Rewarding

In my last post, I wrote about spending a day with a group of doctors who came to Guatemala with the non-profit Partner for Surgery. I think Partner for Surgery is an incredible well-organized and mission-focused NGO that does a lot of amazing work here in Guatemala. Below is a personal account from Todd Peterson, one of the co-founders of the organization. My contribution to Partner for Surgery was minimal, but it gives me great joy to have even spent just a day helping an organization that does so much good in the lives of poor rural indigenous Guatemalans.

“My favorite patient experience of all time has to be Don Francisco Ixcay from Chisec. Blind for 13 years, he was led around town by his grandson, whom he had never even seen. There was a huge party of unprecedented proportions in his village for the inauguration of a new road connecting them to Chisec. Everyone was there, free food, marimba, dancing, and yes, fireworks. The only person missing from the festivities was Don Francisco. Upon realizing his absence, one of his neighbors went to look for him and found him, trapped in his home crying because he was unable to join in the celebration. This story was recounted to us at our first eye clinic in Chisec when Dr. John Cheatham first evaluated his vision. John put two fingers up in front of Francisco’s face and asked him to count them. Francisco, trying to cooperate started taking random guesses...2? 4? 1? He was very embarrassed when everyone laughed out loud. That day John operated on Francisco’s right eye. The next morning he removed the protective cotton patch and again held up two fingers in front of Francisco’s face. His emotions prevented him from answering but as he reached out and gently touched John's finger, a tear ran down his cheek and we were all conscious of the miracle that seemed to be taking place. Francisco's tears were soon followed by those of his son, and then followed by my own and everyone else's in the room. Then he called his grandson over and hugged him, but when his grandson tried to take his arm as he had done so many times before, Francisco shook him off, got up and walked out the door on his own.”