Catching up on Wed the 4th Day of Surgery

Wednesday I woke up with a sore throat = not good!!! and as the day went on I seemed to be getting a cold but I powered thru the day. My first patient was a cute little 9 month old girl Risha with a simple lip repair but unfortunately NO ONE could get an IV started on her - they had 20+ attempts (about 5 people each tried 4 times) so Julie the intensivist ended up starting an Inraosseous line in her tibia.  That was new for some people so when she came to recovery quite a few people took pictures.  Because she was tiny for 9 months and exposed so much in the OR with all the IV tries she came back to Recovery really cold (her temp was 34 ( normal is 37) so I spent over an hour trying to get her warm and having her skin to skin with mom. My 2nd patient was an 18 month old boy Filemo, he was a palate repair who did really well. His mom was quite young and I noticed she was wearing the "jelly shoes" that my girls wore when they were little. IF they have shoes at all they are either very tattered & worn sandals or these jelly shoes. The more traditional women from the outer areas also have a cross tattoo on their forehead (signifying they are Christians) and a gold ornate looped earring in their left ear signifying they are married.

Our "project" for today was a sad little 7 month old who arrived late yesterday after travelling several days with his mom. The baby had diarrhea and was dehydrated and while the mom was trying to breast feed she has malnourished herself and her milk had dried up. There was no Way we could do surgery so we started some intensive Oral Rehydration Therapy just to get him to perk up. Some of us decided to pool some money together to get some formula for them and is he is better and its just dehydration he could possibly have his lip repaired on Friday.  They don't have formula for the babies in the hospital...it is expected that the mom is breastfeeding and if not you would have to bring your own formula & own food. Op smile is providing food for the families in the post op ward and at the shelter...BUT it's not anything I would ever eat :)

Another patient was a 22 month old Tamrayo...who was dressed all in pink with a pink blanket and I assumed it was a girl...as I certainly cant tell by the names...however it was a little boy. They simply wear whatever they have available or have been given there are no cute outfits or even extra clothes they typically have the outfit they are wearing only - honestly most people in the states couldn't even fathom how they live here day to day. It is very humbling and causes you to be realize how blessed we are and how much we have. Even those who are homeless and the poorest in the states many can go to a shelter to get a meal or maybe an outfit etc - nothing like that exists here it is simply all about survival and what is even more amazing is that we have been told they are "dressing up" to come to the hospital and wearing their best clothing and most are thread bare.

My last patient was a 27 year old woman brought here by her younger sister. She had a horrific cleft lip - I took before & after photos. When she woke up after surgery & I showed her the repair in a mirror tears immediately flowed down her face & she grabbed tightly on to my hand & wouldn't let go....she was so grateful and thru the interpreter kept saying "Thank You, Thank You, Thank You" the surgeon Dan happened to come by the recovery room & we told her that he was the one who did her surgery & she grabbed his hands too it was very tender. She had lived  life for 27 years where she was shunned and now she would be accepted in her society...all because of a 1 hour surgery...of course I was all teary during all of this too. Their pure gratitude and joy just pierces my heart and I fell such an immediate LOVE for them. I dont know them, I will never see them again and they dont know me but for this one day our lives intersect and we are both changed by the experience we share.

The surgeries seemed to go well today and it seemed to be sort of a "normal" surgery day (if there is a normal in a 3rd world country with less then ideal set up by us according to US standards although it is MUCH BETTER than the country would ever have on their own) The afternoon things slowed down & what we thought was going to be an 8 pm finish left us with 2 more patients at 8:30. BY then I was REALLY feeling BAD and if I didn't think the beds had "germs" I probably would have just layed down on one of our beds in the recovery room. I ended up leaving at 8:30 with Carol & let Barb cover the last patient....Tylenol before I left the hospital, dayquil when I got to the hotel, some tomato soup, a shower & bed - hoping I wake up feeling better for our final day of surgery.

So grateful I am able to be here despite missing all the comforts of home & my family & friends - I feel their love & support though from continents away and that gets me thru each day. Honestly seeing all this need is heartbreaking - I am glad there are SO MANY organizations like Op Smile & so may churches who are reaching out to the people of Africa...their needs are so great here.     

Tuesday Surgery Day #3 - Long But Good Day Despite Roaches, Flies & a Rat

Okay so after hitting a wall yesterday an extra hour of sleep made ALL the difference - it was a new day - Carol & I took a Bejaj (little blue car - in Kenya they were called Tuk Tuks) and went by the Internet cafe en route to the hospital. According to Carol we almost got killed on the way - there seem to be no driving rules here & we had a "reliable" driver - Michael. I had hoped to be able to get Wi Fi and connect my CHOC computer - silly me that was not an option but I still felt better once I was able to blog and feel connected to the world outside of Ethiopia. It worked out great and we arrived at the hospital at 9 just as the 1st patients were arriving in the PACU.

Yes about the title of this post...I am definitely in a 3rd world country & almost don't take too much notice of it until today's rat encounter. It was another busy day & for lunch I just wanted a little peaceful break vs the activity of the lunchroom so I went into Trina (Speech Therapist) office. She came in right after & slammed the door & said there was a rat outside the door & we both screamed!!! She needed to go back out to see a pt. so she had me slam the door as she left to "scare the rat" and then she told someone it was there & about 5 min later comes one of the local guys who beats & kills the rat with a stick - I was safely inside of the room but heard it all!!! I assumed it was all taken care of but when I left it was still dead in the corner - disgusting!!! I HATE rodents!!! Batting flies off of my patients just seems normal and for the post op girls killing roaches is a sport - they have a kill count paper on the wall & are keeping track - they got 40 in just one night!!!Aside from those problems the electricity seems to go out routinely, there are armed guards at the hotel and the hospital and I am not really phased by much of it - except the rat!!!

Today in recovery was a totally different day - Barb was back & we were fully staffed and we even had some quiet moments - Julie our PI wants us to try to have a quiet environment as the kids are waking up out of the black hole of anesthesia which I agree with but achieving that is at times a challenge.

My 1st patient today was Aynom a Cleft Palate repair. His dad was so AMAZING - the dad was a huge big man about 6'4" or taller with big beautiful hands and weathered worn feet kneeling at his sons bedside gently wiping away the oozing blood - if you saw him on the street you would probably not see the tender man/dad in that rough exterior. They came 36 hours by bus from Tselmty after hearing about it on the radio and he just hoped it was true. He was very grateful & I card for him for 90 min & we took some nice pics together.

My 2nd Pt Michala was another little boy and had a very pretty & young mom who was so sweet - we told her that her baby would now have her same beautiful smile. Another patient was 12 yer old Freheymit (no I cant pronounce it well) & she was there with her aunt who was nicely dressed in "western clothes" & spoke some English & seemed very sophisticated - this was a first although we have seen people dressed in western clothes all around the hospital, hotel etc. Even thought perhaps she was "well to do" she said there were no resources (ie plastic surgeons) anywhere in Ethiopia to help her niece for the past 12 years..and they has waited all this time to have her life changed and now maybe she would have a "normal" life.

We only had 6 girl patients out of the 25 surgeries today ans\d since it had been so busy I gave the dresses to the students who were going to an orphanage today & they gave them out.  They weren't allowed to take photos but they said the girls were so so happy & probably had NEVER had a new piece of clothing in their entire life.  SO no pictures but definitely great feelings about my friends helping girls continents away.

Later in the afternoon I had a 3 1/2 year old boy Cleft Lip repair also from Tslemty with his mom who was in her traditional clothing. I guess there was a group that came together. She grabbed my shoulders & pulled me to her & kissed me twice on each cheek & tearfully bowed to me - I really thought I should be honoring her... One of the last cases was a 14 year old boy & before we sent them to post op the dad walked around the room to all of us and shook our hands & then you touch shoulder to shoulder & he also bowed and kissed each of our hands - they are such humble & grateful people here. We ALL teared up.

One of the later cases was a 25 year old boy who traveled 1800 km & just was screened yesterday for a lip repair - he came from Dansha 2 days by bus and a burro cart. Our last case was a complicated lip & palate - she had been in surgery for 5 hours & didn't even come off the OR table until 8 pm - we recovered here for an hour or so, picked up the recovery room & left the hospital at 10. Still a very long day but it was much more manageable for me just with the extra little sleep, getting online etc. :)

I feel so honored to be here helping - we have a really experienced team and it is so rewarding. I miss my family but it its a small sacrifice of time for a HUGE difference we are making collectively as a team - we will change 125 individual lives, their family now & their future perhaps with what we can provide...not sure where else i could do that :)

Monday Surgery Day #2 Hit a Wall Tough Day

If you read this blog please know that it is really my "journal" of my journey so when I write things it is not for either sympathy or praise it is simply for e to remember and to share with family and friends.

WOW 5:30 came early..and I wasn't at all "organized as far as my stuff in my backpack" to go to the hospital - so I was late to breakfast and missed the team meeting - oops! Maybe that is where Sarah gets her morning tardiness haha. Once at the hospital I went to the Pre-Post area to help since we wouldn't have patients in Recovery for an hour and I got to take some fun pics of the patients we cared for yesterday. They actually LOVE having their photo taken especially when you then show it to them on the camera screen - some even ask you to take a picture.

My 1st patient was Brak a 7 month old boy that I remember getting pre op pics of when he was on his moms back in a Mahthel - a traditional leather and shell baby carrier that is made and used in smaller villages.  They believe that carrying a baby that way makes them stronger - especially their back as they rear up to try to get out?? I am sure it makes the moms backs strong too as I have seen moms with 2 year olds in those. He had a cleft lip repair and did great- such an immediate difference.  Once the babies wake up we let them breast feed and with some of the moms in native wear breastfeeding I felt like I was having flashbacks to all those photos I saw in National Geographic magazines growing up - never did I imagine I would be here!!! I got some great pics after...Kevin was the surgeon - he too is LDS and from Alberta Canada. We told the mom the baby was PERFECT and she was so teary and grateful - thru our translator Samson (love him) she told us "God Bless you for coming to my country to help me and my baby, I will not forget you"

My 2nd patient was a 4 year old cleft palate repair who did not have an effective block and was in pain and screaming for nearly 2 hours despite about 10 doses of our precious pain meds - finally we got him comfortable.  Mom cried as he cried & I felt so bad :( I told everyone he counted as 5 patients!!! After him I slipped out to eat...tuna from home never tasted so good!

It seems like we have mostly boy patients - I a not sure if Clefts are more common in boys??? I will have to look that up. I did get to give my 1st dress away though.  I hadn't brought them yesterday as I knew the 1st day of surgery would be a bit chaotic. I brought about 20 dresses with me from 2 friends this first dress was from Heidi and Young Women in her congregation and I gave it to a 7 year old from this local area of Tigray - the mom was so grateful!!! The 2nd dress I gave away later in the day & it was a much larger than normal denim one my friend Carole made - sh gave it to me before I left and said "I don't know if there is a u for one this size but I felt like I should make it"  Carole is ALWAYS inspired and follows those promptings - that dress was meant for Zariya a 15 year old who literally was in a ragged long smelly dress - the mom was so thankful - I told her my friend made it & she said as she touched her chest then mine "from my heart to your heart to hers tell her I love her" I gave away  few other dresses after that but in the afternoon things just sort of went crazy...we did 24 patients today but at 5 pm we still had 10 to go on the tables and only 2 of us in Recovery - Barb had come in the morning but wasn't feeling 100% so we sent her home about noon. Kristen from pre post came to hep us but poor girl she ended up with a migraine & was on one of our beds until it needed to be filled by a patient. I am SOOOO GRATEFUL and feel SOOOO BLESSED that I am staying healthy.

One of Carols patients was an older teen who had a palate repair and stayed with us in recovery for 4 hours cause she was having alot of vomiting and some bleeding. Finally at 8 pm they decided to take her back - she had a tough day of it!!! Julie our Pediatric Intensivist Physician is so incredible helpful (actually EVERY PI I have ever worked with has been hands on & FABULOUS). She knows we are working short handed  and has changed sheets on beds given eds & done all that we are doing - she said today she was "channeling her inner nurse :)" We are  strong and united team of 3!!!

It was simply a LONG DAY!!! we finally left the hospital about 9:40 and as I got into the van with the others who stay til the end like me (the PC, CC, PI, Carol, Kathy & me) I just was teary and looked out the window....it was nothing specific just a combination of jet lag, being sleep deprived, working long 17 hour days, feeling disconnected and missing my family as I can only text them, etc etc. BUT I reminded myself that I can do BRAVE HARD THINGS - I tell my kids often that they can do hard things and this is my turn.

When we got back to the hotel the other team members who had returned hours before were in the restaurant visiting after dinner - Carol & I couldn't even go there - we were on the same page and had had the same day in recovery. We talked to Lisa the CC and asked if we could go in at 8 the next morning on Tues instead of 6:30 with the rest of the team & she was so kind & said yes.  We both just needed an extra hour of sleep and wanted to come to the internet cafe for 30 min to connect with the outside world!!!

At my room Jae as already in bed bu woke when I came in & we talked a bit - it is great to be in a mission with a friend even if you have different schedules - it is just nice to know you have someone in this with you who you know!!! Keep those prayers and good thoughts coming - I definitely feel that I am loved and supported in this journey.  Tomorrow is a new day!!!

Sunday Day #1 of Surgery in Ethiopia!!!

It is unusual to start a surgery week on Sunday but her we had to do it to get space at the hospital. Today was BUSY!!!! perhaps because the 3rd recovery room nurse Barb started feeling sick last night when we were setting up and wasn't able to be there today so it was a 2 woman team with me & Carol & our wonderful PI Julie. We were supposed to have 2 local nurses but we didn't so we WORKED HARD!!!It made for a crazy busy day!!! that started at 5:30 and ended at 10 pm - yep 16 1/2 hours. Good hing I was well rested when I started but now I am beat!!! and even thought I cant post my blog I am writing it on my computer so I don't forget as every day is filled with experiences I don't want to forget.

Before I tell you about today here is the follow up to the teaser from last night... as of 10 m we weren't even sure if we would be able to start the mission today as we didn't have safe oxygen cylinders from which to run the anesthesia!!!  The hospital was supposed to get them 6 mos ago after the initial small mission at this location and they didn't...they sent them to Addis yesterday for repair and refilling and they wont be back until Tues - day #3 of surgery. At the risk of "calling off the mission" ( I don't now if that has ever happened before?) they were able to get 5 tanks from somewhere in the country that were set up & ready to go this morning....unbelievable.  Also Sara our coordinator was bringing several of our narcotics in her luggage and they were taken from at customs so we have very limited pain and sedation for all of our patients an some limited anesthesia....so goes mission medicine and nursing & we just adapt because even the little e have is far more than what is available here.

We did 24 cases today - hence the late night in recovery as we are the last to leave after we send our final patient to post op - the post op nurses leave about 8 when the night shift comes in & surgery eaves after their last case. Usually the 1st day is a lighter slower start but not this mission we hit the ground running - the needs are tremendous.

Many of our patients today were part of the group that came on a 3 day bus ride from Somalia....stories of great distance traveled and sacrifice to get to the mission site are ones I have heard before but still each time the faces are unique and situations heart wrenching., I think there were about 20 or so on their bus and 9 or 10 needed surgeries...they were scheduled at the beginning of the week so that they can be housed at the shelter and get some follow up before returning to Somalia. There was a translator just for them as that speak a different language her ...their dress is very modest and nomadic and the women's hands are all black & covered with henna (a beauty ritual) and ALL their feet are weathered and rough.  I really cant imagine their life or the 3 day trip here. It is interesting that many of them are here with their fathers rather than mothers as the travel her would be too dangerous for a woman and a child which makes sense, only 2 or 3 had mothers with them.  I thought of those mothers so far away from their children not sure what is happening to them & how amazed their will be when they return with beautiful new smiles - I am sure tearful joyful reunions will occur.
My 1st patient had the sweetest dad ho cried openly when he saw his son - I expect to see oms cry but dads crying was a whole separate experience. and made me ore emotional.  I did gt some photos with that dad :)

There was the absolutely most darling 3 year old who had the worst bilateral cleft lips I had seen - also from Somalia who was repaired today...he looked like a completely different child. His was a long 3-4 hour case for the extensive repair - cant wait to post pictures!!!. He was with his mom who was pregnant and after the stress of the ravel here and the emotion of the surgery she got sick...really sick in the recovery room with him, so we had 2 patients in his bed.  After a few hours and some food and drink she was better - she hadn't eaten much in her travels or since arriving, had no one with her and I was able to give her some TLC and support :)

Another special fiend Makala was a beautiful 7 year old girl from Somalia also with hr mom and the mom us cried and cried and kept pointing to my heart and her heart to express gratitude - yes heart to heart we communicated.. When it was tie fr her to go to post op instead of putting the little girl in a wheelchair the mom wanted to carry her on her back. Carol has bee on LOTS of missions an had NEVER seen that before...we both got a little teary & those are the moments that make Missions amazing. after all this mom did to get her daughter here sh e wanted to carry her up on her back up to post op...yes a parents love for their children is universal and transcends all cultures but it seemed t manifest itself a little ore purely between Makala an her mom - yes photos were taken.

There was a really FUN dad who I of course couldn't communicate with but he just kept giving me the "thumbs up" sign each time I went to care for his son - and he had a GIANT SMILE on his face the entire time. I thought the people here have a REALLY HARD LIFE but here he was so genuinely happy - made me think about the little things I sometimes let bother me.

The PACU/Recovery room is basically periods of complete noise and chaos when all 5 beds are full of crying children each with a parent plus the 3 of us and maybe 1 or 2 other volunteers all in 250 square feet of space...then every now & again we get 15 min of calm with only 1-2 patients.

Sometime this evening there was a huge cheering and when I asked out translator what it was he told me Ethiopia just beat Sudan in soccer - foolish me I asked if the stadium was near the hospital - it was that loud!!! But NO...apparently t was on TV & probably every TV in the hospital was on that channel (didnt even know that had TVs thee) and it was ll people at the hospital cheering. Apparently Ethiopia played another Sudan team recently in Sudan & lost so this was the rematch and determined who would go to the African Cup & Ethiopia hadn't been there in 31 years - most of these peoples lifetimes . SO for those of you who are sports fans - rivalries are alive and well all over the world!!!!

My nearly last patient after the soccer celebration was a 7 year old from Somalia also there with a mom who had her other child a 2 year old on her back!!!  The 2 year old seriously seemed to know when I pointed my camera at her & she smiled!!!

we got back to the hotel at 10 om - lots of the team was there eating -I was equally tired and starving so I joined them and actually had some yummy pasta - 1st thing I have eaten here besides the pizza!!! I need to shower and get to bed its almost midnight & my 5:30 door knock wake up call will come sooner that I'd like...even thought it was a busy day and I worked hard I thanked Sara for inviting me on this mission...wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now!!! even thought I miss my family like CRAZY!!!

Arrival in Mekele and Saturday

So the Internet does exist in Ethiopia it just doesn't like to connect to my CHOC computer...an IPad may be in my future!!! The internet (and electricity in general where we are at) is not that reliable but I will take what I can get. I have to catch up on my truly miraculous flight from Addis to Mekele.

After being put on standby I went back to the main terminal and exchanged my US $$$ for Ethiopian Birr about 18/$1 US. I tried to get Internet in the main terminal and was able to make my first blog post and spent about 4 hours people watching, having a "coke light" (the only one I have found in this country so far) and eating some of my snacks cause nothing looked good. I went back to the domestic terminal at 2 pm as I was told & it was all new workers at the Ethiopian Air terminal counter. I retold them my plight & they seemed less than encouraging & told me to step aside until 2:30. I watched the people coming in imagining that they were all going to Mekele and at times getting nervous but I kept reminding myself that what is meant to be will always find its way. I moved back closer to the counter and asked a new person what it looked like, then another person called for everyone going to Mekele to come forward  and several were in line. I was getting nervous but tried to reassure myself. At 2:50 the person I spoke to motioned me over and told me to go to another desk for rebooking, there they asked me to pay a 100 Birr rebooking fee ($5 US). This was a process all done by hand and seemed to take forever I asked if that meant  I was on the flight all the while thinking the flight could already be leaving. I took my receipt back to the counter was given a boarding pass seat 30A and told me to RUN to the gate - which I did. It was a small plane we boarded outside and I got the last seat on the last row of the plane!!! I had text my family and a few friends earlier to please pray I got on that flight & I was praying all day too so as I walked on to the little prop plane I was pretty emotional as I realized I was getting on this flight cause prayers were offered and answered for me that day I had no idea there were only 60 seats or I may have been even more nervous while I was waiting. I text the Op Smile folks that " I made it" and to get me at the airport. When I got to the hotel everyone said that they were told there was "no way I would get on that flight as they are always oversold" to which I said " I was prayed onto that flight" to get here today. Had I not gotten on I would have accepted that but I 
knew I had to try...I didn't travel 10,000 miles from home to spend a day where I wasn't supposed to
be.  How grateful I was to get that flight and arrive in Mekele. It was a small prop plane a 60 seater
and a very bumpy flight. I got to the hotel and got settled...it's definitely much lower quality than any 
other country I have been to even Kenya but it has running water and not too many bugs. I got an 
update from my roomie Jannae about screening and went to bed

I thought I was sort of on a good schedule after getting sleep on both red eye flights but I woke up at
3 am and could not go back to sleep not matter what I tried. We had a team breakfast at 7 a.m.  And I
was introduced as the new arrival no one could believe arrived:) we had our team day Saturday and it
was AMAZING!!!

When I drove in from the airport I thought this seemed a lot like Kenya but today I realized it was much different& seemed more impoverished. We started an hour drive to Wukro & on the way we
saw the tiny huts some people live in, there were people washing their single out fit of clothes and also themselves in the stream that ran by the town ( yep buck naked). There were lots of burros pulling carts & young children herding small groups of cows or goats. Very few seemed to have shoes or if they did they were old and broken.

We went to our first stop an archeological site where a temple was discovered and that was very interesting with lots of symbolism. Then we went to our " real event" which was to see an old church from 400 AD ....it was a deeply moving experience that I certainly didn't expect to have. We were there on Sat Oct 13th and Oct 14 th is the Feast Day & a Day of Pilgrimage so as we got closer to the church there were more and more people walking towards the church. I asked if this was a local event & our guide said no it was for all of Ethiopia and that some people would walk 1350 kilometers to get there over 2 months time from places farther than Addis. I was stunned and it made me wonder if my faith was such that I would do something like that? How far would I walk to worship?

After parking & walking towards the church we heard loud chanting coming from the church and
there were clearly many sick, blind, I'll and debilitated people there sitting on the path and steps to
the church...as they do believe in healing powers on this day. We went inside and it was pretty full of people mostly men & there was a back room where only the men gathered to chant and play musical instruments 
(many of the musicians were blind) while we were in there the "high priest" came in and removed the 
scriptures ( the book of psalms) from the alter and began to accept people's offerings (which varied from $$ to animals and all sorts of things) and then he would bless the people and they would be able to go to the alter and pray. Jae and I decided to give an offering and get blessed out of respect for their culture and it was a sweet experience. Inside the church the walls were covered with fresco paintings of Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden, Christs birth, life and crucifixion.  There is quite a bit more history as well but I wont go into that.

We spent much ore time at the church than was planned then we went back to Mekele and had Pizza (yes that seems to be universal I think I have eaten pizza on every mission). Then we went to the hospital to finish the Recovery Room set up - it isnt bad actually a little better than Kenya and not as nice as Mexico or Bolivia. We didnt get back to the hotel (using that word loosely) until 7:45 and had a team mtg at 8:15 and there was no electricity but I was determined to shower before the mtg since I was dead tired so ya I showered with the light of my mini flashlight!!! I stayed at the mtg until 10 then when they broke into the all nurse group I left as I was n hour #20 of being awake & we were to have a 5:30 a.m. wake up call (which is someone knocking on your door til you acknowledged them & we had a 6:30 bus to the hospital.  I CRASHED & dont think I moved much before the door knock & my phone alarm went off - it is  amazing what sleep does for you.

So now we are off for Mission Day #1 which almost didn't happen due o lack of oxygen and some necessary meds  - more on that next post. I haven't touched or seen a patient but walking up to that church and seeing all those in need made me know I was supposed to be here - it is impossible to see needs like this and not be catapulted into action. I know not everyone can have these experiences....it truly is a blessing to serve in this country with some of Gods children who have tremendous needs but I realize there are similar needs in the states but it seems that we have so much ore of just our basic necessities even in the worst situations - I know there is homelessness and children going hungry at home and medical needs and I want to try to be more aware of that at home as well as abroad.  I don't have to travel 10,000 miles to serve but here it seems nearly everyone is in a desperate situation. It is once again great to be a part of an international team of strangers who are all here with a united goal of changing individual children's and families lives one smile at a time.  Not sure when I can post again...love you all! Nurse Nancy

Arrived in Addis Ababa Ethiopia - TRAVEL BLESSINGS!!!

Well I am in Ethiopia and thinking this may be the only time I have internet service so I better make a blog entry.  I have been at the Addis airport for about 4 hours and had an lost internet service about 20 times...I sort of gave up for awhile but I have had it ow for about 30 min and even got on Facebook so I thought I would try although I just got an error message so I may be typing for naught.
First thing don't ever have 3 trips or events you are trying to pack for or be involved with all at the same time.  When I left home I had a bag for LA, my giant bag for Ethiopia, a bag for the 2 day London stay on the way home & 2 other bags of everything else I knew I needed but had no idea where to put it!!!  I enjoyed the Magnet Conference for a few days - he highlight was hearing Stephen Covey Jr. Speak on Trust...I had his dad (who died recently) as a professor at BYU & he was the nicest man. I got Stephen Jrs new book & had a chance to talk to him about my memories of his dad 30 years ago :)
Red Eye flight to London was FULL & I was tired & knew I had to sleep. I had a window seat next to a nice man & as we talked I said I was hoping to sleep - I went to get water in the back of the plane before take off & when I came back he had moved across the way & said a family was just upgraded & I should take this now empty row of 4 seats he was "holding for me". The stewardess moved a young man to the other end but there were still 4 empty seats in between us on an otherwise full flight. I took some sleeping medicine, put my seatbelt on & was asleep after take off skipped the 2 meals & while I tossed & turned alot I definitely got good sleep!!!
Arrived in London - found the "Tube" & took it to a stop them walked successfully to my nephew Petes flat in London - pretty proud of myself for that!!!  Visited, took a shower - BEST THING EVER, organized 3 of my bags so I could leave one there, we went out for Fish & Chips at a famous Pub then I made my way back to the airport.
Red Eye flight #2 from London to Addis was even more full - I was in row 40-the LAST ROW!!! I told the stewardess I really needed to sleep - she said see how it fills up.  They boarded by row & after 30-40 had come in I found a middle row of 3 seats unoccupied & put some of my stuff there & also 2 seats on a side & put other stuff there just to see if there would be late boarding people...we approached take off time & Ihad secured the 3 seats on an otherwise VERY FULL flight - just anther little miracle. Slept most all that flight - although they did wake me up each time they served food????
Arrived here, went thru immigration & customs and straight over to the Domestic terminal as i had been told 2 days before that my flight to Mekele was overbooked & I was taken off of it and might need to stay overnight in Addis - I REALLY didn't want to travel 10,000 miles to have a day "waiting" so called on my family & a couple of friends to PRAY PRAY PRAY that I could get onto a flight but would accept whatever was to be. There are 3 flights a day from Addis to Mekele - the 7 am one had already departed, the noon (my original) was now cancelled & the 3 pm is overbooked.  Still praying & knowing others were as well I spoke to the agent at 7:30 this morning - they took my big bag & gave me a standby ticket & said "it looks good". I will go back there in 2 hours at 2 pm & with great FAITH  I will HOPE prayers have been answered and my travel miracle comes to pass.
I have an International Ethiopian Cell phone I ordered before I left that seems to be working in the country & I called Dougs office but there was no answer & I realized it was 1 am there - I need to figure out this time difference.
I am missing screening today...I am anxious to get to Mekele and meet the rest of the team and do what I can to help. Again I am doubtful I will have any internet service once I leave Addis - even a few locals I have met in my 4 hours here in the airport "lobby" say it is sketchy. It does seem to work a little better if I log o to google & then try to navigate to another site...THANK YOU GOOGLE (& my nieces husband Jon who works there!)
Anyway - I am feeling good, rested and ready to work once I get that 3 pm flight :)
THANKS for the LOVE, GOOD WISHES & PRAYERS - I  feel the power of all of them!
LOVE & HUGS from Addis Ababa Ethiopia

Back to Africa...Ethiopia this time...

Well in just over a week I will be headed back to Africa with Operation Smile and again it has been one of those times when...."what's meant to be will always find its way".
The end of June I was contacted by Sara the wonderful mission coordinator from my Bolivia Mission to see if I wanted to  join the team she was putting together for Ethiopia...she knew I wanted to get back to Africa & I was super excited UNTIL I realized the mission travel dates conflicted with the Magnet Conference that CHOC is Co Hosting in LA which is largely my responsibility.  I tried & tried to make it work but ultimately had to say "I don't think I can go - it just wont work to do both".  2 weeks later my friend Jannae from Salt Lake (we were in Kenya together) call me to tell me she was offered a mission to Ethiopia & I should see if I could go...I had to tell her I had given Sara her name as a fabulous Pre/Post nurse but I couldn't go :(
talk about regrets...I mulled it around in my mind for a few days & re contacted Sara to see if there was ANY WAY we could make it work - to which she said..."I had contacted you first but when you said you couldn't go I filled my team & Jannaes spot was the last one I had to fill".  I said "no worries it just wasn't meant to be"...but I was REALLY disappointed.  I wanted to get back to Africa & I knew the needs in Ethiopia are tremendous, I wanted to go on another mission with Sara as coordinator & I REALLY wanted to go on a mission with Jannae BUT I just kept reminding myself it just wasn't "meant to be" and Sara said perhaps I could go to Thailand with her in Nov. So I tentatively blocked a week off from work then in hopes that would work out - but I couldn't get Ethiopia out of my mind.

3 weeks later I was in a mtg at CHOC and my phone vibrates & I see the Op Smile phone # so I step out & it's Sara who says "one of my Recovery Room nurses just had to drop the mission - if you can go I will work it out for you to travel & arrive late - it will be  different mission for you, you will likely miss screening but I would love to have you go".  I didn't even think twice & I said "I am 90% sure I can go plan on me just let me talk to my family & my boss at CHOC & I will get back to you in the next day". I asked Doug & the kids what they thought & they supported it 100% so the hard part would be CHOC - I looked at the Magnet conference schedule & my responsibilities, talked to my manager & Admin Asst to see how they felt covering for me for a day then asked my boss (the CNO) if I could move that week I scheduled off in Nov to Oct & leave the Magnet Conf a day early to go to Ethiopia...I told her I NEEDED TO DO THIS...this was why I became a nurse to relieve suffering and make a difference in children's lives and learn "the healers art". This I told her would "refill my core of who I am" & when I got back I would totally focus on the administrative things she needed me to do but I really had to go. She thought for awhile cause with the new hospital tower going up I have alot of responsibility but I assured here my team was great & could carry on without me. At the end of the day she called & told me to "go on & get it out of your system" then I need you back here 100% until we open the new tower. Without hesitation my reply was "You've got a DEAL" and so "WHAT"S MEANT TO BE WILL ALWAYS FIND ITS WAY". Ethiopia for me was meant to be :) and that was almost 2 months ago.   

I have had a crazy few months & consequently have done absolutely nothing to prepare to go, not even made my packing list!!!  A friend from church made some dresses for me to take & another group of Young women are making some too. Just this last weekend I printed out all 3 of the "team packets" and read them on my fight to Utah for Parents weekend.  I am both excited and somewhat anxious to go & serve in Ethiopia - the situation there seems dire.  I just found out that there is no Internet service at the "hotel" or "hospital" we will be at & cell service is spotty so "tell your families if they don't hear from you not to worry". That is so not my MO...even 10,000 miles from home I want to be connected to Doug & my kids & CHOC. On every other mission I have been on I have always been able to be in pretty good contact & knowing all was well at home allowed me to focus on my work there - but despite having a global phone Verizon cant guarantee me service and a "data plan" for Ethiopia doesn't exist - YIKES!!! I am hoping maybe the phone I bought in Kenya might work if I buy a sim card there??? and in my mind there has to be some "internet cafe" somewhere nearby??? The non communication potential is my biggest concern.

My second concern is the travel - I will basically be taking 2 back to back "red eyes" LA to London one night then after a 7 hours layover another red eye from London to Addis Ababa Ethiopia then a "domestic flight"aka small plane from Addis to the more remote area of Mekele where the mission is in the northern most  part of Ethiopia right next to the countries of Yemen, Sudan & Somalia. I will be travelling by myself - the rest of the team is leaving 2 days before me..so that makes me a little nervous but really it is just navigating the Addis Ababa airport that may be a challenge & hopefully someone will meet me at the airport in Mekele??? I don't have that flight info yet.

Sara told me from the very 1st call that this was a "rustic site" and I am not sure I can fully conceptualize that but with these facts about the area we will be in it's clear to me they need us there...20% of the population there live on less that $1 US a day for a family of 6-7 who typically live in a 100 square feet mud & thatch huts. 50% of children are underweight & 75% of families share their sleeping quarters with livestock. Only 12% of homes have cement floors 88% are dirt and most children sleep on the ground where night time temperatures average 40 degrees F. In the capital City of Addis Ababa 55% of the people live in slums and further out where we will be that % climbs to a much higher #. Infant mortality is 10% - 1 of every 10 babies die??? and the life expectancy is 48!!!  Sanitation is nearly non existent - which is probably why they asked us to bring soap so we can give the kids baths before we do surgery :)  in ALL of Ethiopia there are on average 2 .5 physicians for every 100,000 people and there are MANY Orphans & Vulnerable Children who cant attend school unless they have school supplies.  I read all of this & despite seeing ALOT of poverty in Kenya I don't think I can fully conceptualize all of this & it makes me think of all we have, all we take for granted, and how we spend or waste money on things everyday that we dont need - while $1 would sustain a family of 7 for an entire day....it is incomprehensible & I get emotional just thinking about it. If we just skipped a trip to In & Out we could support a family there for almost a week without really making any sacrifice of all we have & often dont appreciate.

Since I am taking a "domestic flight" once I get in the country I can only take one 50lb suitcase - I have always brought 2  very full 50-60 lb suitcases mostly filled with items to give away but a 2nd suitcase would cost me $160 American - is that crazy??? that $160 would sustain a family for almost 6 months - so do I spend the $$$ and take a suitcase of cloths & school supplies for the orphans or is is better to just take the cash & use it to help them once I get there? But the Peace Corp volunteers say they need school supplies & love children's books which leads me to doubt that they have school supplies there I could buy after I arrive - I have alot of figuring out to do in this next week! Actually I just have alot to do in general....so I just wanted to let all my family & friends know as I haven't talked about to to too many people until recently.  I would appreciate your prayers and positive thoughts this week as I prepare & of course next week when I leave - I absolutely cant do this on my own and am looking to my Heavenly Father for strength and direction. If it is meant to be I have to have faith it will all work out...I firmly believe that when God takes YOU to it HE will get you thru it!!!. I think I will be reminding myself "this mission is meant to be for me" & repeating the "If GOD has taken me to this HE will get me thru this" phrase hourly this next week.  I will blog again before I go so stay tuned if you want to stay in touch on this next adventure with me :)