Hi, everybody!  Thanks so very much, Jim, for passing along my message to Don, Cherie, and Hector, in search for help.  I've just traveled from Nebaj to Santa Catarina today to see how Gaspar is doing.  Gaspar left me his son Juventino's cell phone number and I'd tried calling it a few times this week, but it wasn't working.  I also tried calling Matilde this morning, knowing she's been traveling to Santa from Antigua every weekend, but I couldn't get through to her either.

 

Upon arriving in Santa this afternoon I ran into Matilde.  She said she ran into Gaspar yesterday on the street and therefore assumed he was doing better (it had appeared on my previous 3-4 visits these past five weeks that he'd been entirely bedridden all this time).  When visiting Gaspar moments later, he explained he was going out for short walks from time to time purely out of boredom from all his time spent in bed.

 

I told him about my search for blood donors, my attempt to have the Helps International team of doctors in Nebaj this week help him, and my being in communication with Jim and one or more of Jim's doctors.  I told him we would find the blood donors for him, including ASAP if he wishes to have the operation in the Solola national hospital.  I also told him that if he prefers to wait until December, one of Jim's doctors could look at him and even possibly (??) perform the surgery.  A final option I presented him, requiring a wait of an additional month, involves waiting for the return of Helps International on Jan. 14 to a town near Coban.  It sounded like Helps Int'l would be able to perform this surgery--we would simply need to be ready to begin the process (blood donation, surgery, and post-surgery monitoring) first thing when the week begins.

 

Gaspar says he's feeling a little better and does not want to have another surgery, especially in the Solola hospital.  He fears he won't survive it.  Thus, he'd like to wait until Jim's team of doctors arrives in December.  What he's really hoping for is a miracle pill that will make him feel better.  Who knows--perhaps Jim's doctors will have just the pill?

 

I'd given Gaspar Q400 (U.S. $53) earlier this month, and handed him another Q400 today.  This was because I asked if he was still taking the injections of vitamins to fortify his body, which I had previously thought he was self-administering on a daily basis.  Today, however, he noted that a doctor does this for him, on an every-other-day basis, at a cost of Q105 per doctor visit.  Was he stretching the truth a bit here to get me to feel sorry for him and offer money once again?  Who knows?  He didn't ask for money this time; in fact, only once in my three latest visits did he ask for money, and then it was to borrow Q200.  So I'm inclined to believe everything he's telling me.  I note these possible doubts only because a couple of his wife's younger sisters and their mother buttonholed me after my visit with Gaspar and asked for money too, which I didn't give.  When I told them I was helping Gaspar because he could be dying, they hinted that he's doing a lot better now.  There's a lot of jealousy, behind-the-back bad-mouthing, etc. that goes on here in Guatemala, including among family members.  I've seen a lot of it in my village of Xexocom and plenty too among Santa Catarina folks.  Remember, Q800 is at least three weeks' salary around here for those lucky enough to have a salaried job, explaining people's jealousy.

 

Today I questioned Gaspar re his other stomach operation(s).  His first was 12 years ago, at the Xela national hospital.  (He also seemed to indicate that the doctors at the Solola hospital were having trouble locating the exam results from that 12-years-earlier surgery at a different hospital, something they would like to see.)  Two years after that first surgery he was a passenger in a bus accident, causing the artificial tubes from that earlier surgery to come apart, requiring another surgery.  (Or something like that.)

 

Gaspar has in his possession the photographs from his Sept. 27 ultrasound at the Solola national hospital.  Don and Cherie, if either of you or any of the other doctors would like to see these photos before coming to Guatemala, I'm sure Jim, Rani, or I could fax them to the States.  Just let us know.  Furthermore, Gaspar and his wife today mentioned they were thinking now about having another ultrasound done soon to see if improvements could be found.

 

Jim and Rani, Juventino's correct phone number is 5840-9327.  I'll most likely be up in the Nebaj area for most of the next two months organizing stove projects (not reachable by phone but almost always reachable by e-mail).  I will pass through Pana and Santa sometime soon on account of picking up two friends at Puerto San Jose next Sunday.  And surely I'll pass through the area on average every 2-4 weeks.  Otherwise, Jim and Rani, you both (and Hector too) would sure help me a lot if you could monitor Gaspar's situation these next several weeks since you'll be in the area.  Try not to freely hand out cash unless absolutely necessary, on account of my already handing out a lot (by Guatemalan standards), which has caused friction among family members and neighbors, and on account of Gaspar and family possibly trying to reel us in for more money.  But I'll leave that up to you!

 

If the doctors back in the States feel he should have the surgery ASAP, and/or if Gaspar feels worse and wishes this, and blood is needed, please contact me Jim and Rani and I'd be happy to donate (if my blood is compatible).  And possibly either/both of my friends could too.  And, if you guys can't find donors among your SJ1010 friends, I could possibly round up another donor or two in the Nebaj area.

 

Thanks to all of you for your help!!!

 

Best wishes,

 

Brian

==================================================