Birthdays and babies.....

So not only did I just have a birthday but today TODAY Baby Nicole is turning THREE!  How did that happen!

Life in the DR flies by...I can't believe that 3 years ago TODAY was one of the most stretching, exciting, emotional, crazy days of my time here (see Blog post BASTIDA for more details...).  

I spent my birthday hiking in Hondo Valle, ascending mountains to get to a posted Dominican flag, eating lunch and breakfast in a Dominican "ecoturistico park", and laughing for hours in the truck while we bounced over horrid bumpy roads to arrive there.   We finished up with tacos in the Guesthouse for dinner and it was a fabulous fabulous exhausting exhilarating day.   Photos below- God is so good!  Grateful for another year of life, not just for me...but for the precious 3 year old who is named for me and brings me great joy (and lots of laughter!).  

Birthday crown....(Kari has mad crown-making skills!)

Seriously feeling loved with these notes on the wall.  

These guys know how to make a birthday girl feel special!

Laura made me a chocolate cake with peanut butter icing!  WOW- killer good!

The "ecoturistico" park where we hiked and ate breakfast and lunch.  Gorgeousness....

We have almost made it to the top of the mountain!

Dan and Kamanda on the way up!

Monchy carrying Braegan to the Bandera (the flag!) .....she was such a trooper and snoozed much of the way up!

The view from the peak...looking down over Hondo Valle.  

We made it to the top!  Beautifulness!

And now.....look at this beautiful face!  THREE YEARS OLD TODAY.  Can't wait to celebrate with cake and the whole nine yards........  Let the chaos begin.....

Unplugged

I have to laugh at many of the seemingly normal things that happen here that just wouldn’t fly in the States.

From the motorcycles stuffed with 7 people to the “no-call, no-shows” of hordes of folks that one was EXPECTING, I’m still trying to get used to the “norm” of San Juan.    Of COURSE it’s normal to have one’s keys up on the roof, with one stuck on the balcony trying with a mop handle to wrestle them down.  THAT happens when friends offer to put away your pasola and then toss your keys up to the balcony.  Oops.  And of course it’s NORMAL to wear parkas in 70 degree weather here because it’s COLD in the wintertime.   It’s NORMAL to eat boiled bananas and pumpkins with onions for dinner.  In fact, I love it.  Toss some eggs on top and I’m happy as a clam.

It’s NORMAL to show up for an appointment or a class (after traveling up to 2 hours) and have the doctor or professor  just “not be there”, even if it was scheduled.  Dominicans don’t flip out or become furious (although I would).  They just sigh and plan their next trip.    It’s NORMAL to bathe at least 2 times a day- only dirty folks shower once a day (oops!).   It’s normal to NEVER mix milk and juice, drinking them at the same time in two different glasses.   That would be gross, except that we put milk IN our juice when we are mixing it up in the blender and that is not only NORMAL, it’s how you SHOULD make juice (with vanilla, ice, plenty of sugar, and milk).  Huh?  Yup.  I can’t explain it but it’s normal here.

It’s normal to have your phone suddenly be dead in the middle of a conversation.  Clearly you or they have run out of minutes.   It’s also normal to hang up in the middle of conversation- signifying that you are CLEARLY running out of minutes and cannot continue to chat.    Its normal to have your phone ring once and then stop.  THAT means a Dominican is calling you who doesn’t have phone minutes and you need to call them back immediately.

It’s normal to state AMEN when someone says “Dios te Bendiga” (or God bless you).  In fact, it’s the only proper response and completely expected.    It’s normal to have toothpaste on any cut or pimple on your body.  Toothpaste cures everything.   It’s normal to drink tea remedys that taste HORRIFIC for any malady that you may have, from headaches to stomachaches to cough/colds.  I think they make it out of tree bark possibly and I have to hold my nose to get it down.

Ahhhhh the joys of learning culture and LAUGHING about new normals.   I’m thankful for Jesus, the same YESTERDAY, TODAY and TOMORROW.  :)

-

30 Hours of One of the Craziest Days

***Patient Names are not used in order to provide some sort of privacy

Tuesday night 8 pm.  Drank the bowel prep stuff for scheduled colonoscopy in the am.   Watered plants on balcony.  Wednesday early morning hours- up approximately every hour for bathroom fun.  Possibly will not sleep at all tonight.  5:50 am alarm goes off.  Up, shower, wash my hair for the FIRST TIME IN 5 days (total record!), grab laundry basket, change bathroom trash can.  6:07am.  On pasola somehow holding laundry basket driving to clinic in dark.

6:10 am.  Arrival to clinic,  drop off laundry and head out to see patients.   Hmmmm colostomy guy is still on oxygen but the gallbladder and thryoid ladies are stable and should be able to go home.  Give instructions to sweet lil Dominican nurses to move colostomy guy to private room and head to preop to make up the beds and review charts for day.  6:30 Back to clinic, can’t eat breakfast- laundry started.  Listen to end of devotions, make my announcements for the group (“it’s UNPACK Thursday!”.) and talk to doc about pending colonoscopy- I’d like to be first.  Game on.  7:05ish  Take my bactrim for the weird infection thing on my leg that is clearing up nicely.  7:10 Out to clinic.   Cora puts IV in my arm, ahhhhhh IV fluid feels so good.  I was so dehydrated.  250cc bolus.  7:30 Back to Guesthouse, flip laundry to dryer, open up Room 14 to grab some paperwork for the day and pocket some pain meds just in case I need it for my colonoscopy.

7:35 Out to clinic, push the nurses to get the colostomy patient moved before the incoming patient arrive.  Begin calling the first 3 patients of the day.  Cute 9 year old circumcision is first.  He’s scared.  But we hang- he’ll be alright.  No IV for him.  Ahhhhh dear 71 year old hernia comes next.  Hugs/kisses/saludos.  Just excited to be here.  He can’t wait for surgery.   Walking through the hallway, I am stopped at least 10 times for greetings and questions.    Noted Gunshot-wound-to-the-foot guy who was here last night in the hallway.   Review plan of care with him and and orthopedic surgeon.   He will have his labs drawn, I will call cardiology and try to get him cleared for surgery.   In a bit, I get a message from Dr. Canario- he’s on it.  His wife will come in to clear the patient- we are good.   Back to Pre-op now Nef-The-Mighty Translator is here.  Great- he can run pre-op and call the patients.   Quick review of charts to be sure everything is there.  We are good in the hood.   Small concern that 14 year old hernia has not shown up yet.   Nef phones him- they don’t have the money for surgery.  “No worries- come on in- we’ll work something out”.   He’s on his way.

7:50 Bathroom enema fun.  Yay.

7:55 In gastro room for my scope.   Love these peeps- they are awesome.   So blessed to have the greatest docs in the world come down here.

8:25  Goal achieved- this wasn’t bad.   I’m off to Guesthouse to scarf down some food.  I haven’t eaten any solid food since Monday night and it’s Thursday morning. Two pieces of salami and a small pancake.  Huge cup of coffee with milk.  Checking in with Kari- laughing about my scope.  Coffee=Heaven.  8:35 Back to clinic.   Check on Gunshot Wound- he’s got his labs drawn and waiting for cardiology.  Good stuff.  Hey, 14 year old hernia made it but oops- he ate some yucca this morning.  No worries- we’re good!  Quick conference with Dr. Valdez about family situation- Valdez handles everything.  Yippeee- he’s off for his labs and will find me when they are drawn.  Good stuff.  Check in on colostomy guy.  He’s good, in his room with his family there.   AndryOmar, super nurse, has an oxygen tank in the room cuz he’s good like that and this guy can’t quite keep his oxygen levels up well.     General surgeon at bedside, changes dressing, has pulled NG tube.  We’re moving on up!  Good times.    Two post op ladies are up, bathed, ready to go.  Discharged.

Patients come out of the OR.  I bounce between OR and Pre-op and Post-op and Canario and Valdez and the consultation rooms.    Look for some supplies for the OR, pray with the Gunshot wound guy in pre-op.  Talk to his sister about how hard this is.  Oh, here comes the 14 year old with a big fat grin.  He got his labs drawn and he’s psyched for surgery today.   I park him in a bed and hand him an IPOD so he can listen to some sweet music while he waits for a few hours for his surgery.   Ah, there’s a 19 year old with a necrotic finger who needs to have surgery to debride it/possibly amputate.   He’s devastated at the thought of losing some of his finger.  Consult room.  Prayer.   Call in his Dad to discuss plan of care as well.    They are sober, thinking, hurting.   We pray.   They agree to the surgery.   I send him off to the lab and run to Valdez’s room to work out a plan of care.    I bring lunch to Canario and we grin over the huge pumpkin that someone brought us to eat that Margo cooked up for the group.   It’s at least 20 pounds.  Check in on Colostomy guy.  He really doesn’t keep his sats up well, needs to walk, needs to get out of bed.   General surgeon at bedside.   Lungs don’t sound the greatest.    We talk to the family.   They agree to help him walk around his room.

Necrotic finger guy has his labs drawn and I park him in a bed.     Oh- here comes hernia guy that I called last week to come on in for a consult after he was seen in one of our barrio clinics.  He doesn’t understand the system.  I explain how to meet with Canario or Valdez to be prepared well for surgery next week.   He’s excited.   He’ll do whatever they ask of him.  

IV started on the 14 year old.  He’s a trooper- “it didn’t hurt”.   Grin.

Lunch.  Fabulous cooked mashed pumpkin with Margo’s beef gravy.  Molasses cookies that Kari made about 5 minutes ago still warm in the middle.  This might be the greatest food I’ve ever eaten.

I check in on the post ops, write down some vitals,  change out a monitor, look for my portable pulse ox for the colostomy guy,  talk to family members waiting.   Wait, here’s another patient sent from Caceres, a 13 year old circircusion.    The docs are still in surgery or eating.   I park him in a bed and review the labs.     They are thrilled to make the surgery schedule cut.   Necrotic finger guy is really quiet.   We promise again to try as hard as we can to leave as much finger as we can.    I’m wishing wishing wishing for him but not feeling so great about the possibility of it.    Gunshot wound guy is nervous and has lots of questions.  We talk a lot about the surgery.    His son comes in and would like to hear everything from the beginning.

Surgeons come in and check out the 13 year old.  We can do his surgery!  yay.  Consents,  gown,  and an IV.  He’s also a trooper.   Big grin.

14 year old hernia kid’s  time for surgery has come.   I tell him I’m coming to surgery with him and we grin and take the IPOD with us.     He’s quiet as a mouse on the OR table while we get him settled.    His eyes stay with me until he’s out like a light.    I take the IPOD out to the 13 year old and he lights up like a Christmas tree.

Post op- sweet 9 year old circ is outta there.  He’s not quite as happy as he was when he arrived this morning but he’s prepared to leave and his doting family members walk him out to their waiting car.    The other two dear little old hernia men are both in post op hanging out and hanging on.   Today was definitely the hernia special.

I head into the office to type up a surgical report for the week.   I give Livida a copy and the surgical team a copy as well.   Check a few emails.  Sigh.  Lots to return.  I’ll write them later.

Back to clinic.  Colostomy guy is doing better, up, sitting in a chair.   I touch base with Valdez about a follow up care plan for the Gunshot Wound guy.   We’re good.

I hang in post op with Nef for a while checking out the recoveries.   14 year old is serious and quiet but says he’s not in pain, he just “feels weird”.   He takes the IPOD again and puts it up against his cheek to listen to the music.   His Grandma makes me cry as she hugs me and says “this was our only chance….thank you- thank you-thank you!”.   I wipe my eyes and head back to OR 2 to see how the 13 year old circ is going.  All good in the hood.

Post op remains chill.   Everyone comes out of anesthesia well.   The dentists need their instruments run in the autoclave.  I put them in and start the autoclave.  Lily and AndryOmar are buzzing around helping everyone.   14 year old leaves with a big hug and they promise to come back and visit.   Gunshot Wound guy keeps thanking us over and over and over again.   13 year old circ has tears.  I head off to find anesthesia for more pain meds and we fix that all up.

Lily and AndryOmar are good to go so we bail on Post op.  2 quick meetings with Dan and some of the translators.   Nice- nice.  Dan and I head out at 5:55 for the Guesthouse.   I catch up with Laura, Jeff, Kamanda, Kari and Dan in the kitchen while dinner is being prepared.   Ahhh asopao- my favorite dinner.   Soup with rice and chicken- delish!  Total feast.   Dinner, catching up with the crew.   Take my second Bactrim- leg looks even better.

6:40- off to apartment to shower, etc.  Oops- don’t forget the laundry.   It’s finished.   Again, squashed laundry basket on the pasola is a joke.  But I can pull it off.   Back at apartment, water plants again.  Put laundry away.   Shower.   Check emails.  Start this blog.   7:20 Head over to CCED to support Student Sponsorship Meeting.   Wow- lots of folks.   Really cool.  But there are plenty of translators and I can skate outta here.     8:15 I skate with Monch.  We head over to his mom’s house to visit.   9:40 Head back to apartment,, hang out and relax while he plans for his journey to the capital.   I doze off.  11:00 Drive M home on the pasola.  It’s COLD.  11:15 Home again.   Check in with Laura and catch up on the last couple days and what’s been going on with this current group.

12:58 Finish this blog.  Lay thinking of how good God is.   The patients feel great- they felt loved.  They were prayed for.  The Americans worked so well with the Dominicans.   I personally was loved on and prayed for.  The surgeons seem pleased with their surgeries.    Dr. Canario and Dr. Valdez seem pleased as well.  This team has done amazing things but I’ve SEEN even more amazing things that God is working out- bringing folks in and showing them Who He Is.   Showing ME more Who He Is.   And now sleepytime.   PEACE BE WITH YOU- May the God of our crazy days remind you more and more that He alone controls your every minute.    

There went December...

I'm not exactly sure how it happened, but apparently while the United States was ushering in an insane season of cold and snow, time was speeding by under the Dominican sun in San Juan.   

We did have two weeks off in December but I don't know/remember exactly how I spent them?    There were some sweet visiting times, trips to El Cercado and Las Matas, photos at the school in the capital, lunching at the CCED Christmas party,  visits to the upcoming barrio sites to prepare and clarify road stability,  hanging out with Laura's mom as she visited San Juan, fun baseball games as the San Juan softball finals were going on, and lots of time spent with our friends here in San Juan.    And now begins the craziness of Winter Season for Solid Rock (and me!) as our Winter teams begin to arrive.    This is the busiest time for me, since the majority of the teams are Medical/Surgical.   

The Scary Room has been left to its own devices until Spring or a well-meaning team of 12,000 arrives to assist in the carnage.  ;)   I made it through 3 boxes before I threw in the towel.   But the clinic is looking great!    I'm looking forward to having a Pharmacy student (YAY for Miss Liz) arrive for 3 weeks at the end of this month to help keep the pharmacy "stable" during Winter Teams.  

One of my favorite things that recently has been going down is being able to visit our barrio sites several days before the team heads out to hold their Mobile Clinics.  Monchy (bus driver), Hector (our Education Coordinator), and myself (along with Community Leaders and others occasionally) have been visiting the sites to clarify road safety and ensure promotion in the areas.   It's been fun to build new relationships and know where and how we are going to set up the clinics when we arrive.    I've loved watching Monchy and Hector encourage the locals and talk about Solid Rock and our ministry before we actually start working in a region.    

This past week I was out in the barrios with the VIMM team (Volunteers in Medical Missions) and was able to connect with the folks we had coordinated with earlier and reinforce relationships with the Community Leaders, pastors, etc.    Thursday was especially fun as we were in Hondo Valle (over 2 hours away, WAYYYY up in the mountains near the Haitian border).   We saw over 265 patients but the coolest part was working with a local nurse who had set up the (CRAZY!) scene, partnering with Socios in Salud (Partners in Health.....who were doing free HIV tests and counseling at the same site) and then running into one of the boys from Pueblo Nuevo who I haven't seen for a year or so.    It was a 12 hour day but SATISFYING.    I love watching our staff, our translators interact with the patients with such patience and love and I feel so blessed to be working with such honorable and FUN folks.   We sometimes make them sing in the bus on the way home and the groups LOVE watching them shine.    When I think back to my first visits to San Juan 6-7 years ago......and where I am today- I am awed at how God moves in our lives.  And oh- so - grateful.  

And now- back to the clinic and pharmacy to finish up the prep for tomorrow and next week.  Blessings to all!  

The beautiful 3 Ojos (3 eyes) caves in the capital with Laura and her mother!  

Seems like a tropical paradise..and it's in the middle of busy Santo Domingo!

Braegan Mae is the Center of all attention and love here in San Juan.  WE LOVE HER! (and so does everyone else!)

The fiercely competitive San Juan Softball Finals!  

Yay for my guy!  He's the best....

Laura and I at the Signed Baseball Players game in San Juan..

The Little guys watching the Big Guys.  Always a highlight...

San Juan's own Jean Carlos Segura (shortstop for the Brewers)  playing in the local baseball game with  other signed players, incluing some 16 year olds.  Seriously these guys are humble, approachable, and just COOL!

Superstar Baby Nicole visiting our apartment......she'll be THREE YEARS OLD in March!  Wow!

Delicious dinner for Noche Buena (Christmas Eve)

The scouting trip to Hondo Valle with Gloria (the local superstar nurse), Monchy (bus driver) and Adia (his lovely wife).   There is an amazing Ecological park there that I would LOVE to return to...apparently you can climb the mountains in 2 hours and see as far south as Neiba.   Stunning area!  

the next year of my life....

I think I know what I'll be doing for the next year of my life (and maybe even forever....)  So you guys remember this, right?   My proud photos?  Of the Scary Room?

Remember how deliriously happy I was?  That the Scary Room was scary no more.  That nearly all of our storage stuff had its very own little place to live.   Ahhhhhhhhh those were the days.

Here's the Scary Room now....well, I mean, if you can get in the door.  

HA!  I.  Just.  Have.  No.   Words.  

( But, um.... Happy holidays to all!  :) )

Changing Seasons

So here in the DR….. we don’t have poinsettia PLANTS.  We have poinsettia TREES.  And they are magnificent.   Of course before I lived here I had no idea that poinsettias could grow as TREES…but it’s the coolest.   You do see the trees in San Juan but not as much as in the mountains or on the way to the presa (the dam) or El Cercado.

We don’t see the weather change as much as in Pennsylvania but when the poinsettia trees are red-red-RED and the ground is dry and the breeze gets down into the 60s at night…. it’s winter here in San Juan.     Changing seasons.    I feel like I’ve been in the midst of that lately.  I was home in Pennsylvania for about 2 weeks this month, helping my parents move.    They moved out of my childhood home which was EMO-TION-AL.  Wow- lots of memories.  AND they have a different car.  AND we have a new cabin.   AND it was COLD (although that isn’t new).   Changing seasons.  Things were looking different when I arrived in the States.  It feels kinda weird.  But it was (and IS) RIGHT and GOOD and I LOVE the new places and the view at the new cabin and the fact that my parents live within walking distance of an Isaac’s Deli Restaurant and the Costco and a Sushi Bar.    These are cool things.     Change isn’t always easy for me to swallow.  I happen to like to BE the person in the midst of change as opposed to adjusting to the change in others.    Is that how everybody is?     We sometimes do better dealing with our own change than the change AROUND us.   So I’m adapting and adjusting and all that jazz…..and it’s colorful.

I see the bright red poinsettia trees popping out in the tropical landscape and it seems more brilliant than it ever has.   These crazy baby-breath-like trees are often near them and it’s just this amazing combination of perfect flower arranging.     And I think of all the things  that God is “arranging” in my life.   New apartment life… complete with a potential balcony garden that I am beyond excited about.  Another new work season (winter craziness!) coming upon us.    New stuff at home in PA like cabins and houses.    Deeper, better relationships on all sides.   Improving language skills.     Driving to work every morning on the pasola shivering with the “winter”  morning air here.    New knowledge of the pain-in-the-rear stuff that I’ll have to do to get my Dominican Visa all squared away.    New patients that I’m meeting and loving and enjoying sipping orange juice on their porches.     New educational charlas making their way into our barrio clinics.      Newness.   Changing Seasons.

And yet….. much remains the same.   My parents ARE home, no matter what roof is over our heads.     That was a refreshing and reassuring promise that was so evident during the PA move.      My job and my life here definitely have seasons of change but I remain happy and content in San Juan and feeling God leading my (and our) steps here at Solid Rock.     I feel so blessed and continue to feel God’s call here in this place at this time…amongst the poinsettia trees and barking dogs and crowing roosters and trucks rumbling over the bridge that I can see out of our window.     In the midst of ANY of the above-mentioned changes, I still feel loved and utilized and like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.

As always…THANK YOU.  Thank you for supporting me and encouraging me and praying for me.   For those of you who don’t know, I’m self-funded down here and I certainly could not do any of this without you.    So please know that in all these seasons…..  your steadfast help is very very appreciated.    And since Thanksgiving Day was yesterday, a quick mention of my gratitude:  :)  I am SO THANKFUL for my faith and my family and friends and those who are lifting me up that I don’t even know about.    We serve an awesome God…. in all seasons…in all changes.. Bendiciones!

- 

Lessons in Life, ACLS, and a few moments of chest pounding....

I’ve spent the past week with my dear friend Cathy Case as she taught Introduction to Advanced Cardiac Life Support and CPR in San Juan.     Last week on Friday we went to the hospital in San Juan with the nursing students from CCED (one of “our” local schools) to have an extensive tour of the hospital as well as learn what they are learning and have available to them.  It was eye-opening, to say the least.  

The main hospital here in San Juan has the most wonderful hospitalist, Dr. Ranfis Baez, in the world!    He is our contact guy and set up all of our classes for the first two days.    He brought us 3 defibrillators to study, learn, and then teach to his staff.   We also taught them how to use their monitors and supplied them with a few pulse oximetry probes and ambu bags.   On Monday we taught two groups of physicians and residents  in the conference center of the San Juan Hospital.   On Tuesday the nurses from the  hospital showed up.  On Wednesday morning our own clinic staff participated in the class held in the Guesthouse.   Wednesday afternoon was scheduled for the staff of the Juan De Herrera Hospital.  And Thursday the entire day was dedicated to the CCED 4th year nursing students.  It was a blast!   Master translator Amaury Beltre translated for every single class and did a fabulous job.  In fact, I think he could teach heart rhythm strips WAAAAYYYYYY better than me at this point!   

(Ranfis, Cathy, and Amaury introducing the class)

(The first ACLS class- riveted by the "live" EKGs)

(the first 2 provider CPR)

(Class Number 1- SO PROUD to be certified!)

(Just a few of the supplies that Cathy bought, brought, organized, and sterilized for each class)

Two of the hospital surgeons- so happy to be there!

I'm not the most useful kid in the world......but........

(Class number 2- psyched!)

We were exhausted at the end- it was a lot of hard work for Cathy and Amaury.  But to hear the comments or questions at the end of each class was humbling and inspiring and mind-blowing.   The grand majority of people had never been in a class like Cathy and Amaury taught.  Practicing CPR on mannequins was an incredible advantage to them, as well as watching real “live” heart rhythms on Power Point, youtube videos of open heart surgery and defibrillation, and live demonstration of how to use their own equipment.     To hear folks say things like “ I think I am capable of saving a life now”  or “I’ve never had a class like this before”, or  “this was incredibly valuable” just about put tears in my eyes.   Watching their confidence grow as they together performed chest compressions and ventilations was inspiring.  And of course....two Dominicans in a room is always a party....so imagine over 20 doctors and nurses laughing and pointing and sitting in awe.   One of the coolest moments was having the CCED nursing instructors participate on Tuesday...and then come again with their students on Thursday and help them learn CPR and heart rhythms.    And of course our own Doctor Sandy Valdez showed up TWICE because he enjoyed the class so much.     THIS is humbling to me.  Again, the desire of the locals here to improve and learn and implement and study is awe-inspiring.    On a poignant note, the hospital docs actually had a opportunity to use their knowledge on a very sick patient who showed up in the ER after most of them had taken the class.   As Cathy and I watched them working together and efficiently with this patient in the ER and then in the ICU, we were again humbled to know that these guys are doing the very best that they can with what they have available to them.    There is no other word to explain this than to say again.... I am humbled.   

(the nurses on Day 2 at the hospital)

(Amaury, Cathy, and Ranfis on Day 2 in the hospital)

(The hospital nurses....THRILLED!)

(So good at CPR!)

Day 3- our ROCK STAR clinic staff doing CPR!

(Cathy teaching mouth-to mouth with mask)

Our own Dr. Sandy Valdez "saving a life" with Gary Straley (Dan's dad!)

Stellar crew- every single one!  (Note the Guesthouse staff included!)

Dr. Pierre from Juan de Herrera- master of compressions!

The first CCED nursing class- glued to the screen watching!

Did I mention that I can be very useful when they need me for a monitor?

CCED students rocking the ventilations!

The two class MASTERS!  

Moises from our clinic helping the CCED students...

The second CCED class practicing chest compressions...

CCED students with their wonderful instructor Elizabeth....

Over and over again, the request was the same:  “We want more”.   The local public high school wants THEIR nursing students to take the class, as well as another private nursing school.    The hospital wants a class on how to use their 5 new unused ventilators, as well as an ABG machine that is still in its box and unused.    We are hoping and dreaming of implementing a Post Anesthesia class, and an Assessment class...and an Introduction to Pediatric Advanced Life Support...and...well, the sky is the limit right about now.  It’s exciting stuff!  

And as for me...well.  I always like to learn.   I never got sick of hearing the heart rhythms and watching folks practice chest compressions for the first time.   I loved watching Amaury demonstrate how to hold the masks on the mannequins and do ventilations.   I was enthralled (just like the classes) watching Cathy review the algorithms of ACLS.   I think my favorite part is just making connections with folks.   I just dig meeting and learning together with the docs and nurses and residents at the hospital, knowing that I will see them again here in San Juan and that maybe even some of them will work at the new clinic in a few years.   I loved starting off each class with prayer and stopping in the middle of the second day of classes to pray for the Code happening in the ER.   That just doesn’t happen in the States.  :)  I loved Cathy’s heart for education and Amaury’s dedication and Ranfis’s direction and Sandy’s enthusiasm.   For me, it was all good, even if we didn’t sleep all that much.    

On another note in the Loony Life of Nik Eby, Laura and I have become little birds flying to a new nest.   We are now the proud residents of Apartment 302 in Building 5 in Mesopotamia- more or less across the street/bridge from our old digs.     Of course life in the Guesthouse is and was fabulous and we will miss it...but it’s time to be Dominicanas and move out of the dorm scene.   We’ll both be at the Guesthouse every day working...but we will retire to “La Meso” (as I affectionately call it) at night and on the weekends.    Photos of the new “palace”  (HA!) to follow soon.  

Entonces, God is good.   October is good.  Education is good.  New apartment life is good.     Annnnndddddd as Cathy has reminded me several times after hearing a sermon recently in the Sates....”Life is short-- live today to the fullest.  Seek Jesus in everything you do”.   We have seen this a few too many times this week.....  Young folks going too soon.   Tragedies hitting.    Sick kids.  You all know the drill.  So it’s a good reminder: Life IS short.    Pray hard... work hard...play hard and LOVE really really really hard.   Seek Jesus in everything you do.   He’s THERE.