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Julio with Dr. Chew |
It was early 2009 when we first met Dr. Allan Chew. It was not a good day. But in hindsight, it
was definitely a divine appointment!
We were new to Guatemala.
Still barely getting around… no Spanish yet, no real knowledge of our
surroundings, etc. I was in the city
when I got the call from Kerrie.
“Brooke’s wrist is broken, I don’t know what to do.” Certain she was overreacting, I asked if she
was sure it was broken, or had she just banged it… to which she replied “Babe – the bone is
sticking out, please hurry!”
My mind was racing even faster than the car was for the hour
it took me to get home. My then 10 year
old baby girl was crying at home with bone sticking out of her arm, and I didn’t
even know where to take her! I was
calling the few people I had gotten to know by that point, trying to figure out
what to do…
A couple hours later we found ourselves in a hospital in
Guatemala City. Hospitals in Guatemala
are nothing like hospitals in Saint Johns County, Florida. One word described it – CHAOS. People everywhere, long lines, people
yelling, babies screaming, etc. In those
moments something else kicks in… you know what I mean… Courtesy, etiquette,
following of the rules – all get thrown out the window. (Respectfully, of course. Haha...)
Way down a hall on the other side of the hospital, I saw a
man in a white coat coming out of an exam room.
I ran down the hall and walked into the X-ray room he had gone
into. I tried my best to explain what
had happened. I’m sure my desperation
spoke more clearly than my Spanish. He
looked around (as if he was about to do something sneaky) and said, “bring her
with me.”
He examined her arm and immediately took her into surgery.
(I shouldn’t even mention the THREE earthquakes that hit
DURING the surgery. Yep, an already
near-panicked mom and dad sat in the waiting room of an insanely chaotic
Guatemalan hospital trusting a completely unknown man who was breaking all of
the procedural rules while inserting pins into our 10 year old unconscious
daughter while the building rocked back and forth THREE DIFFERENT TIMES due to
earthquakes.)
Needless to say we were praying.
It all worked out.
Dr. Chew has since opened his own practice at a very nice medical center
in the city. He is an orthopedic trauma
surgeon with more degrees and awards on his office wall than I can count. And he has become a good friend. He texts me when he travels to the US,
letting me know what state he’s in and where he’s staying. I think being in the US just makes him think
of his gringo buddy.
Since Brooke’s broken wrist, he has treated Jake’s torn ACL,
my torn meniscus, Axel’s broken arm, several broken arms of our friends the
Schmidt’s kids, and even done an Achilles surgery on one of the 12x12 employees.
Most recently, he operated on Julio's broken big toe. Another 2 pins. Only this time I wasn't nearly as nervous! Dr. Chew has been another example of God's faithful promise to take care of us as we follow Him. And he's also become a good friend in the process.
Most recently, he operated on Julio's broken big toe. Another 2 pins. Only this time I wasn't nearly as nervous! Dr. Chew has been another example of God's faithful promise to take care of us as we follow Him. And he's also become a good friend in the process.