Wrapping Things Up in Santo Domingo

As with any project, there are several loose ends that I am trying to organize for my final 2 weeks at CMHH. One, of the biggest questions with service projects in sustainability. This is very difficult given the fact that there are very few physical therapy schools in Ecuador, and if there was a therapist available to work at CMHH, it would be difficult to pay them. Thankfully there are other options.  As I have mentioned earlier, Mercedes has been around since UK partnered with CMHH. She has been working with physical therapists closely since the brigades began several years ago. Over the last 5 months, I have had the privilege of working with her and I think we have both learned a lot. At this point, I think Mercedes is ready to carry out exercises with the patients until the next brigade comes down. However, Mercedes has many other responsibilities in the clinic and community. So this week and next week, 2 community volunteers have agreed to accompany Mercedes and I on the home therapy visits. My hope is the 2 community volunteers will be able to assist Mercedes with her extra workload.

Next Friday, Maggie and I will be going to Puerto Quito, not the same as Quito, to give an in-service to a group of physical therapist on the management of low back pain. I haven’t decided how much Spanish that I am going to use, but at least I have Maggie to interpret. Needless to say, it will be mostly interactive and demonstrations. It should be fun.

The research project at CMHH seemed to be successful. We looked at home exercise adherence rates and found that the rates were fairly similar to what we find in the States at this time. The students at USA analyzed and presented the data for their thesis project and won an award!!!!  In the next 2 weeks, I am trying to collect some information on the reasons why the non-adherent patients were non-adherent, so that we can begin to make some corrections for future brigades.

So much to do and so little time to do it. Pray that we accomplish what God wants in the next few weeks.

Matteo