MY LAST BLOG......

because I am leaving from Guam tomorrow to go home and see my children and wonderful companion, Roxy, my miniature schnauzer. I can always tell you what I have seen and done but I don't know how to share my emotions and feelings. I cry when I tell my co-workers, corpsmen and sailors goodbye because I know I will never see them again. I have missed my family so much but would do a mission like this again in a heartbeat. I have met such resilient, beautiful, humble people in all the countries I traveled to. I wish we Americans could fully appreciate what we have, not be so self-centered, materialistic and unappreciative. I love my religion, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, for without their support I would not have been able to be a part of this project. I thank Heavenly Father for giving me the strength and health to have climbed the stairs over 20,000 times and, most of all I thank my children for their support of my desire to serve on this project, for the love and respect I feel from them and for them choosing me as their Mother. I hope I have set a good example for them and that in their lifetime will choose also to serve a humanitarian mission. Thanks to all my friends who have followed this blog and remember that when I get home I will post many more photos on a better internet system but this same blog address. I love you all.....Rachael, Mark, Sarah, Grady, Bobbi, Lindy, Rebecca, Matthew, John, Allen and Robert and Lyle. Oh, and Roxy, Kone' and Zac, my companions who don't talk back to me.

SEE WHY I CAME ON THIS MISSION.....

I don't even have to explain these photos....they speak for themselves. Every day I thank Heavenly Father for this experience. I am so blessed to have been able to be a part of this experience. I am so grateful for the health of my family and the availability of health care in this wonderful country of mine, the USA.

I HAVE WORKED HARD

at trying to lose weight...climbing stairs, eating healthier and less.....exercising. I have lost 30 pounds but then I injured my hamstring and have not been able to exercise for the past week but, for my friends who know me, this is what I look like now. Still fat, mind you, but I feel so much better. In this pic I am carrying a 40 pound bag of ice. We were cleaning the soccor stadium in Timor Leste so our military could play their military. The game was tied. The photo where I am bent over is an out door bathroom. Here they just squat and go. The spot in the center is where the stuff goes into the steptic system. There are only 7 days left and I fly home. I am so excited to see my dog (and of course kids). I have missed everyone so much. I am also looking forward to the next phase of my life and am excited to see what Heavenly Father has in mind for me. Take care.....be safe and be happy.

TIMOR LESTE....THE COUNTRY

I had never heard of before hearing about this mission. It is less lush and tropical than Indonesia, Cambodia and Vietnam but has beautiful mountains, beaches and people. But, they also have saltwater crocs. The women do a lot of beautiful weaving of purses, scarfs, etc This country has a recent history of war with Indonesia so there are still a lot of bombed-out buildings that have not been repaired or removed. The UN has a huge presence here and roam the streets constantly in their SUVs. The food was somewhat like India with lots of curry and I even ate squid. Blaaaaaaaa. I didn't like it. We have 6 more days of surgery and then head home. Time has gone by so quickly and other than having my children and my Church, I do not believe I will ever receive greater blessings than meeting, touching, hugging and loving the people of south east asia. When I get home and the internet is faster I intend to download many more photos of the trip so please continue to check this site. I love and miss you all and am excited to almost be headed home.

IT SEEMS AS THOUGH

I just totally skipped Darwin, Australia. I think it is because it felt like home. People had money, things cost a lot and whatever things there were to do cost a lot. So, I only went on liberty once and spent $20.00. The beaches were lovely but qfter we were warned about saltwater crocodiles I changed my mind about swimming or even wading. Oh, and some beautiful indigenous music.

AS YOU CAN TELL.....

I don't get off the ship very often because I am in one of those positions where my work is performed onboard....PACU. A lot of my photos are redundant so I don't post many of the surgeries because they are the same...cleft palates and lips, hernias, etc. But what I can do is tell you about the people. Each patient must have an escort to get on the ship and I just assumed it would be the Moms but I have been pleasantly surprised by the amount of fathers involved in the care of their family, especially the children. I have never put much though into the people of south east asia but I have come to have a lot of respect for them. They have a tough time trying to make a living and when I think about our American teenagers I wonder how they would survive some of the stuff these kids go through. The mode of transportation in Indonesia is motor scooter and there are many accidents. The other day we had a 16 year old boy who, 10 months ago was hit by a bus and broke his right leg. He suffered a compound fracture with an open wound and has been in a hospital all this time with a non-healing wound. The the treatment of choice was to put some type of powder in the wound, probably sulphur. He weighed 41 kg. which is less than 100 pounds. We operated on him and placed an external fixator and cleaned out the wound. His right leg is now 4 inches shorter than the left and he will always walk with a limp. When he woke up from anesthesia he was all smiles....never complaining about anything and we had to make him take pain medicine. He was just so grateful to have had the surgery and he got out of bed the same day for the first time in almost a year. Through our education we are performing miracles for these wonderful, resilient people....people that Heavenly Father loves just as much as he loves us. My family and I are so blessed I love and miss you all. May God be with you.

CHILDREN

are the same the world over. They boys play rough, the girls giggle and act shy and they enjoy learning new things...especially games. We went to an orphanage today and the boys learned how to play american football. They had never seen a ball the shape of our football and had difficulty catching and throwing it at first but caught on fast My friends and family....if you ever have the opportunity to do humanitarian work please do so. Traveling will only take you to the tourist areas and you will see only those things that please you. You have to get out into the more remote areas to see how the common person lives. What a blessing this mission has been in my life....I will never be the same again. Material things no longer mean anything to me. I love and miss you all and God bless.....