Day 7 - Here comes the rain

Today in the clinic we worked with some of the disabled residents on the Ranch. In all, there are 30-40 boys and girls with various disabilities. It can be difficult work, but rewarding. We ended up cleaning a lot of teeth and doing minor restorations on these folks. I also treated my first HIV+ patient today. Honestly, it affected me less than I thought it would. I guess we've been instilled with the correct ways to prevent transmission of disease in the clinic at UNC since day one. Accidents happen, but if you are aware of your surroundings, the risks are greatly minimized.

FYI Jessica, my favorite patient, came back today. We extracted another primary tooth which was really deteriorated. She did a wonderful job being still and was very brave when I had to give her the injection. All in all, there were a lot of good procedures done today and we also got the rising 2nd years (Norma and Derek) involved too. Both fill their first tooth today and also learned how to give injections.

After working we lounged around and played some Uno. Today was my day as I ended up winning 3 more games. Alas, Derek is still in the commanding lead with 10 or so wins. Dinner tonight was a treat of shells and pasta sauce with this awesome cheese that we get occasionally. In addition, we received two bananas which were fresh and extremely tasty.

After dinner, we went to the boys Hogars (dorms) and screened them for dental problems. It was a really quick screening, but it gave Dilcia a good idea of who on the Ranch needed treatment.

Almost as soon as we arrived back at the guest house, the rain came. The weather at the ranch is relatively constant. During the day it hovers in the low 80's and at night it's in the 70's. The rain has cooled the air down quite a bit tonight and I'm sure it'll be great sleeping weather.

It's difficult to beleive that we've been in Honduras for 7 days. I'm certainly enjoying my time in Central America and have learned a ton. Our plan at the moment is to leave the Ranch on Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning to head towards Copan. Copan is an awesome site filled with Mayan ruins and culture. The area is safe and supposedly has a good nightlife/restaurant scene. We will likely stay in Copan for a few days and then head towards Guatemala city where our professor is giving a seminar. For the last week of our stay, we'll likley spend time in Antigua.