April 11, 2008 Papalon, La Montaña, Nacaome

Papalon, La Montaña, Nacaome Today we did eye exams on 58 patients and we found 3 that need cataract surgery and 1 that needs ptygerium surgery. We were in a small church in a rural farm area where water melons are grown as the main crop and they are exported to the USA.

The church is PINK!!!!

Dr. Catherine Foster gives away Tylenol, Vitamin C, Calcium and Ginko Biloba to patients.

April 10, 2008 Langue, Langue, Valle, Honduras

The people patiently waited in line, seated thank goodness.

The lady above takes a look at her new eyeglasses.

Dr. Catherine Foster, at left, helps people decide which glasses look the best on them.

That's correct, Langue is the name of the town and Langue is the name of the Municipality. Today we were in the local credit union and saw 136 patients and identified 25 that need cataract surgery and 4 that need ptygerium surgeries.

La Fraternidad, San Lorenzo; 9 de Abril de 2008

Dr. Catherine Foster overwhelmed by the heat.

Nellie doing eye exams. The line inside and outside the classroom.

Today we were in the BIG TOWN (Population 22,700) of San Lorenzo in the barrio called La Fraternidad. We held the eye brigade in the local elementary school and saw 159 patients and identified 19 that need cataract surgery.

San Lorenzo is located on the southern coast of Honduras, right on the Gulf of Fonseca, that Honduras shares with El Salvador and Nicaragua. It is the most important city in the department of Valle and home to the port of Henecan, Honduras’ port on the Pacific.

7 de Marzo de 2008 Tular, Nacaome, Valle, Honduras

Today we had the eye team in the local library in Tular, Nacaome. We saw 86 patients found 6 that need cataract surgery and 1 that needs a ptygerium surgery.

Dr. Catherine Foster and Teresa (me) take time out to chat, about patients of course!

6 de Marzo de 2008 San Francisco de Coray, Coray, Valle Honduras

Today was an incrediable day, to get to San Francisco de Coray, Coray we had to drive over an hour on a road from "hell". But when we arrived at the local public community center, we were shocked to find over 400 people waiting for us.

We were only able to see 180 patients and we founf 17 that need cataract surgery and 5 that need ptygerium surgeries.

But we promised to return. This is by far the poorest area that we have been in!

March 5, 2008 Laure Abajo, San Lorenzo, Valle, Honduras

Today we started another 3 days of eye teams. Laure Abajo, in San Lorenzo was our first stop this week. We performed eye exams on 108 patients and found 6 that need cataract surgery.

The front porch of the local Centro de Salude was packed with people all day long.

February 15, 2008 El Cubulero, Alianza, Honduras

Today we were in El Cubulero, Alianza a small town in the Department of Valle in Honduras

We saw 140 patients and found 14 that need cataract surgery and 6 that need ptygerium surgeries.

Everyone is tired, three days in this heat is hard. But we are all happy! Many lives will be changed as a result of the eyeglasses and the surgeries.

February 14, 2008 Paso Hondo, Goascoran, Honduras

Today we were in Paso Hondo, Goascoran. Jose COBRA wanted to give his native pueblo a Valentines gift of eye exams. We saw 110 patients and found 13 that need cataract surgery and 10 that need ptygerium surgeries.

The people lined up and were thrilled to have a chance to get their eyes checked.

February 13, 2008 The Honduran Island of Amapala, Amapala

The lines outside the Red Cross waiting to be seen.
Jose loading the boat and the people!
Jose Manuel doing an eye exam.

Amapala, Amapala February 13, 2008 this is an island in the Pacific, actually in the Gulf of Fonseca. The only way to get there is by boat, however a bridge is planned. But if it arrives in typical Honduran time, I will be 100 years old!



Today we saw 170 patients with the eye exam team and we found 33 that need cataract surgery and 9 that need ptygerium surgeries.



Loading the equiptment on the boat was a blast. The stand by itself weights about 75 pounds. Imagine, the boat rocking, the guys huffing and puffing and the temp about 100 degrees.

Tim and Yvonne's Wedding and My First Wedding Cake!

I learned several things from this wedding cake!

* Start making flowers way in advance! I had over 200 work hours just in the flowers!

* The wire that is small enough to fit through small beads is not strong enough to hold a nice curve.

* Always have lots of ribbon on hand for what ever emergency!

* Like aways make double the flowers you think
you will need just in case the fondant doesn't like
the BUMPY roads.

* Don't count on the floor or the tables to be level. Take a level with you when baking a cake for a wedding!

* The higher you stack, the more evident the leaning tower!

* Take an iron or fold and pack your tableclothes yourself! My helper wadded up the peach cloth and there was nothing I could do about it at the last minute!

* Always have a standby helper just in case the one who promised gets a HEADACHE!

* What you see as a flaw, others never notice.!

* Lots of flowers cover the cracks in the fondant from the BUMPY roads.

* Fondant doesn't always crack where the cascades were meant to be, so be ready to improvise!

* Gumpaste doesn't care if it is humid, as long as it is already dry.

* Count your pillars, yourself! Don't let anyone else pack and count for you!

* Take a first aid kit for your cake. Include scissors, toothpicks, ribbon, damp papertowels, superglue, wooden wedges, the kitchen sink, etc.

* Too much dulce de leche mixed in the center filling makes the cake sink and bulge.

* The gum paste lace on the bottom layer keeps the cake from sagging.

* Attach the gumpaste lace with royal icing the day before the wedding where it is dried in place.








* The groom could care less about how the cake looks as long as it tastes good!




* Remember to clear your camera disk where you have enough memory for photos of the bride also!