Welcome to Cave Valley! After spending an hour or so collecting supplies, we set off to our clinic. About a 30 minute ride into the mountains, Cave Valley is a small cement building set in a small community 2 blocks from a school. While unloading our supplies from the bus, Nanny, our Jamaican neighbor walked across the road to greet us. As she was talking, she reached into her pocket and produced a ring full of skeleton keys. The clinic is normally used as a prenatal health center, and Nanny was given the keys to give us when we arrived! Such is the communities of Jamaica. Everyone is a friend, and very willing to lend a hand. Nanny owns the little restaurant on the other side of the road. Brett tells me she serves boiled cow hoof, and chicken neck....might have to skip Nanny's cafe! We did not have the doors open for 5 minutes, and we had company!
I met a delightful 12 year old girl, Tashawna. I have already fallen in love with her! After we were all set up, and waiting for the equipment repairman, Tashawna invited me to come see her home. She and her 4 brothers and sisters, mama, and stepfather live in a 2 room home. It was amazing to me! She proudly showed me her garden she planted, and the fruit trees, and mint plants they have on their land. By now, there are a dozen children following us around. As I walked back to the clinic, I was surrounded by these amazing kids. They were so excited to see us! Another little girl, Georgette, wanted to take Shannon to see her dogs! She had 5 dogs, one named Pink Panther!! While they were visiting her dogs, Georgette's entire family came outside to great their new friend! The people of Jamaica are so welcoming to us! We have been asked 4 or 5 times outside of the resort if we can help with a "shaky" (loose) tooth. There is no dental care in Jamaica at all. Each parish has 1 health clinic that is ran by a Nurse and an assistant. The dental nurse does all of the dental care, however, dental care in Jamaica is very expensive, and insurance isn't an option.
As we left, the children gave hugs, excited to see us again tomorrow! I must say, I'm probably more excited to see them! I already know that I will come back next year, just to see Tashawna again! She plans to bring me her address tomorrow so that we can keep in touch!
The clinic itself, is more modern than one might expect. It is a stone building, with one big area, and several smaller rooms connecting. We have one general dentist and 2 hygienist in the great room, with Brett and I in a back room by ourselves. The DDS and hygienist will be seeing many kids, and we want to protect them from the sight of the adults getting extractions. The sterilization area is in a kitchen area. As of right now, we have no autoclave, but other than that, we are not lacking any other equipment. We brought all of our own instruments and shipped all supplies ahead of us. Everything will be powered by a generator and we do have running water that is contained in a large reservoir outside with plumbing into the clinic.
Tomorrow will begin bright and early, and we are so anxious to start! We know it will be very hard, hot work (air conditioning is obviously non-existent), but the reward will be priceless!
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