IFC December pg. 3

COMMUNITY AID
Susan Davalos R.N.
Tel: 044-322-111-5115
Email: pedroysusan@hotmail.com

I have missed a few of the deadlines that enable me to keep you current in the community needs. Needless to say, it is the community needs that keep me busy and unable to meet deadlines.
 

I would first like to thank Dale Hansen. He is our own professional photographer and he uses his skills to show our community to you. He has worked for us on many occasions, too many to count. It was his beautiful work that you saw at the last meeting, projected on the screen. We are planning something from the community at every meeting in the form of pictures. I can go on for hours with what's what, but nothing shows like the photos we have. His lovely wife Marian has been a great help with the social part of the Cleft Palate program. She has a great heart just to play games and be with the kids as well as help me out in the areas that I need.
 

Thanks to the huge efforts of our newest members of the medical team, Nicolas and his wonderful sister, Vanina Gandia, we have put together a directory of all the children that attended the last consultations. We will be adding to it each session. The directory includes vital statistics as well as a little socio-economic info about the family, history of the deformities and previous care rendered. Dale and his wife provided a picture of each child for us to match up with their folder. While I have worked on this for 3 years, what was really needed was the professional hand of the Gandia family. Vanina is computerizing all of our patient data...all of this while just having a third child! She loves working with this program as "all of her girls have been blessed by God and were born healthy and with beautiful smiles".
 

Working in the community will often bring us to the brink of tears or at least to thankfulness from the heart that we indeed have so much. It is a gift that we want to share and a way to do that gives something back to the community; a way of giving Thanksgiving. There are so many parts of the Club that reach out...a place for everyone! If you do not speak Spanish we have needs on Wed. and Thurs. at the home tours. There is also Membership Services. Just collecting a few new memberships can bring in the extra money to pay for another surgery or another family to have rice and beans for a month. We can use help in all of the meetings, setting up and breaking down. We support the Red Cross and the Santa Barbara Rehabilitation Center. We provide food for two shelters in the area, which are in the works to expand. We provide a small amount of assistance to a very special group that helps families with disabled kids. All of these projects bring a ray of hope into a life. That is what we do---all of us working together.

MEDICAL EDUCATION
Pamela Thompson
Tel: 223-1695
Cell:044-322-294-0650
Bus.Tel:226-1014
Email: PMT15@hotmail.com

I thought it would be easier to send this in a “mass mailing” rather than individually. Of course, I am happy to answer individual questions and address individual concerns.
A few months ago, we were assured, 100% that there would be a sufficient supply of the flu vaccine here in Puerto Vallarta. The representatives promised that there would be no shortage, as in the United States and Canada. We did receive a small amount here and there but we were only ordering a few at a time.
 

Last week, I received a call from the representative here in Puerto Vallarta, informing me that there was “now a shortage”. This was on Tuesday morning. He assured me that I would have 30 vaccines for Friday and Saturday patients that I had scheduled. Then, on Thursday, he informed me that there were none. After attempting to contact all of the distributors in Mexico and receiving the same information, I then had to accept the fact that I was not going to get the vaccines as promised. They have “assured” me that by the end of the month, when we have the Flu Clinic scheduled, there will be a sufficient amount. Honestly, I really doubt this. If it does happen, then fantastic! But I would like to prepare for no vaccine at all. It seems that the Mexican Government has purchased all available vaccines. I can only hope that these are for the Mexican people and not being sold to the United States and-or Canada!
 

So, for now, everything is “on hold”. I will be in touch later in the month to keep you posted.
In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact me for any questions or concerns that you might have regarding the flu vaccine or any other health related matters.

We're gathering goods for the Bazaar--it's not too early if you have to clean out your closets and cupboards or garage for the upcoming holidays. We'll be awaiting your call. Small things or large, old and perhaps some new, will excite an anxious buyer.
 

Let's make this annual event a day of fun for the buyer and a great satisfaction for the donor. It may just be that everyone will find something they have to have.
 

Bring on the goods! And thanks in advance for all that you do.