Manuela...

I met Manuela back in September 2014...

Manuela is 88 years old, widowed, and lives with her younger sister.
She worked in Guatemala City for the majority of her life
and never had children.
After retiring, she moved back to San Lucas and lives in a very poor home
with no income and very little savings.

When I was reacquainted with Manuela again in April 2015,

I noticed that her right foot was missing 3 toes due to a dry gangrene infection.

She was taken to the hospital in San Lucas to examine the infection
before possibly transferring her to the national hospital
in Sololá for surgery.

Upon arriving at the hospital, the medical doctor noticed how much pain

Manuela was experiencing as she was transferred to the ER bed.

He ordered 2 x-rays of her hips and found that both were broken...

one hip had an impacted fracture...

the other was displaced.

And this 88 year old woman was STILL WALKING!

 

Unfortunately, Manuela is too far advanced in age to be operated on...

but she was able to given measures to deal with her fractured hips

and was also given aspirin to deal with her poor circulation 

which is causing the gangrenous infection in her right foot.

May we give thanks for the access we have to medical care

in the United States...

and pray for those who work hard to heal others through medicine.