for the our very first clinic with the Dominican team at the Nuevo Vida Centre. Jane came and retrieved myself and my 2 trusty assistants, Linda and Pat from the crew to drop us off at Karen's house. Our first stop however was the local bakery where Jane had to pick up fresh croussants. I also needed to aquire some Q-tips that I might need for assessments during the day. Jane waved me toward a local store down the street but said that she didn't know what they would be called. Pat asked me how I was going to purchase something that I didn't know how to ask for. Not to worry, always bring a sample. I just showed the clerk my Q-tip, he nodded and brought me a package. I knew to ask how much(quantos?. He said 15 peso, I said dos. He gave me 2 and I gave him money and got my change. Support local business and a victory for that A in Spanish I got during my Opticianry program! Dropped off a few blocks from the clinic, it was a lovely morning walk to work through an upper class neighbourhood dotted with cows and chickens in empty lots. We arrived at the center and quickly got to business setting up the equipment and arranging the exam room.

People were alreadying lining up outside. Carol Ryan from Nelson BC, who works with Karen regularly in the DR eye clinics was our manager for the day and she really has a great system for organizing glasses and keeping things running smoothly. Poablo, a Lt Coronel with the Environmental Enforcement Agency had volunteered to be my interpreter for the day.

We got ourselves organized and were ready for our first patient at 9:20am with the goal of 50 people through by 5pm. It was a steady flow. One of the things I did was go by my middle name Inez as Gayle seems to be a very difficult name to pronounce for native spanish speakers. My personal goal was to ensure the everyone got a reasonable amount of my time and a accurate assessment and solution to their concern that day. Also, I was going to take the same professional and personal approach to each person. I didn't speak to the interpreter, I spoke to the person, my tone of voice was relaxed and direct and I smiled and welcomed each of them in Spanish using their name. Everyone was very grateful for the help that we could provide. Some of the things that I assessed today, I had never seen in person before but only dealt with in a textbook or an exam. Today I was grateful for the quality education I had at Seneca College, from all my instructors and from Paul, Mary Lou, Eileen, Michael and all the Opticians and Doctors I have worked with who have prepared me well for each case I was presented with today. Just some of the examples beyond the regular fitting of glasses to correct sight
- I saw a 6month old baby who's parent's were told was blind and was severely crossed eyed.

 But with a little assessment he was able to track the motion of a bright object at a reasonable distance so I was able to refer them to a specialist. The child may have limited sight but it's not gone and with some help this child's vision may be correctable. At least now they will get to see someone who can give them a better idea.
-I saw a lady who was caught in a fight between 2 young girls when one of them threw amonia and salt at the other and some splashed into her eye.

She had significant damage that probably can't be reversed but set out a plan to let it heal and keep if from being infected so that she doesn't lose the eye completely
- I saw a lady, who's 50th birthday is tomorrow. She has Bell's palsy and is recovering from a stroke. She needed reading glasses so that she can sew and make a living for her self. I fit her with a beautiful pair of reading glasses donated by my fellow Optician Jamie. His mother passed away just before I left on this trip and he wanted her glasses to go to good use.

I think I found them a good home.
-Karen had asked me to see a 6yr old boy who wouldn't look straight and had had a CAT scan but and no neuro damage had been determined. I was unsure that I would be able to give any insight but would gladly take a look. As soon as he came in though, it was clear that he had nystagmus-very rapid back and forth movement of the eyes. I don't know why any of the doctors he had seen didn't note this. I was able to assess that he needed a high plus prescription and found a pair of glasses that worked for him. Although they bothered him at first-it's hard to go from no correction to wearing +4.75, by the time we were done he was happy that the world was much better.
-I had a young man with Acanthamoeba(corneal ulcer) in Ontario a immediate emergency so was able to get him across the hall to the local doctor for treatment. Unfortunately, the doctor wasn't familiar with the condition so brought him back. I then had to explain the condition, show him the patient's eye(really though, it was VERY obvious) and the regular treatment plan. - I also gave the doctor his first eye test(not kidding) and fitted him with a -2.25 RX.....

Not sure how he got through school without being able to see. There are tons more examples and even joy in the ordinary. I want to thank Deborah Perry in Saskatoon for donated such beautiful glasses.

It was a great pleasure not just to help these people see, but to let them feel beautiful in their new glasses.

This lady was an artist and was so grateful to be able to read again the first thing she did was give us a blessing by reading Prov 22:1.

 

When 5pm finally clicked on the clock we had seen 55 patients including most of the clinic staff and the teachers of the local school. It was a very rewarding day and a sigh of relief that my skills had served the people well. My task now was to get my 2 charges home safely on public transit. Linda said that Poablo had offered to drive us but I told her to decline. Gas is very expensive and he had given a lot of time to be with us, we could and would take the bus.

We had a 20min walk through a very sketchy redlight district of Sosua to find the bus depot which was an education in and of itself. Older white men with VERY young Dominican girls everywhere you turned. Interesting clothing stores and the most English signage I had seen on this whole trip. If I wanted wine before dinner(I might mean whine) Linda and Pat were willing to provide it but I had kinda run out of bedside manner so I just kept "Ya-ya, keep moving" them on. Got to the bus depot without getting lost and used my new aquired skill to flag for local transportation. A bus-and by bus I might mean a 15 seat van with an open side door-driver waved us over. I had my pesos ready(Pay a set fee up front and no more) and confirm that he knew our stop was Playa Dorado. Si-Si(I asked 3 times) and I got the 3 of us loaded on. Pat wanted to make sure he knew where we were going. Yup we were good. We were packed in and that means in a vehicle for 15, 24 people flew down the road.

There was definitely overlapping on the seats. It was a rollercoaster of a ride but just a great local experience. I had our stop in sight and hollered at the driver to stop which then had Linda and Pat shouting Stop too!. We got out and Linda could bare the thought of walking the 1km to the hotel so I flagged a horse and carriage to negociate a ride. How much? $5 In Peso? $200(which is $6) I said no, how about $120 pesos? That's all I have. The driver said sure. Then Pat helpfully pipes up "Don't worry I have more!" I quickly turned to her "Shut up, no you don't. Get in."

We were laughing so hard and our driver was great. We did end up giving him a nice tip and we were laughing so hard I think people probably thought we were drunk as we pulled up. It was a very successful day. But the nicest thing was that at our team meeting at the end of day, Pat said that she was most impressed with my work and skill that day that she would have no trouble trusting me with her eyes. That is the best compliment anyone can give you.