Today we started off by seeing the local police. We traveled up the hill from Pana to Solola to the police headquarters in the region. We treated this underserved, underpaid group of professionals with integrative care. From physical medicine to pharmacology treatments we used it all to treat these people. We also opened up the clinic to all family, friends and neighbors in the area. I oversaw a few interesting cases such as kidney stones, STD’s, heart block, IBS, and general physical aliments. One of the Generals (who I saw the last two years as a patient) sent me away with a tradition mayan blessing for a safe return. Also a film crew interviewed me while I was at the police station on the type of work I do and how I became involved with Naturopathic Medicine for Global Health.
After the hospital I took a small group of students for home visits. We saw many interesting cases. One of these cases was a 60 year old woman who is a type two diabetic with a blood glucose of 476. This number is very very high. This was even with extensive insulin therapy. She experienced a stroke earlier this year and was released from the hospital without any treatment plans. We found the patient lying in her bed not moving afraid to open her eyes (her original doctors told her if she opens them her eye balls will pop out). We did a complete patient intake. On our physical exam we noted the beginnings of bed sores along with advanced neuropathy. The patient also had no vitality/will to live. We came up with our treatments and told her we would come back the following day. We prescribed a herbal compound, a naturopathic aldose reductase inhibitor for neuropathy, asked her family to preform certain exercises for the pt, asked her grand children to read to her every night, told the family that they needed to inject the insulin as prescribed, and I also prescribed a homeopathic drug based on her collaspse nature and lack of vitality. After this patient we travel to a few more homes. Met so many thankful patients, played soccer with some kids, and played with a few kittens. After this long day we headed out for dinner and the rest is history.
