Paulina is from the central Bolivian town of Mizque, but due to her ill health has reluctantly moved to Cochabamba to live with her son and his family. She suffers from Chagas disease, a parasitic infection endemic to her home region. Up to one-third of people infected with Chagas develop heart failure and/or digestive disorders. Paulina is especially unlucky – her heart is weakened, and she underwent surgery last year for Chagasic megacolon. Now her esophagus is direly impacted as well...
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