Santiago & Mexican Healthcare (Part I)

Monday PM Update
Well, Santiago is hanging in there but has some fairly seriously complications from his appendix having ruptured. He endured a lengthy surgery last night and is expected to be in the hospital in San Cristobal for up to 1 week. There are several holes in his stomach and other damage that resulted from the ruptured appendix, and he has some fluid in his lungs. I am encouraged by my knowledge of Santiago as a person....strong, determined and courageous. I also know that he is surrounded by lots of family who love him.

Which brings me to other discoveries about the Mexican medical system. It's a good thing Santiago has family and some resources! We have learned these fascinating but discouraging tidbits about how hospitals work in this area. In a US hospital, hospital staff decides what a patient needs (from bedpans and bandages to IV fluids and other medications), provides it for the patient, then expects them to pay for it. On one hand, the patient/consumer is not in control of what is ordered for them but is responsible for the bill. On the other hand, in a time of need/crisis, the patient and the family don't have to worry about those things because they know the hospital has everything that could be needed and will provide it (even if they have to pay for it later). In the hospitals in Chiapas, the hospital staff decides what a patient needs (again, from bedpans and bandages to food and water), gives the family a list of those items, and then the family goes out to buy them (or not). The patient's family has much more control but the mammoth responsibility for finding and paying for all these items. They DO have to worry about those things AND they have to pay for it NOW! Furthermore, nurses only provide true nursing care, not those things that are typically done by nurse's aides in the US (changing bedpans, giving baths, helping patients regain mobility, etc.). Instead, the family is responsible for having someone there 24/7 to help with those (theoretically) unskilled but incredibly important tasks. This is why Pablo says "if you're in the hospital in Mexico and you're all alone, you will die."

So, just stop and consider this for a moment. Your loved one has experienced a major medical crisis and has endured 4 hours of emergency surgery. You're exhausted with worry, lack of sleep, and trying to keep others informed about how he/she is doing. You may or may not be surrounded by others who are just as distressed. As if that isn' t enough, you're given a list of dozens of items to find and pay for in order to be sure that your loved one gets the best care. And you have to make sure that there's someone with him/her 24/7 to help with basic care (while you're out looking for all these things). You have to make sure that he/she has enough of the right kinds of food, plenty of water, and other basic provisions. Got the picture?! Ugh!!!

Our family will be traveling to San Cristobal tomorrow to visit Santiago, and we'll be sure to send out an update again tomorrow night. Thanks for your prayers and your kind words for him. Several folks have asked about ways that they can help financially (knowing that he'll go without income for several weeks and will have large medical bills). We'll keep you posted on his condition, his needs, and how you can help. For now, though, just keep him, his family and his doctors in your prayers. I'll know more tomorrow!