Last Week!

So this whole entire trip has been quite an adventure. First we spend a month in Costa Rica learning Spanish and Engineering. Then we practice what we learned in Nicaragua at our hospital in Jinotepe. Along the way, we have seen many tourist spots ranging from Monte Verde to Ometepe Island. The work though has been very fulfilling. Our total count includes that of fixing 32 machines over these 4 weeks. We have probably put $15,000 worth of medical equipment back into service. The hospital seemed very appreciative, and we were just glad to help. When the doctors here are so good, they need the help to accompany their great service. I feel as if Nicaragua has the bright minds to accomplish what it wants but it is being held back by bureaucracy. Overall, I feel that a lot has been accomplished over these two months and I am sad to leave this place. I am very sure next year´s group will have a great time. And so, for the last time....signing out from Nicaragua...Manu

Week 3

So, week 3 has finally come to a close. It was a very interesting one with the usual success of fixing medical equipment. We now have gotten to a rate of about 9 per week. As of now, the count is 29 but more is certainly achievable before the the next week is over. We have fixed all sorts of equipment this week ranging from a necessary printer to 3 or four ekg machines. We even employed this new technique of creating ekg electrode pads out of the plastic seal from glass coke bottles, a nickle sewing clip, and some medical tape. It was very cool when we got to try this out on a patient to see beautiful and clear waves on the EKG monitor. The nurses very very appreciative. They even then decided to give us more equipment hidden away from most to see. We got handed another ekg which we are currently working on as well as a pulse oximeter that had a finicky power switch. We opened up the pulse oximeter and tightened the connections to get a new working oximeter. Success! In other news, we are working on our secondary project where we helping the hospital with a goverment ordered inventory of fridges by excel. It seems they will get new ones if we help them with this. We are also making instructional videos about using the ekg pads that we learned about. This coming Monday is hospital worker appreciation day so there is no work and a fiesta!

That is all for now.