A week from now I will be in Tlaxcala Mexico!

Wow - it doesn't seem possible but yes a week from now I will beat the Op Smile Team meeting in Tlaxcala Mexico.  I have gotten 3 team mailings so I am getting more informed about this mission but since I just got home from vacation last night & these next 4 days are a little crazy before I fly to Utah Thurs night then fly from Utah to Mexico City Sun morning I am starting to feel a bit unprepared....

I have made list after list of what needs to happen...at CHOC, at home, packing, at my store  etc to get me out of the door & leave things in order but the lists are a little daunting.  I did start packing tonight (got my suitcase out & threw in 5 pairs of scrubs), I hit up the clearance areas at Kohls & old Navy last night & got some good deals on onesies in sizes 6-24 mos as they said we will be seeing alot of babies in this area.  Have a trip to Target (for my stuff) & the 99 cent store for bubbles & toys on the plan for tomorrow, as well as right sided passport photos for my Mexican Medical License.

I found out a few things....Our hotel looks nice it is the is Mision San Francisco in Tlaxcala, Mexico.  You can view the hotel online at http://www.hotelesmision.com/mexico/tlaxcala/tlaxcala/hotels/Hotel-Posada-San-Francisco/description.aspx  The weather should be nice in September, temperatures in Tlaxacala will range from 55-70 °F/ for an average around 61°F & the coordinators who are already there prepping for the mission said it has been cool in the mornings & evenings.  In bold they say something I already knew....Do not drink the tap water in Mexico.

Tlaxcala is about 80 miles east of Mexico City & is a town of  about 75,000. It is home to three famous bullrings one seats up to 5,500 people and features a bullfighting museum. Not sure that I will get there but maybe?

There are 81 volunteers on our team & 68 are from Mexico or other South American Countries...so only 13 Americans or Canadians - yep I'm wishing I had better recall of my 2 years of high school Spanish or could have a 2 day crash course in conversational Spanish with the Rosetta Stone.  I arrive in Mexico City at 3 on Sunday then am scheduled to take a bus at 5:30 for Tlaxcala.  My nephew Marc is in Mexico City teaching at a private school & he is going to meet me at the airport & hang out w/ me the 2 hours I have there so I am really excited about that & having him there will get me off ot a good start - he's even going to meet me w/ a Diet Coke :)  

The Mission Schedule is:
Sun:  Team Mtg from 8-10 pm
Monday:  be at the "hospital" for screening beginning at 7 am
Tues:  OR & Recovery Room Set up for me while others continue screening  
Wed/Thurs/Fri Surgery days - they hope to do 90 surgeries or about 30 per day so those will be long days & in the Recovery Room we are the last to leave at night
Sat: Team Day & farewell event - maybe that is when I will see the bullring?
Sunday the 11th I will take a bus back to Mexico City & then fly home to LA

I am really excited....just need some "extra help from above" to get things ready & me out the door Thursday night.  Please keep me & the entire team in your prayers next week from Sept 4-11 - that we will be safe, that we will be able to provide care for the children & families in Mexico who come to us & that everyone on the team will be blessed in fulfilling their individual roles.  I sort of think that going on these missions is like having babies...you forget how intense the work is & how long the days/nights will be but they remind us that 
if we ever fel frustrated, remember what ultimatley inspires your work, and that everyone on the mission is working toward the same goal - while the work is long, hard & tiring the experience is uniquely rewarding :)

Next post will come from Mexico next week - wish me luck in packing 
Nancy