The Children

I saw so many children with injuries! They were casted with cuts, abrasions and amputations. Such suffering! They cried out as a child does and we did our best to comfort them. Some of them lost their parents in the quake and are now orphans. I was walking on evening to a secret bathroom (that was always a challenge for us) I saw a sweet little girl probably near two years old. She laughed and we played tagged. There was a bandage on her hand, which really did not phase me as many people and children had some kind of dressing or missing limb. I tried to ask the mother how old she was using my fingers. The mother proceeded to show me how many fingers and part of her hand she lost with her injury. I aknowledge that by touching her shoulder and then continued to run and play with her child. I wanted to grab her and take her with me to a safe place! The sweet little girl smiled and laugh not even caring about her injury at that time but to be a child and play with me. How grateful I was for that experience!

New Friends

We made so many new friends! The other nurses were amazing. we all worked so well together and enjoyed each other's company. The Hatians were also amazing as when we got there there were not many smiles! As we cared and touched them and helped they improved and smiled, I think Jeanette was actually laughing at me most of the time as I tried to mimic her Creole. Her daughter Bridgette advanced so fast and was walking using crutches! (She had a broken pelvis) Mryline had such a big smile and a cell phone. She said she would call me! I am not sure how that will go and she spoke no English and I said my Creole is not! I love the phrase "Pa gen problem." No problem and used it frequently. Nadia and her neighbor Stephanie were our princesses and made us smile with their contagious smiles. They were in constant pain but smiled when they saw us and held our hands. Nadia love to kiss my hand and just hold it stroking my fingers. I took care of her after surgery and as she woke up she was praying to Jesus and reliving the trauma of the earthquake. She was on the stairs and lost her son and whole family to the quake. She cried and raised her arms and hands praying to Jesus and asking for mercy. I cried as she was coming out of sedation and held her. She said she had a book, a bible, it was her protection but could not find it. Stephanie t shared her bible with Nadia and you should of seen how she cherised that book, feeling it protection! Another woman next to Stephanie was trapped for five days and knew English well, which I did not know. I looked at her and told her how beautiful she was and she answered, "yes, I am beautiful." I laughed and enjoyed her answers to my statements of her beauty." All of these people were beautiful, inside as well as out. I had a sweet older lady, she had to be over 90, with a broken pelvis and she was blind with no family. When the people were inside the rooms of the orphanage building they all took care of each other no matter who they belonged to. I lost her in the mass exodus when the first aftershock occured and then lost her again in the chaos and commotion. I did find her to have no one taking care of her. She was by herself in a room with no one around. Allison an American nurse from Honduras sat next to her for hours trying to get her to eat and gave her fluids.

Rescue

We happened to be down near the field when this helicopter took off. The man walking through the shot was a translator we had, Fabrice. He was great along with Kelly and Louis. The translators were needed and used day and night. I think they did not sleep much and were constantly being called from one pt to another. Kelly helped me so much, actually helping me turn and clean patients. These men were the heroes as well!

Towards the end of the trip. We had many evacuations of children and the ones that needed a higher level of care. Helicopters landed daily to take these people out. I am sitting here and just heard a helicopter outside and my thoughts went immediatly back to those days when they would show up and we knew some would be able to get out. Many are still waiting for the trip out. Paraplegics those with spine injuries wait in the tent for a chance to be evacuated! Jim Keaney spoke to KFI's Bill Handle daily, reviewing what we found and what we were doing to help. The stories of the people each day touched our hearts and pulled at our emotions. Things were changing daily sometimes hourly and the military presence had to be kicked up a bit with incidences happening throught the compound. I never felt unsafe during my stay though. I just knew that it would be OK and kept doing what I had come to do, taking care of people who had suffered greatly just a week or so before we arrived.

Our Get Together After My Return From Jimini

The best part is always coming home! We all went to CPK for my request of a salad! I enjoyed my family and the salad, grateful to live in such a beautiful area with such great blessings!

Humanitarian Trip

I will be leaving tomorrow, Wed. with a group of nurses and doctors to help with the aide to Haiti. I am not sure what we will find. I will post when i return.

De Stuffing My Life, A journey from Over Abundance to Simplicity

Gratefulness is the key to a happy life that we hold in our hands, because if we are not grateful, then no matter how much we have we will not be happy-----because we will always want to have something else or something more.
" Just one more thing and that will make me happy. If I get this it will make things easier and I will feel better."
My motto: Keep it Simple and I will add the stupid part to the end of that sentence as well. 2010 the new year and new goals. Many of us have so much stuff. I have to much stuff and I hope to de stuff my house and life this year. I do not want to spend the time taking care of the stuff, paying for the stuff, organizing the stuff. I really can get by, live with less stuff. I wish this epiphany came to me at least ten years ago, think of how much further i would be ahaead in my de stuffing goal. Today is always a good day to start and continue de stuffing.
A house full of stuff can be very depressing. A cluttered room saps one's spirits. One reason, obviously, is that there's less room for people in a room full of stuff. But there's more going on than that. I think humans constantly scan their environment to build a mental model of what's around them. And the harder a scene is to parse, the less energy you have left for conscious thoughts. A cluttered room is literally exhausting. Walk through the house and ask your self these questions, "Is it functional? Is it fulfilling to own? is it priceless?" Hey just found a place to sell DVD's, CD's, games called SECOND SPIN Trying to get all my CD's on my Ipod with back up so.....out the ones go that I do not want any longer. Hey I might even get a check in the mail!

New Year Resolutions

Did you know it takes 21 days to establish a new habit.
That is 21 days of doing this new habit!
Brain circuits take engrams (memory traces), and produce
neuroconnections and neuropathways only if they are
bombarded for 21 days in a row. This means that our brain
does not accept new data for a change of habit unless
it is repeated each day for 21 days (without missing a day).

Top 10
1. Spend more time with family and friends
2. Fit in fitness
3. Tame the buldge
4. Quit smoking
5. Enjoy life more
6. Quit drinking
7. Get out of debt
8. Learn something new
9. Help others
10. Get organized
Just some food for thought!

Enjoy

Turn off music on Blog before starting this clip. Scroll to the bottom to the playlist and turn off music.

Our New Grandson, Elijah

Born today at 1:22 pm 7.5# 20 inches long.
Becky did great, Mike was so excited when he came out and I tried to capture the moment with pictures and a few "push, push, push encouragements!

Eli's coming!!!!

Becky and Mike are in the hospital, waiting for the coming of Eli. We received the call early this morning that she is in labor. New post to follow.........

Christmas is coming!

WOW! Thanksgiving is over the tree and Christmas decorations are up. The lights on the house are next. I feel behind though, as we celebrated Thanksgiving early because of Becky's due date and I am just getting it all done now. I should of had it done by now. Busy, Busy days. It will all get done and my favorite day is always tomorrow! I found a book as I unpacked the decorations, A Simple Christmas. This is going to be my motto this year: A simple Christmas. We need to focus on the spirit of Christmas!
I think of Martha: Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named aMartha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. Luke 10:38-42
I must remember to not be like Martha and get too carried away with all the activity of the season, the dinners, the gatherings. I must be like Mary and take the time, to sit and listen. To sit and enjoy the message.
Let us adore Him, let us rejoice! We can remember the simple birth of the Savior and give thanks for the miracle of His life. Let the season begin!