I have a nice story to share with you today.  It is a heart-warming story that makes me feel connected with the community of Punta Gorda and at large, humanity.

About a week ago, I received an early morning phone call from the daughter one of our many patients.  She was naturally distressed because her elderly father had fallen on the floor.  Unfortunately, we were in Belize City at that time so we were unable to come to her aid.  However, I did tell her that it was imperative that she take her father to hospital (in Punta Gorda) urgently.  I detected some hesitancy from her because she was unsure as to whether she and her husband could physically carry him out of the house and into their truck.  I understood her concerns and I stated that there was simply no ambulance service available but nevertheless, it was of utmost importance that he be seen by a medical doctor.

On the same day, the daughter phoned to give me an update and said that her father was stable and improving in hospital.

I didn’t hear anything more until a couple of days ago.  The father had been discharged from hospital and we came out to do a check-up.  When we arrived at the house, we were met by the daughter.  She was very pleased with her father’s progress and said to us mysteriously, “I will let my dad tell you about the ride in the pick-up truck…”

When we saw the father, he was lying down and it was clear that he had been through a very difficult and trying week.  Despite all this, he smiled and beamed with relief when he saw us.  The first thing he said to us, as he chuckled to himself, was “Oh, I need to tell you about my first ride on the back of a pick-up truck…”

So this is the “pick-up story”: The daughter had run out to her neighbour and asked them for help in getting her dad into her truck.  The neighbour shouted an incomprehensible  list of commands in Creole over her shoulder and the next thing she knew there were six young men, armed with blankets, standing by her side.  The six men (I imagine in my head, six very strong burly men) ran like soldiers to the house and swooped the father up effortlessly and carried him in a blanket onto the back of the pick-up truck.  As they drove the bumpy ride to the hospital, the men acted as a human cushion to stop the father from rolling about on the truck.

The neighbour had also called ahead to the hospital to inform them of the imminent arrival.  And so, everything was done in a timely, co-ordinated manner as soon as they reached hospital.

I smiled when I heard this story.  This shows community spirit and compassion. In times of crisis, they rally together and give support to one another.  This is truly priceless and no amount of facilities and public services can replace the warmth and humility that is necessary in times of need.