Two years ago, she had a stroke. The Quechua woman looks at us anxiously. We can offer her four weeks of rehabilitation services. When she learns that her husband can’t sleep next to her bed but needs to spend the night at the hotel across the street, she starts to cry.
The first few days are tough and she cries often. The unfamiliar exercises are exhausting. During most sessions, we have a nurse who speaks Quechua with us to help with the translation. After one week, we start to see progress. The patient and her husband practice together frequently and they seem happier and motivated. Our patient’s progress continues.
Today, after four weeks of rehab, we discharge her. She and her husband return to their village. In their luggage is a walker, a donation from the hospital, which will help her get to where she wants to go.
There was one thing about this couple of believers that impressed not only us but also others: the way the Quechua husband cared for his wife. Almost every day, he brought her a little gift. He took care of her with much love, even helped with the braiding of her hair. He exercised with her during the physical therapy sessions and took her out for walks. He cheered her up and they laughed together. All of that was done in a very loving way. A true exception in a macho society like Peru.
