Palo Alto Jo

1 hour ago, Pantah said:

Totally agree! That's a bell you can't unring. Some of the prolific posters have put stuff out there that is particularly nasty, and will exist long after they are gone. What a legacy! Dropping the F bomb is particularly uncouth and uncalled for IMHO.

I have seen young people post their "hidden tattoo" pictures that often also include the F bomb....  Talk about double permanent.  Might as well have had the tattoo on their face.  Why these people feel the urge to disclose their "secrets" rather than use the media to increase understanding of different topics is beyond me.   

If a mob can't pull Maduro off the world stage, I don't see any hope for Venezuela.  He's relatively young, and completely blind to his own people's suffering.   His waistline alone infuriates me in a nation of starving people.   And this in a country that was one of the wealthiest in South America.   What a mess socialism has made of a once emerging country.  Added to that fact that both Maduro and Hugo Chavez have transformed the country into a dictatorship.  Starving people have a much harder time storming the Bastille. 

I had breakfast this morning with a friend who was born here, and spent most of her life here.  I feel her pain in one area.  Building costs and regulations have reached the point where it's the rare Panamanian who can purchase a home or even repair their current home.  She says you have to go to the outskirts of David to find land or homes anywhere near affordable.  She noted it has all occurred in the last 15 years, and yes, it's because Gringos are willing to pay exorbitant prices for property.  I have to take her word on this, but part of me also thinks ex-pats do not compete for smaller, Panamanian style homes.  But, I guess our houses have made even the smallest home here go up in value based on the supply, demand and location.  I can see that being very worrisome to the locals.  My friend says neither she nor her almost grown children could afford any home in Boquete. And she is an educated professional. They would  be near homeless but for the fact her parents bought the home she lives in 50 years ago, that she now struggles to maintain, as building materials have skyrocketed.

Penny, I love that idea.  That would be so fun, and take care of the parking situation.   And I'm betting it'll be a packed bus every time.

18 hours ago, Jim and Judi said:

"Daily service starting at 1:00" 

So $60 for a half day. If they get customers, I'm quitting my day job and will charge $50 for the same service starting at 8am. ?

I'm charging $49, and starting at 7:55 a.m.   JOKING!!

19 hours ago, Keith Woolford said:

It looks like there is, at least, forward movement and some consciousness raising in this area. The above articles from last week are encouraging.

It seems to me the community might want to look at the possibility of starting a local Blood Bank to service the citizens of the District of Boquete.

I agree with Jo that lthough many expats wouldn't be eligible to donate, but they can still share knowledge and organizing capabilities, as well as juice and cookies.

Not sure if the law of 1986 regulating Blood Banks has been updated much since then, except to allow for payment to donors.

https://docs.panama.justia.com/federales/leyes/17-de-1986-aug-8-1986.pdf

 

 

 

 

Wish I could read that.  May get a friend to help me.

The reason they no longer allow people to be paid in the U.S. is because studies showed the people who "donated" for the money often were the highest risk of passing on hepatitis and HIV, many were homeless street people in poor health themselves.  I'd love to see the pre-blood draw questions asked of donors here.  Are there required lifestyle questions as well as medical and travel questions?  Or does that vary from place to place?

If it's up to doctors, maybe we could get a local doctor to be willing to store and distribute as needed the few (maybe 4-6 units total, A,O, and B kept on hand) that we need  here in Boquete.  Dra. Boya has an ambulance , she might be a logical choice. Just a thought.

3 hours ago, Jim and Judi said:

Jeebus! $60 to pick up groceries? My grocery bill is only $40 a week. And $60 for house and pet sitting? I've been using the same amazing person for seven years for $20 per day. 

I'm thinking they may need to adjust their fees, too.  Wow, we have paid $20 a day twice, and the last time had a beautiful young lady house sit for free for a week.  We just paid for her groceries, she didn't have to pay for a hotel.  Worked out for all.

3 hours ago, Keith Woolford said:

Exactly.

Monetary Banks don't stay in business long when the majority of clients make withdrawals, not deposits.

Just as no one wants to live to be 100 years old except the fellow who is 99.....   No one cares a fig about a blood bank until it's them or their loved-one in dire need.  I do hope we can all start speaking loudly, every time we see a physician, that we are concerned.  Most of us cannot donate to each other due to age or travelling, so please let us help get one going that does work for all.   Even if we cannot donate, I'm sure the volunteers to assist in blood drives at churches and civic meetings (bring cookies and juice and pat hands, etc) would pour out.   

I wonder what the veterinarians do here.  I remember that there was a dog blood bank in Houston featured on the evening news,  and that there is a "universal dog donor" type.  These valuable dogs (often rescue or strays) are kept at vet labs or by vets themselves  I've heard about one dog that may have helped saved hundreds of dogs in her life.   

14 hours ago, Bonnie said:

This is very peculiar. Based on my blood type, I was contacted by Hospice several years ago to give blood. I was well over 65 at the time but was told that the doctors had waived the restrictions because it was an emergency. I was ushered right in to the lab in Hospital Chiriqui. If the doctor okays the donation, why should the labs care? This is preposterous. I plan to raise the issue of blood donation every time I visit a doctor. If a change comes about, it will come because of vigorous lobbying the doctors, in my opinion.

I agree Bonnie.  I will join your crusade, and I continue to talk to lots of doctors.  In your arguments please add that it is easier to start in Chiriqui, get the kinks out, before unifying it with a countrywide system.  It could be perfected here, lessons learned, before implementation in Panama City.  I know several people with PhDs in Blood Banking in the States , I'm sure we could get one here to give us some help and supply valuable information, especially a retired one, or one from a charitable-minded organization.

Beautiful pictures, interesting flora.    I'm inspired to make the trip.  Glad to see the road is good, and the park seems to be true jungle.  Thanks for posting.

12 hours ago, Ahren Grauer said:

My neighbor is Ngabe and works as an English teacher at the comarca above Tole. He said the biggest problem is the spread of AIDS and 50% are infected.

I guess I'd need to see this statistic from a recognized Public Health organization, no offense to your neighbor that teaches English.  AIDS untreated (as most of these would be if it were in 50% of the population) leads to emaciation and death.   I don't see a whole lot, certainly not 50%, of the Indigenous peoples walking around terribly thin, with open sores, tuberculosis etc, which goes along with AIDS.  

I had a rather fun discussion with an Hispanic friend from the U.S. recently.  He told me that Pio Pio is the "sound" that a chicken makes, not "peep peep" or "cluck cluck".  We went through lots of animals getting the translation for "moo", "meow", "baaa".   I don't remember the translation for "arf", but I'm pretty sure it's also very different.  Arf is no doubt meaningless in Spanish.  Good move to get a name that has more wide-spread appeal.  

On 25/03/2018 at 4:42 PM, Charlotte said:

There are discussions going on in Panama City, but the wheels of progress here turn very slow.  

A little off subject here Charlotte, but if you have any voice in the ongoing discussions I highly recommend the system used by UPMC (Pennsylvania) system be looked at.  They are the best I've ever worked with, cover many States and even Saudi Arabia. Far superior to the Red Cross.    Very hi-tech, very easy, very standardized so that all hospitals work exactly the same, and share records.   All crossmatches are done "virtually" from a central location in Pittsburgh, and the individual hospitals simply hand out the unit number that is deemed appropriate by the Central Blood Bank personelle.  The Main Blood Bank keeps records on all donors and recipients for future reference, which is extremely important if someone had to receive non-type specific units in an emergency.  Future transfusions can be trickier, and might be at a different hospital the next time.  So, keeping central records is important.  I think their system is far, far advanced over anything the Red Cross has , less expensive, less red-tape , and extremely safe, as each transfusion is verified by 2 technicians for clerical errors (the number one cause of BB accidents), one at  the Central BB, one local, before a unit is transfused.  They also know of every unit sitting in every refrigerator, so when a certain unit is needed at another location, that unit is transferred to the site needing it.  

14 hours ago, Bonnie said:

I sincerely doubt that their not eating protein is cultural. It is economic. Whenever I have fed an Ngobe worker meat, he has eaten it like there's no tomorrow.

Visit Nutre Hogar in David if you want to witness the results of a poor diet. It's heartbreaking.

Bonnie, We certainly have a difference in our personal experiences.  Thanks for giving me another perspective.

My gardener tells me thanks for the food.  Then I found out he was throwing all the meat in the bushes unless it was chicken.  He basically wants chicken, rice, potatoes, hot tea. Even throws out carrot sticks and lettuce.   Other families he worked for gave him chirrizo and canned hams for Christmas, and we learned he threw that out, didn't even give to some other family.  He told our cleaning lady that "no one would have wanted it".   She's Panamanian, she wanted it!!   I'm pretty sure food choices are a matter of personal taste as well as cultural.   The other food they seem to eat that lacks much nutrition is plantains.   The one thing not at debate is that they need more protein in their diets, the reasons are no doubt financial and personal/cultural. I do know its been going on long enough to cause birth defects, and shortened life expectancy.  Let's hope education will change at least the "personal tastes", but the financial is going to be much more difficult.  

4 hours ago, Brundageba said:

I do not know about provisions provided to finca workers.  I would imagine it would vary from finca to finca.  The family we care for pays rent for a dwelling that is approximately 25'X25'.  It's basically a corrugated tool shed without windows and a mud floor.  They have one light bulb.  On a regular basis 15 people live in there and sometimes more when extended family come to visit.  They pay $80 a month rent plus they pay electric.  There are two adult males who never have regular employment.  We have supplied a weed eater so that one can do garden work.  The other does do some coffee picking with his wife and as well construction from time to time when he can find work.  It is not easy for Ngobe to find employment.  It can be done...but you have to be assertive and generally they are not.   More trade schools that are affordable would be wonderful.  Two children have handicaps and need medical care on a constant basis. They go to clinics at the regional hospital regularly.  The Comarca would be more user-friendly for them but it's too far away from the medical care they require.

The medical conditions could be improved with better diet and making incest taboo.  I know the nutrition schools at Universities here are giving special lectures and classes on the Ngobe health problems, but when they try to convey their knowledge out to the Ngobe they are often told that it is "culture" as to what they eat (very little protein in the diet), and that incest is also cultural and none of our business.   It is heart-breaking to watch.  

On Facebook they are reporting that the driver suffered a heart attack.  That seems plausible, as there were no brake lights.   

7 hours ago, Brundageba said:

Didn't a car land in a tree several years back?

I had a friend who's son was speeding on Vocancito Rd and flew into some treetops.  After a minute "rest" it fell to the ground....  He walked away uninjured, and when they pulled the car up it started and was able to be driven....   Crazy luck some people have.  

3 hours ago, Brundageba said:

I read this yesterday and was very much struck by the amount of average salary per month earned by a Ngobe farm worker .  It's not enough to feed their family.  Between jobs when there is unemployment in the household they must be self sustaining. That means they can barely feed the children let alone clothe them and buy a notebook and pencil for each child for school.

I have heard so many times that Gringos get milked for money .  Well possibly.  But, when a Ngobe is asking for help chances are they need it.  So may things we take for granted....like enough toilet paper, soap , deodorant, laundry soap.  We always have these things plus the perks...like toothpaste and a tooth brush.  All of them cost money that the extremely poor can't afford.  Seriously....consider that !

I'm still relatively new here, and drive by many Ngobe housing areas daily.  These housing places are free to the indigenous workers and their families, right?  They do buy food and personal products, but surely they do not pay for water, electricity, rent???   I realize  $400 doesn't go far, but just wondering what they do have to buy.   I know we try to give our gardener school supplies and toothbrushes and toothpaste and other very practical items for Christmas for his 4 kids.   But, just wondering if some of  the coffee finca owners don't supply addition items such as school supplies, soap, propane, etc.  Extra Christmas bonuses?  I guess it differs from finca to finca?

Sounds like each facility makes its own rules.  Perhaps that's another reason to start a blood bank here in Boquete or Volcan.   Id hate to be down in David waiting for the "proper donor" when I could have already received the blood in the ambulance on my way.   In this case, these people are waiting for surgeries, but for GI bleeders or car accidents, we could start transfusing in the ambulance and the hospital couldn't deny the transfusion.  

13 hours ago, Keith Woolford said:

There is an existing Blood Bank at the old Hospital Obaldia. Why it’s not functioning as it should be is unknown to me but it certainly seems like something worth investigating.

 

Even if there is one is David, we need a few emergency units in outlying cities, like Volcan and Boquete.  The hour or more to get to David could mean bleeding to death. We have enough horrible wrecks out here to justify it.  In the U.S. , when the units get nearer their expiration date, they are transferred to the nearest hospital, trauma center, and new ones are collected for the local Blood Banks.  Our having little banks here would even help those in David.   Any idea if it is legal to pay for blood here?   We certainly have enough hostal kids around that could probably use a few bucks, they alone could keep it stocked.  It's not legal to pay in the U.S. except for plasma for other uses (like shampoo).  

3 hours ago, JohnF13 said:

Because it would cost money Doug, thereby diverting funds away from Diputado’s “special” projects.

The cost is minimal.  A refrigerator (with generator) , a centrifuge, a few thermos coolers for transporting.  The preservatives in the unit bags are good for about 90 days now (frozen plasma for 2 years).   We could get and keep 2 As and 2 Os pretty quickly, and actually test them for hepatitis, etc.  Also, we need to get smarter and give Rh pos blood to non-childbearing Rh Negative patients (especially older males, they can always safely get Rh positive blood),  if needed , as well as a few other well established procedures currently in use in the U. S.   Blood Banking isn't as hard as it used to be.  It is one of the cheapest, but also one of the most important things in emergency healthcare.  Just read the "Carnage Report" on CL daily.....

So American politicians aren't the only ones who manage to insult their voters?  I bet the guy is trying to find a rock to get under right now.  haha

15 hours ago, Bonnie said:

I wrote Citizen Services at the U.S. Embassy this morning seeking clarification about how one reports an emergency outside the hours that personnel take calls. The Director, Stephanie Espinal, wrote the following:

Thanks Bonnie- the 317-5000 emergency number goes to a recorded message and then gives instructions on reaching the operator in case of a life or death emergency involving a us citizen if calling outside of calling hours (mon - thurs 2-3:30 and Friday 10:30-12. The operator then passes the call to the consular section. I just tried the number and that is how it worked. Please have the person get in touch with us directly if they followed the steps in the recording but still couldn’t get through to us.

 

I wonder if the operator gets to decide if it's important enough to pass on the call to the consular, or do they pass all messages?   I'm not sure they characterize a stolen passport as "life or death", so they may have just ignored my friend.   Or waited until the next day to deliver our message?  At any rate, its nice to have the information.  Phone answering for 1.5 hours per day seems pretty skimpy to me.  I was getting tempted to call my Congressman to get them to answer the phone!!

18 hours ago, Bonnie said:

I have reached out to a contact in Citizen Services at the Embassy and asked her to contact Jo. I also will look into the issue of a citizen being unable to reach the Embassy in the event of emergency and will report back.

Bonnie, thanks so much.  The Embassy did call me an  hour ago.  They apologized for not answering the phone, said they have no idea what happened there.  For anyone who is interested, the basic protocol in an emergency, such as this, is you do not need an appointment.  Call the embassy (if you can), tell them the situation, and then proceed to the Embassy.  They will issue an emergency passport within 24 hours or less.  Our director is now in Panama, Maranatha arranged a taxi to pick him up and take him directly to the Embassy.  Thanks for all you who were concerned, things are moving on as best as we can expect.  

Thanks, I had no idea what BVF stood for. I might have figured it out eventually from context if I had had time.   But, Penny, you saved me the time!!