Last week we spent an afternoon at the hot springs. Driving up, the sulfer smell got really strong. There are quite a few hot springs around because of all of the volcanoes. It was really beautiful with all of the trees around yet also different than I expected. There were three hot spring pools with cement surrounding them. The one pool was the filler which used its water to fill the other two...with the other 2 being lower than the first. Someone from the community has been designated to clean it and maintain the pools therefore it costs a few dollars. Its really interesting because with the hotmsprinmgs and many other activities in the area they have a discounted price for those who can't afford much, then the local price, then the local foreigner price, then the foreigner price. Mmany of the locals take their showers there and there is a washing station for laundry so they don't have to use their own water. There were a few families swimming, people sshampooing their hair, and then women doing laundry which takes about three hours for a medium size load because its all by hand. The Nicaraguans also have a different idea of modesty than we do. They all wore their clothes in the hot springs because bathing suits are too revealing. Also, many wear jeans in this hot weather but with more form fitting tank tops\shirts. However, breastfeeding in public is extremely prevalent with no cloth covering as would happen in the states. But then when the pediatric surgeon comes in she is always wearing heels and tight fitting clothing that no US doctor would ever wear. I am still trying to figure out cultural dress.
Us at the hot springs
Laundry day
Later that day we went to see the highly respected natural healer in the community. Nicaragua is moving mainly towards western medicine and the natural healer works with the the community doctors. For example, if there is a non compliant patient who wants to see the natural healer instead, the doctor will talk to the healer and even give medications that the patient won't take from the doctor. Also, she has anti parasitic medications along with natural herbs and a sauna (hand made). Luckily, I did not need the sauna. She uses her hands to detect energy through your body and then snaps her fingers ifsomething is "bad". For me, she said I had two vertebrae out in my back so she gave me a really nice massage. I also had no ovarian cysts and a great immune system. Another friend had a bad liver and parasites. I should mention that besides the clinic, there are so specific stores or shops, everyone sells things out of their home. So the local barber works from home, little stores are in front of a persons house, the bakery only makes goods by request from her home, and the natural healer works out of her home. So at the natural healers I had to use the bathroom, she had me climb over a fence where the pigs were and that's where her latrine was. She then walked away and one of the pigs started chasing me so i had to run into the latrine! It then lost interest but I also ran out of there! Overall, it was a great experience and i was able to learn about natural healing!
Natural Healer
One really nice aspect of this community is that everyone has a role. For example, kids with Down Syndrome don't go to a different school but instead become productive members of society and no one looks at them differently. Every Friday, there is therapy for all of the kids in need of physical therapy or therapy for cognitive delay. Many infants are slow to start talking and walking because their mother's never put them down long enough to start using their own strength. Also, the concept of talking to infants is lost here therefore, many babies aren't saying any words at 2/2.5 years. The kids I saw in therapy had different types of issues. One girl has cerebral palsy so we performed exercises with her. Another girl was born with myelomeningocele (spina bifida). She has surgery and now has subsequent paralysis. That can get better with therapy and time, she is only 3 months now. She also has hydrocephalus which is when there is too much fluid in the brain. She is having surgery (a shunt) to fix it. Her mother didn't take any prenatal vitamins and so this was a product of not enough folic acid because as I said earlier, parasites love leafy greens so people can't eat them.
Hasta Pronto!
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