REPOSTING AFTER I ACCIDENTLY DELETED-will try to reorder it later!
So despite this being a very Catholic part of the world they don't really celebrate St Patricks day here but I did wear green, played the Irish Rovers on my phone & will have a belated celebration when I get home!A few fun facts...the "C" in the shower is not for COLD it is for CALIENTE or HOT...I didn't notice the other handle said "F" for FRIO or COLD. Coke Zero is available & I bought cans one for each day. Despite being in a "nice hotel" the electricity goes off & on all night which I know as I begin to sweat when the wall A/C turns off & I have to get up to turn it back on (at least we have it!). I think I could handle the 90 degree weather if there wasn't about 80% humidity...at least all my pores will be clean...I do think I sweat more today than I ever did even in Africa - but maybe I just forgot. The "blow dryer" is one from the 60s or 70s with tubing that is the size of vacuum cleaner tubing.
Tomorrow I will have names & faces & stories of the wonderful people here that I am blessed to serve but knowing it will be a LONG day I am heading to bed. Wake up call at 6 - bus leaves at 7.Today all the patients were told if they would get surgery...in past missions it has been posted or announced to the group - here they did it in the most personal, wonderful way ever because of the 100's of student volunteers that have in the country. Each family was escorted by a student to an area where they were told in private & if they were not scheduled for surgery on this mission they were given resources & if they were they were given great parent teaching. Seriously it was AMAZING!The local in country volunteers are a well oiled machine - hence why there are only about 20 international volunteers from other countries (most from other parts of Latin America. Mercedes who is the in country coordinator has done 40 missions all over the world...they have us all set up & organized like I have never seen before. I am sure we will have some fine tuning tomorrow but nothing like past missions. It will be Brooke & Me & 4 Paraguay nurses in PACU - not sure if they will all be there every day or not?The hospital is close enough to walk but the plan is to take a bus in the morning - to get everyone there at the same time & then walk home - hopefully not at crazy late hours. Today the bus wasn't available so we walked back & forth a few times & yes it was very humid - but the PACU has an A/C unit so that will help.I am excited to get started tomorrow & be a part of changing lives. Today we had a 2 hour city tour & saw some of the poorest areas which was in stark contrast to our "Country Club" meal. This I am sure is where many of our patients come from...it was very humbling to see their "lean to" shacks, with piles of garbage near by & stray dogs & even pigs??? in the area.
Good Night & Happy Irish Dreams!
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