High Blood Pressure Looms Everywhere!

Greetings from Montserrat
We are two days into our island screenings and we have learned so much about this island and its people. In the midst of such beauty, it is so hard to believe that the threat of another volcanic eruption looms everywhere and could again devastate the lives of so many.

But you wouldn't know it just by talking to islanders along the way.  Everyone smiles and says good day and honks their horn "hello".  We have become quite lost on the winding roads around the island, but somehow, there is always an islander to set our course straight.  The lifestyle is much different here.  It's not about rushing around - its about enjoying the time on this earth.

We were working with Dr. Fergus this afternoon, helping her screen patients and one gentleman needed some help stepping up on an old analog bathroom scale.  So of course we lent a hand in stabilizing him  - and instead of being defensive or indignant or even embarrassed, he just turned to us and said, "I an so lucky to have four beautiful girls taking care of me".

Everywhere we go, we are welcomed with open arms.  While the level of knowledge of hypertension seems almost non-existent, people are willing to spend some time with us and are eager to learn.  Out of the people  we screened, more than two-thirds had blood pressures over 120/80.  This sample was in a variety of age groups and genders representing the different towns on the island.

One of the nurses said to us, "since you are working with us, you are one of us!"  Tonight, someone stopped by with freshly caught fish and two roasted chickens. Another person came over with  a cake. While there may not be many material things, there is a lot of heart and love.

The picture below is the Montserrat Airport.

This picture is the Montserrat Diabetes Association that is on the same property as the hospital.

This is the Main office of the Montserrat Hospital.  The island hospital was destroyed in the last volcanic eruption.