Monday, June 24, 2013

Inti Raymi

view of Inti Raymi
I smushed into a combi on my way to Plaza de Armas, Cusco. Like everyone else in the combi I was on my way to Inti Raymi festival. Inti Raymi (aka Festival of the Sun) is the most important celebration in Cusco. It celebrates the Inca god Inti. Since 1944 a theatrical show has been put on for the public at Sacsayhuaman Inca Ruins.

I met up with my Peruvian friend to climb up to Sacsayhuaman. We joined the mass of people climbing the stairs to the ruins. On the way we were bombarded with vendors selling everything from hats to popsicles and cuy (guinea pig) to bollywood movies. We found a space on the hill overlooking the ruins of Sacsayhuaman. We waited for over 2 1/2 hours for the ceremonies to start.
crowds at Inti Raymi

It was entertaining seeing the crowed yell at each other for standing up or blocking the view. Bottles, rocks and orange peels flew through the air at people who were blocking the view. When the ceremonies started the crowed got even rowdier pushing ans shoving everyone forward to get a better view.

The actors danced and marched onto the field as drums pounded. The ceremony ends with the sacrificing of a llama, but now they sacrifice a fake llama.

fried sweet noodles
After the ceremony my friend and I walked around through the festivities. There were games to play, fussball, bouncy houses, and blow-up slides. The smell of roasting cuy (guinea pig) and anticucho (cow heart) and huatia (potatoes and oka cooking in a fire pit under ground) filled the air.

We sat down to enjoy fried egg over rice and papas fritas (french fries). We ate ducle fideos frito (sweet fried noodles) which sounds weird, but was very good. We spent the day walking around enjoying the crowed, food and sounds. Cusco was alive, everyone was on the streets enjoying what cusco does best, partying.
Cuy roasting over open fire

People dancing, playing music and putting on shows for the public. Street vendors lined the streets calling to passer-bys to come look at their goods.

After a long day I crowded onto another filled combi, that was so full that the door would not even close. Packed like sardines we rocked from side to side as the combi weaved through the streets of Cusco. I arrived back home just in time for dinner.

huatia



Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Scrub In Peru


For a medical student the first time you scrub into a surgery is an important event. Today I had the opportunity to scrub into not just one, but two surgeries occurring at the same time in the same room.  Not only was it the highlight of my day, it was unique because it was in Cusco, Peru with medical missionaries from around the world.

I woke up at 5am today before the sun was up to walk to the Mother Teresa house to accompany one of the kids ( I will call him A to protect his identity) to the hospital. I wheeled the wheelchair over bumpy sidewalks with holes and rocks. I maneuvered through crazy Cusco traffic and lifted the chair over curbs. I realized how wheelchair unfriendly Cusco is.

We arrived at the hospital at 6:30 am for the surgery. We waited in the lobby for 3 hours before we were called in. We helped get the boy ready by removing cloths and dressing him in a cute hospital gown.

The wonderful nurses and the new toy
When the doctor arrived I asked it I could accompany A into the OR. The doctor looked at me in my scrubs and said "why not". I followed the doctor into a not so sterile operating room where one procedure was already underway on a 2 month old baby with cleft palate. I helped the doctor place the pulse oximeter and the blood pressure cuff, he even asked if I wanted to place the IV. Since I have only had experience placing one I declined the temptation.

We then started the procedure wich included fillings, crowns and removal of four teeth. While helping out with this procedure I was also able to watch a bilateral cleft palate surgery on the 2 month old right next door. The gurneys were literally side by side and I was right in the middle.

The cleft palate doctor even let me pull up him mask when it was falling down. Although I did not do much I learned so much while talking with the doctors. They all seemed very interested in teaching and talk about their specialties. Their were general surgeons, pediatric oral surgeons, anesthesiologist and surgical technicians who all had advice for my coming years of medical school.

A and his care team ( i look super excited)
When I was standing in the OR today I remembered why I am in medical school. I saw my future self in the doctors that come on these medical campaigns. The doctors who work tirelessly from 6am until 10pm saving the lives and bettering the futures of children who otherwise could not afford care.

The A  had a successful surgery. He will be able to eat better and will be in less pain than he was before. After removing his IV, giving him a Tylenol suppository and the amazing volunteer nurses giving him a new cloths and a stuffed animal to take home, we wheeled him back through the crazy streets of Cusco back to his home at the Mother Teresa House. 

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Mother Teresa House Cusco


Last Monday I started volunteering with Maximo Nivel in Cusco. I was placed in Mother Teresa house to work with children with disabilities. When I arrived to the orphanage I was thrown into a room full of children and volunteers. There is about 20 children who live at the Mother Teresa House in Cusco. Their disabilities range from Down Syndrome to Muscular Dystrophy.

We start the day at 8am by undressing and showering each kid. This is a very labor intensive task. Some children can't move their arms and legs and most of them can't communicate. Once the children are down bathing we put on diapers and dress them in fresh cloths. Most of them are placed into wheel chairs and tied in with scarves and belts since they don't have built in restraints. Most of the wheel chairs have flat wheels, some are impossible to steer through the narrow hallways.
A from Mother Teresa

After the kids are dressed we wheel a select group into the play room. Here we do physical therapy with the children as well as play with them. The donated toys are mostly broken and missing parts. Most of the toys that are suppose to make noise are broken. A select group of toys are the favorites but the remainder end up on the floor anyway.

After physical therapy we wheel the children into the dinning room for lunch. This is also challenging since many of the children are sick and prefer not to eat. Some children can eat by-themselves but must be watched so they don't steel other food or spill their bowls on the ground. Some children forget that spoons exist and begin eating with their hands. Most of the children must be fed by the volunteers. It can take 30 mins to an hour to feed each child. Each volunteer feeds two children.

Once the children finish eating we attempt to brush their teeth. Most children will bat the brush away or bite the brush preventing the volunteers from moving the brush. Once their teeth are brushed we put them back into their bedroom.

Volunteers from UMDNJ -SOM
After we put the children back in their room we leave for the day. We usually head back to our families house for lunch.

After lunch I head downtown on the bus for my tandem class. In tandem class I meet up with two Peruvian women to speak in Spanglish. I teach them English and they teach me Spanish. We spend one to two hours talking in a coffee shop or walking around cusco.

I get home around 6:30pm to eat dinner with the family and spend the rest of the night talking to my roommates.


Sunday, June 9, 2013

GOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!



FĂștbol (soccer) is big all around the world, especially in Peru. On Friday Peru won 1-0 against Ecuador and I was here to share in the celebrations. 

Friday lunch consisted of ceviche (raw fish) with sweet potato, and regular potato and rice that was prepared skillfully by my friend Olga in her home. The fish was bought that morning fresh from the market. 




We took a micro (minibus) which costs 1 sol to visit La Punta. Here we hired a rowboat to take a tour of the surrounding area. I got to try rowing, it was very hard. After La Punta we went to the market for some shopping and snacks. 


When we arrived back home I cooked pasta for the family and we sat down to watch the Peru - Ecuador game. Everyone was very emotional, yelling and screaming throughout the game. When Peru scored its first goal, everyone jumped up and started screaming and hugging each other. 


After the game we went out dancing (tonear) in Miraflores. Everyone was in the streets wearing Peru jerseys and waving flags. People were chanting and sounding horns as they walked down the streets. We danced the night away celebrating Peru's win.