The Home Stretch

Arrived in Colon Panama this morning after a fun time in Colombia. We are at the mouth of the Panama Canal docked at a cruise line docking station. There are huge ships all around waiting to go through the canal and tons of containers waiting to be put on a boat and sent to where ever. It has pored all day today and this morning I got up at 5 am to see a sunrise. It was a bust because of the cloudy skies. it was still nice to be up and outside and be pretty much the only one out there. It takes this ship 2 miles to stop and when I was at the fan tail (the back of the boat) enjoying the piece and quiet the boat started its slow down operations and a huge loud scary noise jolted me out of my zen state and then a huge billow of black diesel smoke came out of a vent pipe and choked me which caused my asthma to flare up. In the end it was quite comical but at the time it happened I had to swallow my heart to put it back where it belonged. I will be going out into town tomorrow to do pre-surgery screening. Hopefully we will start doing surgeries on Wednesday. I can't believe I really only have 1 week left. I am not gonna lie, I am excited to come home. It has been an incredible experience in everyway but I really miss my family and I am going a little ship stir crazy. I don't know how people can last out at sea or on a boat for long periods of time. it would be very difficult. While the rest of the world is decreasing in swine flu cases, Panama is one of the only places that has increased. So this is causing a little bit of a concern.
The area we are in is one of the areas on the rise. We are takiking all the necessary precautions to ensure that no one gets it because if there are any cases, the person would have to be quarantined for 30 days and the ship would be not be able to return until after that period. So tomorrow, while I am out on shore in the 90 degree weather with 100% humidity, I will be wearing a mask. Not just any kind of mask, but a heavy TB mask. Should be fun. I hope I somehow get the gift of tongues but I doubt that will happen. I will be going to my last sacrament meeting tonight. We have been told that Sister Beck, the General RS President, will be on the ship the day we leave to see us. That should be nice. I don't know much more than that. I hope all is well with everyone. Love you, Becky

Panama

Sunday May 17

This morning I attended the Protestant\Catholic church meeting. Although they do things differently than we do, it was a very nice service. The music was a happy clapping and waving of the arms type as well as normal church music that was an experience, with electric guitars and drums. There was also a brass band that was nice. The message was on Matthew 25, and the pastor did and outstanding sermon. We did get to sing a familiar song, How Great Thou Art. There were a bunch of people there in the small chapel, and it was busier than usual because since we are underway no one is at work, also we had the nursing, “blessing of the Hands” Prayer, to end nurses week and prepare us for our next mission. So the sermon was on service and how our service is an extension of Gods hands. I t was very touching and it was good to feel the spirit. A good reminder that truth is truth and when you hear it no matter where you are the spirit is present. They did their communion and thru out the service lots of different prayers were said. After that service we had our scripture study with our small group. It was on repentance and forgiveness. It was nice to have a small intimate group where we felt comfortable expressing our thoughts and questions. I am again grateful for the spirit that I felt. Tonight we will have our sacrament meeting at 8pm. I really look forward to this. I can’t believe that this will be my 3rd Sunday here. Time is going quickly in some ways but slow in others. I am not quite sure how that can be but it is. Last night there was a movie on the flight deck. It is a cool experience because everyone brings there chairs blankets and pillows and get comfortable. They showed the movie against the hanger that holds the helicopters. The movie was “Yes Man”, the screen was huge and the sound good. We were heading towards a storm so the boat was really rocking, especially on the top deck. It was fun. We will be underway until Tuesday evening so we are enjoying the open seas. When we get to Colombia we have liberty leave so I will be going on shore with my group and having fun for a few days in Cartagena Colombia, which is supposed to be a safe place. We had to fill out a form of info about us and distinguishing characteristics about us so that if we are kidnapped they will know it is us from the description the kidnappers give. Nice huh? I hope all is well with everyone. Well I am off to my muster and then fire and abandoned ship drill. I love you and look forward to talking with you soon. Love you, Becky

Pictures From Antigua

Becky w/ CRNA
Operating










Happy Eye Patient

The Dutch Team

Antigua valley church beach nursing get together

Antigua valley church beach

Nurses Outting Before Leaving Antigua

Antigua Nurses Assoc. Dinner Function in T0wn

Service in Antigua

Today we left Antigua and are headed for Colombia. We will have liberty there and I am planning on going to shore and staying in a hotel with my group. We are looking forward to it. It will be a great break before we head to Panama. Panama will be even busier than Antigua with much more need and many more children. At Antigua it was nice because they speak English for the most part. In Panama they don't and most of us do not speak Spanish. We will have interpreters there but it will be difficult. We had great successes in Antigua and left feeling happy for all those we were able to help. One of the pictures is me in the O.R. at the end of a cataract case. our patient woke up and we asked he he felt well enough to sit up in bed for a picture. He was so gracious and couldn't stop thanking us. He had been unable to see for many years and now he will have almost 20\20 vision. He kept saying God Bless America. He gave us all hugs and with tears told us he would never forget and he would make sure nobody else would. He said He was a walking miracle and just kept grabbing our hands. These actions from the Antiguians was very common. One lady in recovery sang at the top of her lungs God Bless America. This is only in the OR area. We did so much more on land to care for the people with other needs. I feel very privileged and humbled to be a part of something so incredible. The long hours and sore back and feet are worth it. There are people all over the world who are suffering and I am grateful for wonderful compassionate people who try there hardest to get to them. We live in a wonderful and caring country. We may not agree with our political leaders or the things we see happening to our country, but our country is still great and as long as we have compassion and the will to keep doing good we have hope. I hope that I am doing my part. I am trying, and again I thank you all for your love, support, and encouragement. God bless America!!! Love you all. Becky

Full Swing

We are in full swing. Another day is done. I did a bunch of Gallbladders and a double hernia repair in a very cute 2 yr old. My day went well, it is nurses week, so today I went to a little nursing day celebration and had a piece of good cake and ice cream. Tomorrow I do eyeballs again. I am just working hard, and loving my pillow at night. We have been having a bunch of tours on the ship for the Antiguains. I don't know if they are from the government or university or nursing and medical schools? but we have had a ton of traffic evereywhere including the OR. It has been fun talking with them. They are all very gracious and speak of all the kindness that has been extended to them and their country. I am off to yet another meeting. Goooo Nuggets!!
Love Becky

Life in the OR

Wolthuis, Heermans, Valhauer



Oops - need a new glove!


Mosquito Proofing

Lots of Stair - BYU Rugby Shirt
Flight Deck