Rocking Around Fisioterapia

December 11, 2010


ROCK AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE



Cool decorations from my friend Linda in San Diego

 Christmas is in the air everywhere here and I decided to join on up. This past weekend I had some friends over to my new house to celebrate my favorite time of year, we played silly holiday games and ate yummy food while drinking rumpopo and crème dementhe. What are these drinks you ask? Rumpopo is what they call eggnog down here in Honduras. I was introduced to this word by a local friend and we found the drink at an American supermarket in Choluteca where they had three different versions, with three different levels of alcohol, but all the same price. (Which reinforces my belief that they still know little about business in this country, because in the States all the 18% alcohol would have been $5 more expensive). Therefore, we went with the highest level so everyone could eat, drink, and be merry. The crème dementhe was a fine surprise, so I threw that in the cart, too and decided we could make peppermint con leche bebidas and martinis. After crossing everything off our list, we headed back to Orocuina with a friend, and as we tossed two backpacks, two earth friendly bags, and five plastic bags in the back, the watermelon went flying down a hill, where it promptly landed on a rock and cracked. (Note: I still saved it and cut it up as soon as we got home, but I wish you could have seen me running after it at the time). Once back in Orocuina, we tromped down the long, dusty road to my house from the Centro de Salud and said “Adios” to everyone along the way, before tossing the bags down on my newly made kitchen table.




Homemade hummus and toasted bread

 Back home, I would normally be making appetizers full of cream cheese and chocolate, but here in Honduras, those items are often hard to find. So, with a little help from my friends, we began carving up watermelon and pineapple, and I made homemade hummus for the first time ever in my life. I was super excited that it came out great and I will be making it again for many times to come! I ordered L100 of pan dulce (sweet bread) from the local rosquilla lady, who was super excited and told everyone in the community that I ordered L100 worth from her. Ha ha Thanks to Amanda, who brought me Hershey’s cocoa from her trip to the States last month, I made Hershey brownies and Cowboy cookies from my friend, Linda, who sent me the homemade recipe (pre-made in Ziploc bags, all I had to do was add eggs and vanilla!). Soon, we were all set and everyone showed up ready to “Rock Around the Christmas Tree.” My mom had sent me some fun Christmas games to share with my local friends, and we passed around a Christmas stocking full of weird items (Off!, flashlights, condoms) that everyone had to write down and see who got the most right. We also played “Pin the Nose on Rudolph” and the White Elephant game, which included a Spanish version of Home Alone 1,2,3, a whole watermelon, a large plastic candy cane and Oreo cookies. The night ended with a new tradition (very popular here in Honduras) of popping firecrackers, loud into the night, while dancing. It was a great way to celebrate Navidad aqui in Honduras and I was really happy to share it with both my PC friends and new Honduras counterparts.


Benicia playing the stocking game



Amanda with no idea where she is going



Pinning the nose on Rudolph



Lucy happy to get a new White Elephant gift

 Feliz Navidad to everyone!


FISIOTERAPIA





What my left shoulder looks like, being worked on



Many people have told me that the best way for me to learn Spanish is to find a Honduras boyfriend, but I beg to differ. I think the best way is to visit the doctor/hospital a lot. Some of you may recall my first visit to the dermatologist way back in July, upon which I could barely tell him when my birthday was. Here we are, six months, and many doctors visits later, and I am now in Tegucigalpa where in the last two days I have talked my way through the orthopedic surgeon, physical therapist, and radiologist. I am proud to say that I did all of this in Spanish and the physical therapist said my Spanish was “very good.” It’s always nice to hear this, even if they are lying to you. It’s also fun to go to the doctor, because they are one of the few people in Honduras who can pronounce my last name; it’s always fun to hear them say “Jenifer Bubenik” and then they repeat it like four times before trying to guess where my last name is from. They usually guess Poland or Germany and then I tell them Czechoslovakia and they ask if I speak Czech and if that’s where my parents are from and I have to go through this whole family geneology in the doctor’s office trying to explain that it was my great-great grandparents that came over like 100 years ago. Then they want to know what State I am from and I try to explain that I have three different States and that just confuses them more and before you know it I have been in the doctors office for 30 minutes and we haven’t even discussed my ailment.

I have been very fortunate to not have too many of the “normal” problems PCV’s of Honduras have…recurring diarrhea, stomach problems, skin diseases/bacterial infections, you get the picture. But, I have had a shoulder problem acting up, especially the last three months. I finally called the PCMO, who gave me some muscle relaxers, then sent me to Teguz and to the orthopedic surgeon. A funny old man, with lots of nose hairs, and just a few on the top of his head, he cracked me up with his jokes during the analysis of my shoulder. When he put his hands on my back he said “Well that’s interesting” and I was like “What?” So, yesterday I had a CAT scan to see if anything else was “interesting” on my upper left shoulder, but it came back clear and he recommended physical therapy. Yesterday afternoon I headed to see the physical therapist doctor, who was based in another hospital. There are so many hospitals and clinics in Teguz that I have lost count. But, I’m pretty sure I have been to all of them now. As I was sitting in the waiting room, I realized that if there is one place in this country that I might meet a man who is boyfriend material, it will be in this physical therapy hospital. I think I spotted some of the Honduras soccer team players there. And, what did I look like yesterday? Like a homeless PCV that had just rolled in off the bus and out of a CAT scan. It was like 60 degrees in Teguz and I have on flip flops and my old fleece jacket, all stained, my hair is not combed and bobby-pined to the side. I am so embarrassed. I must look better the next time I show up here. (Note: I have now gotten a new haircut and bought some new boots. Tomorrow I am returning home to get my make up and “better” clothes. This has turned from a physical therapy mission to a man meeting mission).

Anyway, so after getting all my papers stamped (I will write a whole ‘nother blog entry on the importance of the stamp in this country. You just have no idea….) the doctor and I laugh about the importance of the stamp and all the papers it takes for one PCV and physical therapy, then he sends me up to the 6th floor. I arrive and the door is locked, so I must push a button and wait to pass through. After I get accepted, they make an appointment for the next day and I’m on my way.


Not my photo (just pretend this is me)

 On Wednesday morning I headed back for my first physical therapy appointment. I climb all the way up to the 6th floor, buzz my way through and meet my new therapists. They are so funny and lively, dancing to Bon Jovi as they welcome me in. They show me to my little cubicle with a massage table and instruct me change into a hospital gown and lay down (Note: It is SOOOOO cold in Teguz right now. I live in the Southern part of the country, where it is still 90 degrees right now. I have rolled up into Teguz in flip flops, short sleeve shirts, and one old fleece. When they instruct me to change into this robe, it is a tad bit nipply. Where are the blankets?) The physical therapy starts and is followed by an ultrasound and a massage. The doctor puts her hands on my shoulder and says “Duele aqui?” Ah, yes! She hits the perfect spot, but it begins to feel better after the session. I get dressed and she tells me to come back tomorrow. I have 10 more days of therapy, including Christmas Eve. 10 days in Teguz, just me, my computer, therapy, and a few other volunteers, here and there. I’ll be doing work from my computer, but there aren’t a whole lot of people in my site who use Internet. I will take the time to begin preparing my SPA grants for February. Better to be prepared then not at all, right?