Week 2 in hospital

I have seen some new and familiar diseases in the hospital this week. We see a bit of HIV and TB. I have seen these before, but the main difference is how advanced they get. I think it is because these diseases are often picked up sooner in the US. People that live in rural areas have a harder time making it to hospitals. I have heard of and seen patients that have relied on traditional healers which has delayed the doctor visit. Here is a list of traditional beliefs that was given to us in a talk by one of the Boilivian doctors. (disclaimer: this talk was given in Spanish and is my translation, take it for what its worth) This is not a list of bad beliefs, just of beliefs. However, some of these do not improve the health of the Boilivian population. 1. To take and rely on herbs and teas, different ones for different types of pain. I believe chewing on coca leaves is good for stomach pain. 2. To take herbs and teas to get a baby to be born sooner. 3. I am not positive on the translation, but toss a pregnant women around by putting her on a blanket and throwing her up and and down to help the baby. I didnt understand the Spanish on how it was supposed to help the baby. 4. No bathing until 45 days after birth for the mother. 5. No light or sunshine 45 days after the birth. I think this has something to do with evil spirits. 6. Wrap the baby very tight with multiple layers. 7. Do not cut the baby`s fingernails as it has a connection with them becoming robbers. 8. Calling on spirits of dead people for help. 9. Using massage on particular points of the body to relieve stress and pain. 10. The mom makes all the medical decisions and gets all the respect and honor. There are times that I hear diseases as a possibility, or on the differential, that we would not consider in the US very often. We saw a cyst on an xray, and the doctor thought it could probably be a hydatid cyst, a type of parasite. I saw a little girl recovering from leishmania today, another type of parasite I have only read about. Today is Childrens Day in Bolivia. Per my little Internet search, it said it was to highlight the exploitation of children and declare their rights since many children are forced to work at very young ages, etc. What I have seen is a lot of balloons and clowns and games throughout the city. In the hospital, we were visited by famous soccer players from the top soccer team in La Paz, clowns, and people in zeebra costumes. One of the players I had seen on tv the previous week. I clearly was not as excited as the Bolivian medical students who knew them well, but it was fun to be a part of. A quick random fact: in Boilivia, the traffic is crazy. Lanes seem somewhat optional, like turning left from the right lane, red lights also seem optional. And there is often no stop in traffic so you just kind of have to cross the street when it seem the most possible or when there are so many cars they are forced to stop. I kind of try and stick close to a Bolivian person and do what they do. The government or somebody recognizes this and since they apparently refer to the striped crosswalks as zeebras, they have these volunteers in zeebra costumes control the traffic. I saw a car stop in the middle of the crosswalk after the light was red, and 3 zeebras surrounded the car and kind of waived their flags and shook their heads. I have to say, I like it.