Jason's Journal - April 24, 2021

I have my plane ticket booked to fly back home this evening. My wife tells me I better avoid eating solid foods so I don’t aggravate the situation with my gall bladder until I find out what is going on and get it fixed. I am enjoying some of Robert’s homemade chicken broth and I have learned that Gatorade is a great sipping drink when you are limited to clear liquids. Shawnee, one of our nurses on the ground in Lima is available to give me some IV fluids and a shot of antibiotics for my plane ride home.

Jason's Journal - April 23, 2021

I have the ultrasound first thing in the morning. My friends Robert and Angelson accompany me to the ultrasound clinic. The ultrasound only cost 100 soles which is incredible to me. Angelson has a background as a radiology tech so he joins me for the exam. Having Angelson there with his background makes all the difference in the world. Instead of having to wait for the results to be read by a doctor and sent to me in an email, Angelson is learning first hand what is happening. I can hear him speaking with the Peruvian tech as the exam proceeds. Like two colleagues, they discuss what the ultrasound is showing. Angelson then relays the information to my friend Robert who is on the phone with our medical team back home. There appears to be something blocking my bile duct in my gall bladder and we decide I should get back to the states right away and get this taken care of.

Jason's Journal - April 22, 2021

I got the results back from the lab today. I am amazed at some aspects of the Peruvian healthcare system. The labs only cost me 300 soles (about $83) and are delivered to my email box within 24 hours! I send the results back to my medical team in the U.S. They agree that something is going on with my liver based on the elevated bilirubin levels and they order an ultrasound.