Renzo visits Viña, takes steps to recovery

Recovery for Renzo, Viña Studios’ smooth radio voice and administrative assistant, may take some time. I hope his doctors and government insurance will realize just how long he needs.

Yesterday, Renzo and his father visited Viña’s offices for about a half hour in the morning, greeting the staff here and handling insurance issues. Since leaving the hospital Saturday, just one week after his scary accident while riding a public bus, Renzo has been at his family’s home down the hill in Panajachel.

His doctor wrote a letter stating Renzo will need two weeks to recover, beginning April 22, noting Renzo suffered a blow to the head, a fractured skull and subcranial bleeding. Frankly, I find the doctor’s two-week recovery recommendation astonishing. I wouldn’t be surprised if he misses three months of work. I missed a month of work in 1997 after I was hospitalized three days with viral meningitis, but my case wasn’t nearly as severe as Renzo’s. I didn’t have a fractured skull or subcranial bleeding.

I didn’t see Renzo yesterday as I was home caring for my amoebas, but friends who did say he appeared quite weak. His desire to regain health and return to normal work duties as soon as possible is obvious, they said. He will tell you he’s fine, but he appears to have been dealt a severe blow. Which, in fact, he has! Renzo appears to have issues with his balance, speaking, memory, concentration and energy. All of these may be normal for someone with his injuries.

Guatemala’s social security system pays injured workers about one third of their salary and conducts a review, recommending how quickly they may return to work. In Renzo’s case, Viña will be working to help make up the difference.

To hear Renzo’s smooth radio voice follow this link to Viña’s website and click to play the small black triangle beside each of these clips: Novedades Betzy, Viña Training Workshop and Zapatería Rikely. Please continue to pray for Renzo’s recovery and for God’s hand on his life.