Martha tends her son Ronald....
. “I give him massages with ointments" saids Martha, while putting a cap on Ronald
Ronald was born October 15, 1980. It will be eight years from this tragic accident. His mother and his aunt, Juanita have adjusted their lives to help Ronald with his care. He needs special meals that need to be fed through a feeding tube attached to his stomach. They need to keep him warm or cool, it all depends on the weather, so, he can be comfortable. But, someone always needs to be with him all the time.
Ronald has been in a comatose stage since 2001
His mother works at the radiology department in a hospital in the next town over, a 30 minute drive. Sometimes she has to work weekends and graveyard shifts and this makes it hard for her to care for Ronald. But, luckily she has her sister Juanita that helps. These two women have practically dedicated their lives on taking care of the younger of two boys. Ronald’s oldest brother, Billy, left persuading the American dream to
At Martha Romero’s house stands a wooden table with multiple awards for the athletes in the family. Medals, and photographs of teams displaying on their shirt “La colonia 9 de Noviembre” (9th of November neighborhood) that’s the name of the neighborhood were Martha and Ronald’s house is. All this are just memories of Ronald’s childhood and teenage years. Also, the time spent with his family. “Life took a turn, for Martha’s family. Being a single mother is really hard on her” said Sandra Elizabeth, Ronald’s friend. “His friends in town remember Ronald on the basketball court, he was a talented player” “He was very active before the accident. He kept himself active in sports, organizing basketball teams with the neighborhood kids” said his Martha. “He enjoyed being a referee and led teams to the nearby town of When Ronald needs his feeding tube changed, Martha has to rent a taxi minivan to transport him to the country’s capital, “I can’t afford a neurologist” said Martha. In his hometown, Ronald is treated by a family doctor for minor things as a cold or light complications with his feeding tube.
This is the feeding tube that is connected to Ronald's stomach.
“I can’t let my son deteriorate” said Martha, a single mother…caring
Epilogue
I called Martha to find out how much it costs her to take Ronald for his yearly check up and change his feeding tube. She told me that from the rental of the taxi minivan to the whole process, it costs her about $500 dollars. Now, that’s a lot of money for a single mother to pay in a small country. Martha has to call the gastroenterology doctor in the capital before she can bring Ronald over, because the feeding tube has to be specially ordered in Guatemala. She also mentioned that her son Billy, who left almost three years ago to California, is not working due to the economy. So, with the little money he used once a while…there’s no help from him at all.
Sonia is also having a hard time. She got laid off from her job and is not teaching anymore. Now, she has to struggle herself, raising two beautiful daughters. If, in the United States, being a single mother is hard…imagine in El Salvador.
Credits
Story written by Sonia Bernal (
Story translated by Raul A. Alvarez (
Photos by Sonia Bernal (El Salvador)
Preface and Epilogue by Raul A. Alvarez
Produced by Raul A. Alvarez
Reporters Note: This story has taken almost two years to publish online. I have not talk to Martha since this story was produced or written. Hopefully, her son Billy, has found some work..
I will post more information in a couple of weeks how the General Public can be part of this project of helping Ronald..
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