TMC PULSE

September 2018

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30 T M C » P U L S E | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8 "It's frustrating and it happens in every spe- cialty," said Dr. Jahzel M. González Pagán, one of four pediatric emergency medicine physicians across the entire island, which 3.3 million people call home, according to recent estimates. "We are short of staff and we cannot get more staff because there's not enough money." But, she said, she has no plans to join the diaspora. "We work here, we're going to fight for that, but we're going to have to keep fighting." They will not give up. "Yo No Me Quito" At Rodríguez's home in the hills, chickens peck at the ground while dodging empty cans and plastic debris. Nearby, a wheelbarrow blooms with old food containers, an egg carton, papers and a shirt. Stacks of propane tanks, plastic cars and a play- house sit abandoned, surrounded by potted plants that look well cared for, groomed even, but that could just be Puerto Rico. Things here tend to survive. Mosaic tiles cover the entryway and statuettes of the Blessed Virgin Mary stand guard under a hand-painted bench. On the façade, colored glass pebbles spell out "I love," "Jesus," "Vive" and "PR," the words pieced together like a cross. Old Christmas lights hang above a mural painted on the left side of Rodríguez's front door—a man with a baseball bat standing between the American flag and the Puerto Rican flag, his hat tipped toward Puerto Rico's single star. Until the end, a close relative will look after Rodríguez. In Puerto Rico, extended families often live together, not necessarily in the same dwelling but on the same plot of land. It's a practice that reflects the culture, one that values social interac- tion and family above all. In Old San Juan, the historic colonial section of the island's capital, a slogan is plastered among the pastel buildings, blue cobblestone streets and wrought-iron balconies: Yo No Me Quito. It's a message of endurance that resonates throughout the island, from the old forts of the Spanish Empire to González Pagán's emer- gency room. It was there on the first day of Polo's new job in Puerto Rico, and in the room of a cancer patient who declined a medical trip to Houston in favor of her grandmother's soup and her cousin's companionship. It is there at Rodríguez's home while he swings in a hammock under the midday sun. I will not give up. Cyclists ride down a historic street in Old San Juan. Buy, build, refinance — let Amegy Bank ® help Amegy Bank offers many unique private banking mortgage programs tailored specifically for physicians. · Special mortgage program for new physicians with low down payments and competitive interest rates. · One-Time Close construction and permanent mortgage program which saves you time and money when you are ready to build your dream home. Give us a call to find out how we can help you create home financing that meets your particular needs. Amegy Bank. Here, you grow. *Loans subject to credit approval. Terms and conditions apply, see mortgage banker for details. A division of ZB, N.A. Member FDIC, NMLS# 467014 Equal Housing Lender © 2018 ZB, N.A. Jordan Golson Vice President, Private Banking 815 Walker Street, Suite 1350 Houston, TX 77002 NMLS# 1094641 713.235.8825 | jordan.golson@amegybank.com

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