Hope

The challenges of life with a lymphatic malformation

/ EsperanzaHFTC / Leave a comment

 

Ostin-Rick

It’s been almost a month since Ostin received his first surgery at Lenox Hospital, in New York City. The surgery and recovery went well, and Ostin was thrilled when the drainage tube was removed and the medications were finished. He was freer to play and became more relaxed and engaging with us, and met new friends, as well.

This past weekend, his eye became more swollen and bruised. Reluctantly, I texted a picture to one of his physicians, not wanting to bother him on a Sunday but concerned he might need immediate attention. The doctor wondered if he had a hemorrhage, and said if the pain was tolerable, he could wait for his scheduled appointment on Tuesday.

As it turned out, it was not a hemorrhage, rather it was lymphatic fluid which had built up. Early this morning, Ostin underwent anesthesia and then the doctor was able to remove 5 cc’s of fluid, and give him steroid injections to the upper and lower eyelids.

Once again, Ostin showed his spirited self…protesting the abstinence of food/liquid before the procedure, and making it known that he wanted to leave the hospital ASAP. He thought he could hasten the process by removing his hospital ID and the IV himself.

Ostin is happy to be back home, snuggled in his bed. The nurse had suggested giving him tylenol but we have learned, he would rather deal with the pain than swallow any medicine. Hopefully, Ostin will continue to make strides in the treatment of his lymphatic malformation. His next surgery is scheduled for March 25th.

 

Honduras Prison Fire

/ EsperanzaHFTC / 2 Comments

Honduran Firefighter (from cnn.com) Picture from CNN.com

This post is written by Rick Lania

We would like to let everyone know that Emily, Tom, and the Moir family who are currently in Honduras with them are all safe and sound at this time. As many news outlets are reporting, there was a major fire in a Comayagua prison last night. There are discrepancies from what Emily has told me is being said in Honduras and what is being reported online but the death toll is in the hundreds.

Before my family built a house in Honduras, we use to stay at Hotel Santa Maria which is located right next to this prison and is only separated by a soccer field. I’m still in a bit of shock that this place I use to run by all the time is now gone and so many lives were lost.

When I spoke with Emily this morning she told me that they were still attempting to take the kids to school in Comayagua but were unsure if it would be open or if they would even be able to get there because you have to drive by the prison to get there. Emily, Tom, and Ana had also planned on touring a hospital in Comayagua with the Moirs today, to show them the conditions. But now with so many people in need of critical care that won’t be possible.

I’ll continue to keep Esperanza’s blog and facebook page updated as I recieve more information from Emily and Tom. Our thoughts are with all the Honduran families affected by this tragic event.

The More I Learn, The Less I Know

/ EsperanzaHFTC / Leave a comment

I often find myself reflecting on words of wisdom from Ana. She has told me before, ¨Emily, you will see the situation differently when you stay here for longer periods of time. People´s lifestyles will drive you crazy. They will be doing the same thing every day…watching t.v.¨It´s a sharp contrast to Ana who is in constant motion, with a racing mind whose words can´t keep up, and she often stops mid sentence and asks, ¨what were we talking about?¨Ana is so driven to help others, believing it is her responsibility to serve.

Even though Tom and I spent a month here from mid October to mid November, Ana is correct and I am seeing things in a new light. Our previous visit was consumed with projects around the house, patients to care for, families to visit, homework with the children, and new places to visit. This time I am here for 12 days before Tom´s arrival and I have had the opportunity to witness more deeply the reality of people´s lives. I am watching in depth their daily struggles for survival, and it´s wearing.

People often ask me, ¨are the people in Honduras happy?” I still don´t know how to answer that because I realize that people act differently when I am around. Although I´ve known many for years, there´s still so much I don´t know about their lives, feelings and dreams.

And yes, most of the people are doing the same thing day after day…and it´s difficult to know whether people lack initiative to change their lives or are stuck because they lack the knowledge, or there simply aren´t viable options. The resources here are so limited….in Flores, there is no playground or library. People suffer from boredom and the feeling spreads, and it is palpable. It is no wonder that people ¨escape¨with drugs and alcohol, and get sucked into gangs and violence.

Tom arrives tomorrow and I´m anxiously awaiting his arrival. I am grateful to have had the chance of being here alone because it is only through the experience that I truly could have learned. I look forward to being together and sharing the day´s events, and having someone else to lean on.

Our Home Has Become Their Sanctuary

/ EsperanzaHFTC / Leave a comment

For the past week, three children have been staying at our home. Astrid (7 years old) loves staying at our home because of the “calmness”…a break from her chaotic house which is located in the barrio referred to as ” punta caliente” (hot point because it’s dangerous and drugs are prevelant). Noel (10 years old) loves being at our home because there’s always plenty of food. His family  scrapes by on next to nothing….the previous day, they had butter (from their cow) and beans. Jairo (14 years old) loves being at our home because he craves the sense of family. Before going to bed, he will call from one room to the other “good night Mother.” Jairo’s mother went to the USA when he was a little boy, leaving him and his brother with an aunt, for several of their formative years. She met her husband there, and they are now living in Guatemala. Jairo didn’t feel like he belonged and returned to Flores and is living alone.

We will never be able to replace their families or their upbringings but we do hope our love and attention will give them a sense of worth and hope for a brighter future.

Update on Emily’s Trip

/ EsperanzaHFTC / Leave a comment

This post was written by Rick Lania

Last night I spoke with Emily and got to hear about some of the things she has been doing in Flores since arriving in Honduras almost a week ago. She has a bunch of new cases that she has began working on, including a 26 year old in need of a neurosurgeon. Noel, Wesly, Daniella, and Astrid all have exams this coming week so she has been helping them study.

As with all trips to Honduras unexpected events come up and there is a need react to them. This weeks event was a mentally disabled man walking down the middle of a highway. Ana feared not only for this man’s safety but the on coming traffic’s safety who might need to swerve out of the way to avoid him. A few people from Flores were able to secure this man and take him to a mental hospital. However, when they arrived at the hospital they learned there was a fee to admit him. Not having the resources to get help is a common issue for Hondurans but the people that took him there knew Emily would cover the expenses.

Being able to adapt is a major lesson I’ve learned during my trips to Honduras. As much as you want to set schedules and have a plan, that is not always possible. Unexpected events come out of no where, offices and stores will randomly be closed, people will be on strike, there are lots of power outages, and 100 other things you can’t plan for. You can plan for an end goal that you want to achieve but you have to be ready and willing to change the path to get there.

Searching for Hope…

/ EsperanzaHFTC / Leave a comment
Ana

Yesterday afternoon, I was having lunch with friends in Concord when I received a call from our friend and Honduran coordinator, Ana Hernandez. A family from Tegucigalpa had arrived at her house ( 1 1/2 hours away) looking for help from “the Americans” (us) for their 11 year old son. I asked how they knew about us, and her reply was, “they had talked with a friend of a relative of a child you helped who had a heart problem.”

This extremely impoverished family had gathered together enough money to travel to Ana’s in search of hope for their child. And now Ana was on the phone with me over 2,000 miles away, trying to explain the child’s medical condition. This young boy had been to the doctor in Tegucigalpa and was told he had skin cancer, and now he was wearing bandages over his eyes and had lost his sight.

Unfortunately, doctors give very minimal information to patients and parents, and often times it is not accurate. Therefore, many Hondurans have very little trust in the medical profession and believe that American doctors will offer better care. Thankfully, over the years we have developed some very trustworthy relationships with Honduran doctors. They are extremely accessible to us (giving their cell phone numbers) and will see our patients promptly. Peggy Kipps, executive director of The Ruth Paz Foundation will refer our patients to the American brigades she coordinates.

Although we cannot always offer a cure for the patients, we are able to give the parents accurate medical information in a compassionate manner. We also offer other resources (ie. physical therapy, medications, medical aids) which can assist the patient and their families with living with a particular illness or injury.

Last evening Tom (a pediatrician) talked with a woman assisting this child in need. She described his condition in greater detail and Tom asked for photos to be sent ASAP. We will be sending this child to San Pedro Sula to be seen by an eye specialist who treated one of our other children born with congenital glaucoma (and now has restored vision).

Once again we are reminded of Ana’s critical role in our work in Honduras. Without her, none of this would be happening. Ana offers her bilingual skills, endless hours of commitment to “her people”, is incredibly resourceful, has trusted relationships in every corner from her neighbors, to political officials to the medical community. She is very intelligent about everything from how the water system works to explaining to us local customs, traditions and beliefs. She truly is the Honduran heart and soul of Esperanza, and we are grateful for her presence in our lives.