Blessed to be a blessing

The pictures in this set ought not to be disturbing to most, but be warned that there are pictures of the mice that are a part of the research center.

These pictures were taken at the Schieffelin Institute of Health - Research and Leprosy Center, name after the pioneers of Karigiri.

Mice are bred in house...

The process of the research is explained in this poster.

Parents and babes...

The back feet after M. leprae has had time to mature...

Karigiri is not longer only a leprosy hospital...

Holistic ministry...

The most important part of the program according to Karirigi's directory...

With reference to the former post...the complications of accidental injuries due to a lack of sensation in the hands and feet, are preventable and curable if caught in time, if treated on a regular basis, and if basic principles of hygiene are followed. One of the dreams of the Karigirir Director, Dr. Mannam Ebeneezer, is to raise up volunteer health care workers in each of the 100 villages in their geographical area who would be trained to detect the disease at an earlier stage before complications begin to creep in, to ensure that these patients go to the hospital for treatment, to ensure that the treatment regimen is followed, and to ensure that injuries are treated as soon as they occur...this is a very doable dream and one we ought to look at seriously.

WARNING

This section contains photographs of deformities and ulcers that may disturb some. Please only proceed if you are willing.

After the Paul Brand Integrated Health Center, I went to visit the clinic at Gudiyatham. You may read the account below...way down below by this time!

Here a group stand in line for medicines.

A young boy whose mother is ill...without proper preventative care, will he follow in her footsteps?

I interviewed this gentleman who is one of the more fortunate...he has a degree in economics and is taken care of by his brother. He is unmarried.

However, he has an ulcer on his foot, so he has come to the clinic to have his wound cleaned and dressed.

This is a close up view of his ulcer. As you can see, his foot is already severely deformed. As they have no sensation, they are usually unaware of the injury...until it is too late.

This is his other foot.

This is the second man I interviewed. He is also one of the fortunate. He has his own grocery shop and is accepted in his community.

His hands have been effected and have a claw-like appearance...this is reversible as I will show and explain later...

Sadly, this man's ulcer is worse than the other man's and he will no doubt lose some of his toes.

A maggot...basic hygiene could have prevented this...

This is what the nurse has to work with...

The nurse at work...a thankless job...but she does it with such care and joy...this is not a vocation, but a calling.

A smile that reveals the heart...

The gentleman's store...

Another success story...the disease was detected at an early stage and he was cured before any complications can into play...today he is a successful tailor.

This man, although severely deformed, is fortunate enough to have a family that takes care of him...but I was told that the only reason they do take care of him is because it is his home and property.

I neglected to add that besides medical textbooks, Paul Brand Integrated Health Center could use used laptops...so many people upgrade their laptops/computers so often these days...

These photographs mark the beginning of my time at Karigiri. While I do wish to encourage you all to view the pictures to see the challenge facing these faithful few who care for those inflicted with a terrible disease, I must caution you as there will be disturbing images from time to time.

This first photograph was taken at the Paul Brand Integrated Health Center. This is an outpatient facility coupled with a medical college that was added to the facility last year. Most of those trained at this college are those of the lower socio-economic section of society, so this is an empowering experience for them as well as an open door to a better life and a guaranteed vocational future. However, they are hopelessly underfunded...because of the economic status of the students, a lot of their fees need to be absorbed by the college itself...catch 22 if you ask me...

You will find a small chapel in all the campuses....

Some of the patients at the pharmacy...the health center provides care for all regardless of religious background, socio-economic bracket, etc.

Some students working on a project in the library...

This is the library...they simply cannot afford books, so much of the students learning happens in the classroom and with photocopied material...surely there are some here that could pass on their old books...surely?

A visit to Bodh Gaya...my touristy thing for this trip...

This temple situated on the grounds where the Buddha achieved enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree was originally built by the Emperor Ashok who became a Buddhist after reflecting on the awful destruction of life in the last campaign...

The Buddha's footprints...

The idol inside the temple...

The Boddhi Tree....

The place where the Buddha paced up and down...

If you manage to get the money to land on top of the pillar, you get your wish...one man seemed to be desperate, so I asked him if she was very pretty...don't think he understood...