724 Cahill/Dawson Surgery – Wednesday, 4-6-22
So I mentioned yesterday that COVID and the necessary precautions are still affecting everyday life here in Guatemala. For this reason, Faith in Practice is very strict regarding maintaining “the bubble” and having us go pretty much straight back and forth from the hotel to the hospital (at least until Friday!). While this might sound like a bummer, you have to understand two things: 1. Our hotel, Quinta de las Flores, is charming. We might be missing out on seeing some of Antigua, but we are not exactly suffering from spending the evenings on these grounds, and 2. Our team is comprised of pockets of people from all over. Depending on your role, you might be holed up in one part of the hospital all day, not ever having much contact with other team members. If we were allowed to go out and about every evening, we wouldn’t be having family-style dinners and evenings by the fire together every night. Point in case: this afternoon, as everyone was arriving back at the hotel, Kevin, a scrub tech from Houston, walked up to the bar to order a drink. Tocia, an RN from Dallas, happened to be sitting there and said out of the blue, “Hey! I don’t know you yet! Sit right down and let’s talk.” (I like this about Tocia, she’s straightforward, but in a friendly way). These connections build camaraderie, and we have more opportunities than ever this year to connect and learn about each other since we’re physically gathered together.
Update on Olinda: She walked beautifully today and went home with her husband to see her kids and grandchildren. She was just as calm and serene as yesterday and maintained that she had ZERO pain, just appreciation in her heart (except for the knee that wasn’t operated on–she’s hoping to come back next year!).
-Mindy
