The Waiting Game

I am writing to you from the chilly nurses station in Surgical Constant Care - the higher acuity care area of our Surgical Inpatient floor here at PRHC. It is a slow night (although I probably just jinxed myself in writing that); I have 2 stable patients that are only still back here because there's no space on the main floor. They're snoring away as I'm sitting here wrapped in a blanket - I forgot my sweater and the AC is blasting. Talk about first world problems. My paperwork is done, my assessments are done, it's 4 hours 'till the next medication is due, so I thought I ought to take advantage of the downtime to post an update.

It's been an awfully long time since my last post, probably because my life when I'm not on the AFM is generally not exciting enough to tell you all about. Work here is just that - work. It has its rewarding moments, but they are much more few and far between.

A few things have changed for me: I moved to a new apartment just outside of the city - and I'm so grateful every day for the pristine view out my windows. No fence, no office building, no sirens blaring at all hours, and best of all, no light pollution! The spectacular array of stars is always such a refreshing sight - reminding me of my insignificance in the grand scope of the universe, and how remarkable it is that every tiny human on this world of ours is known, cared for, and loved by this universe's author.

My most excellent backyard.

I also, as mentioned above, am now trained for our higher-acuity surgical care area. I am finally using the coronary care course I took 5 whole years ago, and caring for patients on cardiac monitors, as well as invasive pressure monitoring, high-risk medication drips, and other fun things.

I didn't have much time to process the adjustment when I came home, what with all the moving and training for work. Honestly, I didn't have the same degree of culture shock as I did after my first trip. I think my brain has compartmentalized these two drastically different worlds I've been living in, closing up that one box and popping me back in the other. It felt a tad surreal, but like no time had passed. It was just the same old, same old. I'm still reminded of the ship at the strangest times, and still get asked at least once a week - "What was it you were doing on your cruise? You were in South Africa, right? Are you going back?"

I think knowing already that I am returning, and counting down the months (6.5 to go, btw!) has given me a different perspective. It almost now feels as though my life here is the temporary one that I'm simply waiting out until I can get back to the real work. I know my work here has value; I know I can still impact my patients' lives. But that impact is pretty miniscule compared to the transformative work Mercy Ships is doing.

Speaking of the ship (right...that's what this blog is about after all!)...it left dry-dock in Las Palmas a couple weeks ago and has arrived in Cameroon! A lot of exciting updates are popping up everyday from friends aboard and on social media. The hospital has been scrubbed top-to-bottom yet again, the Hospital Out Patient Extension (HOPE) Center is filling with patients who've traveled from far inland, and tents are being set up for secondary screening by the surgeons.

A warm welcome as the ship arrives in Douala, Cameroon with all flags flying!

Note the all important AIR CONDITIONING UNITS!!! The last 2 Hope Centers were...shall we say "Au Naturel"

In the next couple months I will start working on some fundraising plans, but in the meantime my donation page is still active, here. None of this is possible without a lot of generous supporters - you are all indispensable components of the ship's work. See for yourself; the video below shows the transformation of a vacant building into a hub of hope and recovery (funded by Canadians)!