He wears no socks, and his feet are covered with blisters and ulcers. He looked back at me like it was obvious. So she treated his wounds, gave him socks, and urged him to seek regular care for his diabetes. Rahn was one of 22 PA students who, with three family medicine residents, spent two weeks last summer in Echols, Brooks, and Decatur counties, offering primary care to migrant farm workers. Under the leadership of Tom Himelick, associate PA program director, they worked from dawn to midnight, adapting their schedule to the workers'.
Farm workers have lots of eye and skin problems from the sun, dust, pesticides, and plant irritants.
Many of them are chronically dehydrated. They get terrible fungal infections. They often get parasites from unsanitary living conditions. They have lots of back and knee problems, and it's so sad when you see it in even very young workers. The work and lifestyle ages them.