May 12, 2010

Today was my last day of work, which only means Haiti is coming that much quicker. I am starting to feel a little anxious about going...the great unknown. But, as I would always tell my patients, "One day at a time otherwise you miss out on life when worrying about tomorrow."

I can't help but think how awesome God is that he has brought me to this point of going to Haiti. Being an art major, I avoided science classes as much as possibly...but I was always interested in the medical field. At one point I thought about being a medical illustrator. I remember praying before Jake started his first year of medical school that God would give a job where I could minister to others. I then worked in oncology/hematology chemotherapy for a year. As an art major, I was taking vitals, assisting the doctors with bone marrow biopsies, assisting with central lines...doing things I never imagined doing like going into an OR to learn how to make slides with the cytologist. My favorite part was when patients asked me what my degree was (this usually happened before a procedure and as I was prepping them). I always told them a Bachelor of Science and left out the Studio Art. I think this made them feel better. With all this to say, God put me at this job, I believe, so that I could go on trips like this. I really wanted to go to Haiti as an art therapist and help with the post trauma that individuals encountered. Yet, I feel really comfortable that if all I do is help medically, I feel competent and excited to do so.

There are some things I fear like me or my husband accidentally getting stuck with a needle, I do not handle skin infections well...so like scabies is going to be hard. Lice...that is definitely going to be hard...I probably will be itching my head even though I know lice can't jump. And, wounds that have not healed well. I had heard from a friend that went to Haiti that a patient un-bandaged his wound and maggots came out of it-Yikes! I can handle blood, cutting someone open, and the surgical side of things. But it's those small simple things that I hope I don't get sick. I am hoping that my empathic self will take over and just care for people and that then the fears will slip away.

We will also being going in the middle of rainy season, so pray for our safety---no flooding and no hurricanes. Growing up out east I know that hurricanes can start in the outter Atlantic in late May early June.

Things to do---I have a TON!