Boyd Nelson’s Page

Ernesto had TB and was in trouble with the Elkhart County Health Department.  He had started treatment for his TB four or five times, but each time, Ernesto disappeared part way through the regimen.

 

When he arrived at Maple City Health Care Center, his TB was resistant to all but one drug.

 

We had no idea what all it would entail, but we accepted him as a patient because he was a neighbor and he needed help.

 

We worked day by day with Ernesto.  Days turned into weeks and months turned into years.  He found a job and a house.  A local pharmacist paid out of his own pocket to make sure Ernesto had consistent access to medicine.

 

For two years, Ernesto stuck with his treatment, but then Ernesto had a family emergency in Mexico.  He wanted to leave the country.  We taught his son to give him shots.  We convinced the Health Department to allow him to leave for two weeks.

 

Two weeks later, Ernesto still had not returned.  The Health Department was furious and wanted to contact the police.  We asked them to wait three more days.  On midnight of the third day, Ernesto’s son called to tell us that Ernesto was back in Goshen.

 

But now Ernesto needed part of his lung removed.  The only facility able to perform the operation was the National Jewish Hospital in Colorado.  Ernesto was afraid.  He didn’t want to go.

 

We had no source of funding, but we knew what needed to be done.  We sent one of our nurses with Ernesto.  She flew to Colorado with him and for three weeks, she lived in Colorado.  The nurse was family to Ernesto.  She interpreted for him.  She knew his history.  She gave him a sense of home and of connection.

 

A year later, the Health Department proclaimed Ernesto free of TB.

Story #3 — A Journey

A JOURNEY …

 

           is risk,

           commitment,

           and adventure

           with no certain knowledge about reward.