Tuesday with the Wheelchair Team

Today the wheel chair team (Georganna, Susan, Laura, Kate, Lauren, Krista, Danielle and Kaitlin, also we borrowed Stephanie and Lisa from the sensory team) visited Misioneros del Camino (Missionaries of the Highway). This is the same outpatient clinid that the sensory team was at yesterday. We were fitting kids with wheelchairs which we laboriously carried from the United States. Today, we understand why we made such a challenging effort.

Not only were we able to give new wheelchairs to eight children, but we were also able to modify four other children’s wheelchairs in order to provide more comfort and function. Many of the children were entertained by our driver, Rolando, with nearly life size puppets with disabilities (crutches, walkers, leg braces). The most touching portion of our day was with two young sisters who have osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease). Both of the girls needed wheelchairs and serendipitously we had two chairs that fit the girls nearly perfectly. In addition we were able to provide the oldest with a walker as well in order to allow her to continue walking. The two girls were overjoyed with their new chairs. Upon leaving the clinic both the mom and dad thanked us graciously. While the mom was hugging Georganna, she began crying tears of joy led to everyone in the room crying as well.

It was almost a blessing in disguise that Stephanie joined our group today because one of the children she evaluated yesterday returned for a wheelchair evaluation. When evaluating him for a wheelchair, Stephanie saw an improvement in the child. The aunt of the child told Stephanie that she had worked on his exercises with him all night! (If only all our patients did their homework with such enthusiasm.)

The staff were so appreciative of our help they provided us with a delicious lunch of carne, rice, potatoes and amazing tortillas that we tried not to scarf down. In addition, we were given the most amazing caramel cake we have ever tasted. During lunch we talked with the staff about their one and a half hour journey they make daily to come to work, as well as their experience at Misioneros del Camino.

Even though we were able to give eight children wheelchairs, we were short on chair and unable to provide a little boy, Diego, with a much needed chair. However, we were able to teach his mom ways to improve core strength and reduce spasticity (muscle stiffness)

Fun Story:

Pulling into the Lutheran Center, the truck with all of our supplies was being unloaded by three students (Kaitlin, Krista, and Lauren) and Steve Osborne (our main contact in Guatemala and founder of Amor del Nino). Georganna instructs the driver (Rolando) to go slowly so we don’t have to help. Rolando then backs the van up slowly because we “forgot to check out the parking lot”. The last bag was being taken inside when we pulled up to the entrance.

Quote of the Day:

“The dog is being walked.”—Dr. Mark, Dean of the College of Social Science, Health, and Education.

Now this quote needs some explaining. The entire ride to and from the orphanage Georganna tried to find skinny dogs to feed. With no luck on the way home, after even circling Antigua, we finally see a dog. Georganna is so excited to have a dog to feed only to find out the dog was being walked by his owner.

Danielle (student) and Susan (therapist)