Just a typical Monday

     Interesting how when one becomes accustomed to their daily routine how some unsual things seem to be ordinary and simple. 

     I will describe the day of work I was reflecting upon. It was a Monday morning a national holiday and a day off of work for all the staff that did not have a call in the hospital, myself included. I woke up to a cell phone call at 6am from our nurse who was in Iquitos for the long weekend. She was able to receive a message (as our fixed telephone lines were down) from an outpost about an 8 year old boy who was with a fever and very sick. So my day off turned into a beautiful day trip on the river. I called one of our boat drivers; a nurse technico in the hospital as well. By 730am we had our supplies, IV medicines and fluids, stethoscope, etc and off we went. After 4 hours on the river we found a gentleman sitting in a hollowed out tree trunk fashioned into a canoe. He directed us to the river branch where the patient, one of our technicos and the patient’s father were awaiting our arrival. Our technico from the nearest health post jumped into his boat and started an IV and antibiotics the night prior and was in contact with our nurse in Iquitos via a solar powered laptop and internet.  The child was waxing and waning in alertness but we arrived to Santa Clotilde that afternoon without problem.  He had pneumonia by exam and we adjusted some of his medications. On physical exam we noted swelling to his L wrist and thigh/knee. I was very concerned about the infection being in his bloodstream and entering his joints. The next morning he went on our boat with one of our nurses another 6 hours down to the regional hospital in Iquitos. He had x rays and was diagnosed with a severe pneumonia and septic joints. He stayed in the hospital several weeks, but recovered.

I give thanks for the dedicated workers we have on our river and the resources to be able to continue the work Padre Jack, Padre Moe and all the workers who elevated the level of care to be able to respond to needs of the over 300km of river we cover. God is Good.

Brian