José Yancarlos Fúnez Ramírez | 2013

José’s father left him, his twin brother, and their mother when José was about one year old, and did not provide them with any financial support during all that time. A month ago, he was deported, and a few days ago he started working. He is now beginning to provide them with a small but necessary amount of financial support. Their mother has been unable to work since José and his brother were born, as they are twins, in addition to the special care José requires because of his congenital malformation.

“...there are no more surgeries. That’s what the doctor explained to me, and I am very happy because after this operation, my son will be normal.”

José and his brother were born at Dr. Mario Catarino Rivas Hospital by cesarean section. At the time of their birth, the doctor was unable to speak with their mother and instead spoke with their father about the congenital malformation José was born with. However, his father did not tell the mother what the doctor had explained to him.

When José’s brother was discharged from the hospital, his mother did not understand why they were not releasing both children. She went to see him in the Neonatal Unit, where a nurse asked her if she already knew that he was going to undergo surgery. She was surprised because she knew nothing about it. The doctor then spoke with her and explained everything, including what they were going to do—a colostomy—and how she should care for and clean him. He also explained that when the child was a little older, he would need two more surgeries.

During this time, his diet was normal, but special care was required when bathing him and cleaning the colostomy area, which had to remain properly covered to prevent infections.

Every month, José had an appointment with the surgeon at Mario Catarino Rivas Hospital, until the same doctor referred him to Ruth Paz Hospital. He attended two consultations there before his surgery, which was scheduled for October 22, 2012, and performed at Ruth Paz Hospital for a minimal contribution.

She inquired about the cost of the surgery, and the surgeon also informed her that the procedure performed on her son would have cost more than L. 100,000. At Dr. Mario Catarino Rivas Regional Hospital, patients also have to pay for surgery, and she says the amount is higher than what she paid at Ruth Paz. “Besides, there are no medications. You have to buy everything yourself, even the cotton and syringes,” she added.

After the surgery, José followed a special diet during the first few months, but eventually returned to a normal diet.

“After this surgery, I had problems with my family because they told me not to perform the dilations the doctor had instructed me to do. They called me rude and said many other things, but I had to do what the doctor instructed me to do for my son’s health. I waited until they were not around to perform them.”

For this third and final surgery, which was performed exactly one year after the previous one, on October 22, 2013, she explains that she and other parents had asked the surgeon for the procedures to be performed at Ruth Paz Hospital. They were very happy to learn that this would be the case.

“Since most of us already knew what the hospital and the care were like, we preferred this hospital. Some parents who were having their first surgery here at Ruth Paz Hospital thought it would be more expensive than Catarino because of the hospital itself and the way they treat you. When they found out they would pay less, they were so happy. What a blessing! We are lucky that they referred us here for the health of our children.”

She explained that this time she made an even smaller contribution than the previous time because a doctor contacted the surgeon to cover part of the expenses for each patient in the medical brigade, thereby helping both the patients directly and the Ruth Paz Foundation.

“My son’s treatment ends here. We only need to continue with the appointments the doctor recommends and follow the care instructions they give us. But there are no more surgeries. That’s what the doctor explained to me, and I am very happy because after this operation, my son will be normal.”