Things are getting busy at Belize Cancer Center! Dr. Grant arrived from LA at 11am on Tuesday and his appointments started at noon. He's a really sweet, soft spoken man. Born and raised in Dangriga before going to the states to study at University of California at San Diego School of Medicine. He works around LA rotating between hospitals as a hematologist and an oncologist. In 2008, with the help of his cousin and with Nurse Obi already on board, they opened the center.
Each day this week we have 12-15 patients on the schedule. Emily and I check vitals of all the patients that come in and the place gets crowded really quickly- Belizians travel in family packs. Temperature, weight, bp, resps, pulse. Some patients are just coming in for their yearly post-chemo check-ups, some still are receiving chemo and have their drug combos re-evaluated, and some are new patients who have been seeing doctors in Guatemala or elsewhere (outside belize) and wish to start treatment at the Center or some have not yet started treatment anywhere. There are some funny things that happen around, like this man who confused the words 'appetizer' for appetite when he was explaining that he 'just didnt have any appetizer any more'. Or the tons of babies who tag along and want to be held by everyone. I help Nurse Obi start the treatments that are still being done but she's really the wonder woman. Tuesday we had chemo treatments going from 9am until 5pm, and today all morning long. Dr. Grant is busy all day, one on one with patients, but whenever I see him he always has some kind of joke to crack or nice thing to say.
It doesn't get to an absolute insane level of crazy in there, but I wouldnt know how they would get by with just the three of them in there. I feel like one of the most important things I do is go and get lunch for them! I do come home very tired though, and that's why this post is kind of weak haha
about my travel plans, i met a couple that was doing a year long round the world trip and they said that i had to go to Lanquin, Guatemala (ali- where Mark Mellette had those amazing pictures of the river). It will probably take me a day and a half to reach, but I think it's going to be worth it. Another appeal of Guatemala... its SO CHEAP! dorm beds for US$4 and food for pennies. I cant wait :)
love you guys and be home before ya know it.
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