Tuesday, February 26, 2008

República Dominicana: Day Four

Tuesday February 19, 2008

The same routine this morning: a sluggish 6:30am wakeup, breakfast, packing the bus, and splitting off into two groups. Our destination today: Batey #4.

The first thing that hits is the strong odor of manure throughout the Batey. A little poorer than Batey #7. We all occupy the same building this time: a schoolhouse. Docs in the rear, pharmacy off to one side, the waiting queue on the other, and triage at the front door. Again, manure. A rather well-manicured baseball field occupies the space next to our spot. However, due to the nature of our pharmacy workload, I am unable to really go over and take some photos. Kids are playing baseball everywhere we go: with broomhandles and beercaps. Incredible.

130 patients seen, approximately 400 RX's filled.

We're back at 5:00pm and after that wonderful cool shower (I no longer care we can't get HOT water) it's dinner and a hilarious evening of karaoke. There is a hut on the grounds were local wares are sold, and salesman Anthony can get us anything we want. He mentioned Monday that he would bring cigars, and he did. Cubans, Dominicans, the lot of it. Stubby Dominican robustos and long Cuban monsters are burned with reckless abandon....by everybody. The irony of a medical mission trip moistened by Scotch and beer and fired up with Cubans is not lost on anybody.

Karaoke brings us to 11:00pm and then conversation takes us again to the a.m.

This is a fun group. We all work hard, and we play hard.

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