Dancing and Sharing

What a blast!  I was able to participate in group physical therapy today and it was great fun.

About 25 of our patients were able to walk, yes WALK, to the atrium of the hospital, some using walkers, some crutches and one or two who took a ride in a wheelchair. 

Once everyone was assembled, the music was turned on and we gathered to move our bodies along with the songs of Lady Gaga.  Led by the team of Physical Therapists (PT) we tossed beach balls back and forth patient to PT and back all around the circle.  Then we kicked the beach balls.  Smiles all around and we got our blood flowing.

Watching the patients move their feet to the music brought tears of joy to my eyes.  They were determined to move and exercise their new joints.  First there was marching while they remained in their seats.  Then everyone got up and there was marching and side to side steps while on their feet.  Some of the patients got a little boogie going on and gave us some extra wiggle in their dance.

There was laughter and celebration. 

At the end of therapy the PT team shared their thanks for the privilege of working with these wonderful people.  Seeing how hard these patients want to work to get better is inspirational.  The patients had a surprise for us though!

One by one they stood up to thank the PT team, Doctors and WOGO for coming here to Guatemala to provide these surgeries.  They shared their hopes that the team will have blessed lives.  They thanked us for not discriminating about age, income level.  They shared blessings on all of us.  And then one final patient said, “God bless the USA”. What a group of people we have here!

So after some sniffles and hugs we helped everyone back to their rooms.  I can’t wait to visit with them again tomorrow!