Bitter sweet memories

Bitter sweet is the best way to describe this journey. I find this blog the hardest to write. How can i sum up this massive life changing experience to a few words. I'll attempt to do my best. Our time at the clinic has slowly came to an end. We have one more day to review some charts and compare notes and document them in Redcap and we will officially be finished.

   The patients have been nothing short of loving, respectful and cooperative to us. Many are just grateful to have the clinic moved from its previous location beside the morgue. It use to smell like formaldehyde and water would leak from the ceiling onto the charts and create a musty smell.

To reinstate HIV is deeply misunderstood here. Some of the patients bring dark colored plastic bags to put their medication in, because they fear others from the outside will see the name of their medications, some go as far as throwing out the box the medication comes in. Below is a picture of what the trashcan looked like daily.




I do wish I could have taken a few picture with some of my favorite patient, but due to the sensitivity of the issue at hand I couldn't.


One of our research mate left for the states early so we decided to have a small party at the clinic to express our gratitude to the clinic, below is our CEDI staff.

For our last outing here in the Dominican Republic we went to El Telefrico in Puerta Plata. Its a place you can travel to by an air transporter and  2500 feet later you sit on top of this beautiful mountain overlooking the sea and its accompanied by a beautiful botanic garden restaurant and giftshop, I think this was the best place we have been to. I have a couple days before I return to the US. THIS WAS AN EXPERIENCE TO REMEMBER