Yo estoy enjaulada.

It was a busy week. I didn't blog, nor did I put anything down in the journal. So a week of my life is lost to mere memory.
I started a new schedule this week with the start of a new rotation, Neurology. Day 1I was given a schedule, and to put it bluntly....it was a horrible schedule. A horrible schedule is nothing new with UAG, so I thought I'd deal with it and move on, but when I got home, stomped up the stairs to my room, and heard the ugly stomps eching back through the house at me, I made the decision right then that I was not going to adhere to the current schedule. There was no way I was going to adhere to a schedule if it were to only succeed in putting me in an unhappy/mad mood by the end of the day. I would just make my own schedule. But, Praise Jesus! God was a step ahead of me. Tuesday morning I ran into the doctora who had given me the schedule the day before, and without me saying anything, she asked/suggested a different schedule more fitted to what I'm actually supposed to be doing, Neurology.
I used to be the last one in the house to be up in the morning. I'm now gone before anyone else wakes up. A fact which they didn't realize until Friday. I take that as a compliment that I went a whole week quite as a mouse....or maybe a small rat at least. I don't mind the early start time, specifically because it means I miss the horrible traffic due to construction on the way to the hospital, plus I get a good parking spot. As walk through the main floor of the IMSS on my way to the staircase in the back, I find that I'm making my way through a makeshift shelter for the homeless. They've laid their pieces of cardboard out on the benches and set up 'home' for the night. They're still asleep or just waking up then, but by the next time I find myself down on that floor for whatever reason, the hospital has since come alive and they've disappeared with their cardboard.

Last weekend I took a few pictures in Ixtlan.
This is Brenda, little Rubi, Me, and Mari. Brenda and Mari have both come off and on over the years. They are both young, but the past couple of weeks I get the feeling that they are searching for a role model. More unconsciously than consciously, but they want to grow up. They see us as older than them and so have become mimics. It reminds me of being a counsellor at Jr. High Girl's Camp. Girls at that age notice everything from how you dress, to what you laugh at, etc. It reminds us of the importance of walking the talk, especially the loving part. And then little Rubi...this was the first time I had met her. At my first attempts at a photo with her, she wouldn't look at the camera. Bev suggested I show her the photo, so I did...she understood then, and became a cheeseball for the camera.


Bev, Regg and Mari were rolling up the net after volleyball. Rubi jumped in to help out.


In this picture, you'll have to excuse the expression on my face. I'm not sure which of the girls took the picture, but they accidentally cut off the top of Rubi's head, but honestly, I kind of like how it turned out (apart from my face). It looks as if Rubi is trying to duck under a doorway or something. She had been gripping onto my head so that I couldn't see, so I was in the midst of removing her little hands from my eyes. I also like this picture because it shows Rubi's boots. She looked so haphazardly put together with her oversized thread bare clothes, her pink boots, and her dirty face, hands and legs. So easy to love.


Hasta!

Yo estoy cultivando flores.

Vero and I had our once-a-semester meal-making party again. This semester pot stickers were added to the menu. (we had extra egg roll filling and extra won ton wrappers!)


This past Thursday was all Greek for me!
This is Angela. She's Greek. She hosted a Greek dinner for some of us! Main dish was Pasticio.

And after our Greek dinner...
This is Jason. He's from Greece too. We celebrated his birthday.

This was his birthday cake. It's Zeus!

Like I said...Thursday was very Greek for me! ;)

This is the solitary rose in our backyard.


The east wall of our backyard is covered with these yellow flowers....at least it was until the gardner happened yesterday! This was one that survived.


More flowers from our backyard. These are growing up the stairs that led to the second floor, hence why I'm looking up to take their picture.


My fourth roommate finally got back to GDL on Thursday. She likes having flowers in the house.


One last thing. I took this video a while ago, uploaded it to youtube, and then forgot about it. One night before the rain started I went up on our roof and took a video of the approaching storm. It was much more impressive in person!



Hasta!

Yo estoy al servicio de un Dios Awesome!

I just spent over an hour writing out a very very long blog post only to finally click 'publish post' and have the entire thing lost. Not even the title was saved. The whole post had been about recent events that I have to praise God for, and then with a click of the button my praise had turned to long groans of frustration! Sad at how easily I can be affected by my surroundings sometimes. :(

I am sorry, but I am not going to write out the entire post again. But in summary, I ran some errands today. Knowing that, due to the type of errands, a lot could go wrong (Paperwork usually goes wrong before it goes right in Mexico) I woke up nervous about my day and praying things would go smoothly. Skipping to the end...I felt as if it was Christmas and I had just been given the most amazing gift. It was almost to good to be true.....could I really have just experienced a bit of efficiancy? Here? In Mexico?

And then I moved on to something even more amazing and on a much bigger scale of praise. Yesterday I received an email, a group email to the Apostolic Christian Medical Fellowship. Even before I started on this road to MD back in high school, I first wanted to be a medical missionary. At the time I knew that to do long term medical missions I would have to do it on my own, which I do not want to do. But I also knew that it would be years in the future, and that My Future Is Not My Own. The email, that I will include below, does not make promises, but it is filled with possibilities. And once again I am reminded to never ever underestimate the power of prayer.

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Listen to what our Lord and master Jesus Christ was busy doing while here on earth, And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people (Mt 9:35)! Healing is mentioned > 50 times in the gospels!
Remember what Jesus instructed his disciples to do, And He sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick (Lk 9:2)! And what did the disciples do? ... And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where (Lk 9:6).
Now this is exciting ... we who are true disciples of Jesus Christ are called to likewise minister to a hurting world. This may be close to where we grew up or in a land where the language is difficult, or both.

Over the past several years, when our paths would cross on the mission field or in our local church, many of us have visited about the opportunities and challenges of medical missions. Our desire to further this work prompted the discussion during the Apostolic Christian Medical Fellowship meeting last year in Chicago to request the formation of a Medical Committee under the jurisdiction of World Relief. A presentation on the need for a medical committee and the potential contributions thereof was given to the World Relief Board this past Saturday.

The World Relief Board has, as requested, charged the ACMF with implementation of a Medical Committee for provision of a professional foundation and guidance for our medical works teams, for quality assurance of provided services, and for evaluation of opportunities as they arise.

This provides us with an opportunity to facilitate combining the interest and enthusiasm that we have seen on work teams with a sound professional science-based approach. It also provides accountability, deadlines, and organization. The next World Relief Board meeting is scheduled in December and it would behoove us to have a committee with goals and objectives setup by that time.

The initial challenge will be to bring together a motivated group of medical professionals who are committed to providing quality medical care through the opportunities, current and future, provided through our Apostolic Christian World Relief. Initial search for these individuals will be via the Apostolic Christian Medical Fellowship email list. However, we also will need to reach out to pharmacist and therapists.

A tentative list of what the committee may look like is:
3 physicians (MD, DO)
2 (NP, PA, nurse educator)
1 pharmacist
1 PT or OT
2 dentist(s)
1 elder
1 non-medical person

Bro. Kent Heimer will either be, or provide, the elder for the committee. I am also willing to serve on the committee and can initially serve as a clearing house for correspondence. As one can imagine, there is a lot of work to do to get organized and up-and –running. After that, we will be focused on the opportunities of medical interest and can continue to make a difference serving others. I would envision we will want both experienced and recently (or currently) trained professionals, representing a broad array of specialties, practice arrangements, and geographic locations with interests in Haiti, Mexico, USA, and anywhere we’re needed.

So please, each and everyone of you who could invest yourselves in shaping, improving, & expanding our medical mission outreach step up to the task at hand. Also, please pass along the opportunity to other pharmacists and therapist who are interested and have participated in missions.

As soon have we have a significant number of potential committee members, we will arrange a meeting for working our the myriad of details such as terms, responsibilities, and goals & objectives.

serving together to His glory,
Lee

P.S. Please forward a copy of this to any pharmacist and physical &/or occupational therapist within our brotherhood (and any any additional physician or APN). If you also cc me, I will add them to the database.


Hasta!!!!!!!!!

Yo estoy esperando la lluvia.

I love the anticipation when we call for a new patient, and then getting to see the story that they have for us. Some are quite characters; others hardly talk and the whole consult lasts about 4 minutes, but most are in between. Here's a few stories that make me smile.

A young boy came to our office with his mom, you could tell that he was of the ornery sort. At one point of the consult I was writing out a prescription for the boy while the doctora was taking time to explain some techniques and guidelines to help him. She listed off some foods that he should try to avoid, chocolate was one of them. At that point I looked up to see the normally fidgety boy sitting still with his eyes buggin out of his head. He slowly turned to his mom, and in an almost whisper said, "I can't have chocolate?" Poor kid! What a tragedy that would be...no chocolate!!??!

Another young boy we had visit our office came with his mom and his older brother. While the boy with a wart on his finger kept staring at us playing at the front of the doctora's desk, his brother preferred to hide behind their mom squeezing himself between his mom's chair and the wall. Due to the mom's conviction that liquid medications haven't helped the disappearance of the wart in question, but at the same time the doctora's dislike for surgically removing warts at such an age the conversation was going back and forth for awhile each explaining their reasoning. While the doctora explained the process of surgical removal we heard a sudden sob and noticed that while the patient was still as happy as before his older brother was obviously not with huge tears rolling down his cheeks. Poor kid was clearly scared. Without trying to, he had probably helped the doctora convince the mom to try a liquid medications one more time.

One last patient I want to comment on, is the bravest I've seen in our office so far, a small 9 year old girl. She did have some warts removed. She did not flinch, nor even blink an eye. Even if they aren't hurt by it, the sound of the cauterizer normally causes the patients to flinch at least, but she stayed even more still. I was very impressed!

Hasta!

Yo estoy asqueada.

Dogs bark.
Cows moo.
Cats meow.
and I live another day.

I'm still enjoying Dermatology. I really like the doctora that I'm working with. The ringtone of her personal cell phone is "Man! I Feel Like a Woman" by Shania Twain so everytime she gets a call 'Let's go girls!' rings out around the office. Makes me smile to myself everytime!

Dermatology has got to be the easiest area of medicine I've encountered so far. I don't mean easy as in anyone can do it, but easy as in the demand it places on your life. Not much other than regular office hours. In the past I've been sprayed with blood and splashed with baby. The worst I've had in Derm is spritzed with steroid. All in a day's work! :)

For the past week or so I've driven past a speed trap on my way home from the hospital without a problem. Guess I forgot about it today. So I took my spot in line behind all the other cars being routed to the side of the road to wait for their tickets. Had a lovely chat with the policeman, explained all my paperwork to him, then he went about filling out my ticket. The thing about writing me a ticket in Mexico is that I could get by without paying it (for various reasons), but I also know myself well enough that I know I'd pay it anyways just to avoid any possible complications that could arise. However, when this guy finishes he comes back to my window, and starts messing around. I told myself I would never pay off an officer and in my past few encounters I've been completely honest, and then played dumb and ditzy for the rest with 100% success rate. But today this guy was so blatently obvious in what he wanted. Such an abuse of power sickens me. Or perhaps it was just the smug look on his face as he repeated for the third time that I can't tell anyone about the exchange. Or even more likely, probably the combination of the two.

Hasta!

Yo estoy corriendo!

I woke up this morning excited and ready to go. It definitely helped that I had eaten pizza last night, because my body was sufficiently stocked with carbs. I had a race this morning. I came across it while on the website for the Panamerican Games last week. I had been sad at the time because I had just discovered that the Opening Ceremony for the Panamerican Games was already all sold out. (tickets in my price range at least!) So running a 10k rumbo a los panamericanos Guadalajara 2011, seemed like a good alternative. I got a few friends to run with me too! Based on my mood when I woke up I new that it was going to be a good run, but it was fantastic!

I kind of stumbled out of the starting gate. Friday night I had not been able to fall asleep and spent about 3 hours trying to before finally turning my mp3 player to some Jim Brickman which successfully lulled me to sleep in about 1.5 songs. Unfortunately, I had completely forgotten about it and so starting up my music expecting to hear "Forward Motion" by RelientK and instead getting a lullaby....red flashing lights went off in my mind going ABORT!!! ABORT!!! Easily remedied and I was on my way!

A while back I posted links to some videos I'd made while driving home from Ixtlan one night. In one such video, Navegating Guadalajara, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bf05XB9OzUI you see a bridge lit up with blue lights. The race took us up and over that bridge. Honestly, that alone would have made the race worth it for me!

There was a runner that ran juggling three pins the whole way!

There was a runner that ran the entire 10k backwards!

The route would double back on itself periodically, and you get to see the front runners. A leisurely sprint, and not even winded. It's amazing!

I had set a goal for myself at the beginning of the race. I judge how I am doing time wise according to the songs on my running list. When I knew the route had made its last turn and I was headed back towards the finish line I also knew that I was running out of time if I was to make my goal. I was thankful that I was able to push myself harder, but I had misjudged the returning stretch. Another song ended, and I was realizing I still had a bit left, and then the route started uphill all the way to the finish. I started counting the lines on the street, which is what I do when I'm tired and trying to not think about being tired. Then suddenly, this young guy in green who was about to pass me, matched my pace. I could see that he kept looking at me. So I tested him. Increased me speed then backing off again. He matched whatever I did. I broke out in a huge smile and started sprinting for the finish. We crossed with over a minute to spare on my goal. We shared a huge grin and then parted ways! I have no idea who that guy was, but to whomever, Thanks! That was a fun finish!

Rumbo a los panamericanos basically means Bound for the Panamerican Games!


Sorry I went on so long about the race, but I was really excited and wanted to share with someone! Now I can officially say I've run a 10k! Plus I even got home before Gridley's morning services started!

A beautiful Sunday morning in Guadlajara!

Hasta!

Yo estoy tuyo y tuyo sere.

This is hard to explain, but towards the end of 6th semester, back in May/June of this year, I felt as if God was taking a huge paddle and stirring. I was confused about so much. I was getting dizzy. I didn't know what was going on, and of course I made some bad decisions that didn't help the matter. I was feeling like a failure, and I just wanted away from it. Which was granted by the end of the semester and me being on a plane the next day headed away. While in the States I was thankful to have a couple of conversations that covered this topic, but as I was still confused as to the exact nature of the problem itself the conversations all ended as discussions without solutions. And then by the end of Boston, I had all but completely forgotten about what was waiting for me upon my return. Within a few days of being back, the dizziness was returning and with it the dread that I couldn't figure out how to not be a failure to my classmates anymore. There were many quickly breathed prayers of "Lord, I just want to go to Ixtlan! I miss my friends there, I just want to be with them." And suddenly, after one such prayer, I was hit with conviction, and realized that prayer was my problem. God has me in GDL to serve here, and not only was I failing my classmates but I was failing Jesus by asking to be somewhere else.

I still went to Ixtlan this past weekend, of course!! ;) And while there I was able to enjoy not only my Ixtlan family but church family visiting from the States who had helped with VBS last week. Through conversation with one of the visiting sisters I found the first person ever in my three years of being in GDL who understood on a personal level the loneliness that Satan gnaws at me with. And I realized what I already knew. That I had gotten so tired of his gnawing that I wanted to give up. I was so tired of fighting for Jesus by myself that I had to a certain extent stopped fighting, hence the resulting bad decisions I had made.

If someone asked, "Would you die for Jesus?" What would you say? For me that's an easy question with a simple answer, Yes! But now suppose someone asked, "Would you live for Jesus?" Now that's a hard question. To continually deny self. To continually try to live out love to people who don't understand the meaning of the word that they themselves use excessively.

The purpose of this blog isn't to bore you with a personal confession, but rather to share a bit of background with you in order to ask for something. I covet your prayers for our Wednesday night Bible study as they continue this semester. Please pray for the individuals in attendance that they could listen past the mere mortal speaking to the actual message being delivered. Please pray that their own personal search for answers won't stop when they see someone just as capable of mistakes as they are. Please pray that they will see past me, to the Truth that they hold in their own hands. And lastly pray for me, that I could be a living example of Jesus' love for those I come in contact with. That I can continue to serve my Lord and Saviour, right here, and right now!
Thank you and God bless you all.
Hasta!


One last thing I'd like to share. Chelli sent a birthday CD down to me last year. It's currently in the player in my car so I get to listen to it everyday to and from the hospital. One of the songs, the artist sings as to a girl, but when he gets to the chorus I can't help but sing along as if I'm singing to Jesus.

I'm Yours by Jason Mraz
...
I won't hesitate no more,
No more, it cannot wait I’m yours

Well open up your mind and see like me
Open up your plans and [x] you're free
Look into your heart and you'll find love love love love
Listen to the music of the moment people dance and sing
We are just one big family
It’s your god forsaken right to be loved, loved, loved, loved

So, I won't hesitate no more,
No more, it cannot wait I’m sure
There’s no need to complicate our time is short
This is our fate, I’m yours