dr. feelgood

Trying to blog more frequently about regular, daily activities...

I took a 14 year old boy to the doctor yesterday because he had had blood coming out of his ear for 3 days and a lot of pain. He went by himself down to the clinic in the market that treats kids from the streets for free, and they gave him a shot and some medication that really didn't help him at all. So when I ran into him yesterday and saw that he wasn't any better, I took him up to a doctor I know not too far from the bridge.

This doctor is a great find... I know I could take the kids down to the free clinic, but it takes half a day to get a check-up and the care is lousy. So, thanks to faithful financial supporters, I've been taking the kids to a doctor who has an office just about 4 blocks from the bridge. He's stitched up the kids, treated them (and me) for scabies, pulled splinters out of their eyes, cut open puss-filled and infected lips (twice), and cared for any number of colds and infections. He's good because he's not the least bit put-off by the kids from the street, and he treats them with respect. He chats with them about basic hygiene and the dangers of street life, and we've never had to wait more than 5 minutes! (That's priceless in Bolivia!)

I try to approach everything I do with the kids in a way that will give them back their dignity and boost their self-esteem. And so not taking them places where they're going to be lumped into a group and labeled "street kid" seems worthwhile, even if it means forking out a little cash.

The boy I brought yesterday ended up needing drops and more medication for his ear, but hopefully he'll be fine in a few days. The whole thing cost about $10. Not too shabby.

As for the title of this post, well, I've been listening to lots of 80s rock at the gym...