Rainbow Families Foundation Newsletter - October 2006

October 2006

Hurricane Ernesto brought rains and overcast to the north coast. It really immobilizes the country like a heavy winter snow in the U.S. The rivers rise and trees are downed with the heavy rains. Like the heavy snows, people don't know how to drive and there are many accidents. The days are still incredibly hot, however, the evenings are starting to cool, just a little. I don't remember, and many people say they don't remember it ever being this hot. Now I totally understand why shops close 2 hours at noon. The heat makes one lethargic after eating lunch and must take a nap. 11 September is a very depressing day for many. I saw some clips on TV on the 10th of Sept. and could not bear to be near a TV on the 11th. Also, 11 Sept. is the date of Iriana's passing. I was also feeling very down this day. There are many things happening here and the families are doing OK. Rafaelina's mother was very sick and dying from ovarian cancer. The Garcia house project was on hold for a while during the last month of her mother's life. I get too attached to the kids and I am having problems with her not sending the kids to school. Hopefully we are back on track. Her mother's death was very difficult for her and her sisters. I was transporting the kids the day of the funeral because Rafaelina was oblivious to everything going on around her. She traveled in someone else's car basically abandoning the kids. At the gravesite she and her sister tried to throw themselves in the grave. The brothers and friends were struggling to hold them back. Later she had refused to eat and lost weight. The little girl, Iriana, her grandfather had passed away (father's father). He was suffering from lung cancer. Now her father had a tumor growing inside his mouth and it grew about the size of a large grape in a short amount of time. I had taken Iriana's mother and father back and forth to Santiago for the surgery. The father works at the airport and has insurance. However, the day of the surgery the insurance decided they wouldn't pay for anesthesia, only local anesthesia since it was in the mouth. The doctor said he needed to be put under but the insurance disagreed. We went back the following Monday and the insurance finally approved. It seemed that since the insurance approved the clinic wanted him to stay overnight for observation. I had to go a third time to pick them up. We are still awaiting the results of the biopsy. In the meantime, he has quit smoking. The 2 year old boy who needs a pace maker had a second checkup in Santo Domingo. We had another evaluation appointment scheduled the end of September when the team of doctors were to come from the U.S. However, when his mother called to confirm the doctor's secretary said the doctors were cardiologists for adults and not pediatric cardiologists. We are waiting to learn the date when the other team comes. Dra. Toribio wants to wait until they come to get their opinion. He just turned 2 in August and is so small. Mary and Mike and a friend of theirs came for 2 weeks from Albany, New York. They brought donations and helped with installing the plumbing in the Garcia home kitchen. They have thoughts of adopting one of the Garcia girls. I think they are trying to work out the legalities, however, I don't think the kidsī father will allow it. A small group is here from Canada at Andre's church. Corinna wants me to meet them. I understand they don't speak Spanish and depend on an interpreter. Tomorrow I go to Santiago at 5AM to take Maria Isabel, a 6 year old who had a heart attack last month. She is a twin and has an older brother.