Today we went to the Bethel Nagar colony. It was our rotation to do medical today. We drove over an hour to this colony arrived and unloaded all of our stuff. The people of the colony were worshipping in the church in the village. We walked down, and as they saw us they invited us in. We took off our shoes and sat down on the floor next to them. They sang songs, recited some scripture, and prayed. The pastor gave them some sort of bread thing and water. There is just something so cool about seeing people worship. No matter what the religion, I love seeing people give thanks and love to the higher power. It is cool too because the spirit is still felt. There is still that feeling of love and peace- no matter what religion. I just love seeing the diversity in religion and what others believe. I think it is so cool to be among these people as they are involved in their practice. I've seen various Hindu churches and some Muslim and Seek, but this one was some kind of Christian church. There was a cross up front and a picture of Jesus. Im guessing it is Catholic because most Christians out here in India are Catholic.
After the church ceremony, we headed back to help those who needed medical attention. For the beginning part, my job was to take blood pressure and blood glucose level. Except there was no blood pricking device, just a needle to jab. And its especially hard for those who don't have fingers to prick, or callused fingers with low blood flow. But I had to get their blood pressure from their arm and record it and send them to see the doctor. I worked with one woman who had no legs. She had this wheel device to sit on and scoot around. All it was was a board with wheels on it, but this was basically her life. This little thing was what helped her to get around and live the best lie she could. She smiled and scooted from station to station.
"Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” -Charles Swindoll
Our attitude about things is what makes us who we are. This woman, who has no legs, could easily be mad at the world and upset with the life she has. But she is not. She is happy and strong and independent. There was a little bump to get out of the door and I saw her struggling to get over it. I asked her if she needed help and she said no and that she would do it on her own. I think it is important to ask for help when you need it and not be too independent- give others an opportunity to serve and to grow from serving you. But i thought it was so cool that this lady was so independent and so self-sufficient. She was able to get around places, and do things on her own. That 10% was that life was going to be hard. That she was given this disease that might tear apart her family, keep her sick, make it hard for her to get a job, get around, and just live a normal life. Yet that 90% that she had control over was up to her how she would live. She decided to react in a positive way and live her life the best she can. Of course she is going to get frustrated and upset. We are all human, we are all of the natural man. We are allowed to be mad and upset and sad. We are allowed to make mistakes and do things we aren't supposed to. Its okay to not be perfect. But I think it is important for everyone to be reminded every now and then that it doesn't matter the situation we are in, we control the outcome and we control our attitude. After taking pulse and such, I moved to the bandaging station. I was in charge of wrapping up the ulcers after they have been cleaning and oiled. The process of our medical clinic is we take their blood pressure and if needed we take the blood glucose level, and then they go see doctor susan. She is amazing. She is the doctor we have for all of the colonies, and every conversation you have with her she always has some sort of insight, almost always about God. After they see her, they go to the station where we unwrap the bandaged and take pictures to document any progress. Then they move down the chairs to the cleaning station to clean out their open sores. After they soak for a little, they go to the oil station. We put on this certain kind of oil mainly because it has a very bitter taste so the flies aren't as attracted to it. Because it is rotting flesh, the flies are always surrounding their ulcers. After they are oiled up, they come to the last station, where the skin around the ulcers (that they cant feel) is cut off. They get rid of this dead skin that the nerves have been damaged. It is the most gruesome thing I've ever experienced. I sit and watch that, helping with the ointment if needed. Then she puts the medicine on it, and I wrap with the gauze. Its important to wrap them and keep it tight because this is what they have on until the next time we go and see them. We almost have 50 colonies that we visit, so some have to wait a while until they receive help. The job I had today was by far the hardest. I sat and watched the nurse cut their ulcers until they bleed. she would pick at them, cut around them cut in them. Basically just cutting this raw flesh. Almost all the time they cant feel it because the disease killed those nerves, but there were a few I dealt with that definitely could feel. They would be in pain and by their face I could tell. I just wish I could make it all go away. This must be how our Heavenly Father above feels sometimes. Watching us in pain, and knowing it is just something we have to go through. Taking the easy way out in this world doesn't work and it doesn't benefit you. We need to accept our challenges and live every day to its fullest. After the clinic we drove to the catholic hospital a little ways down the street. It was soooo nice. It was just so clean and holy. It was right next to the convent so we went in and talked to a couple nuns, who gave everyone cake. The hospital was just in such good condition, and didnt feel like India at all. Im surprised though because it was empty. They had all these beds and no patients. I know if I was sick thats where I'd go- not that insane hospital I went to the other day. Literally night and day comparison. We also got to see some emus! Apparently if you have emus here- you are well off. They were the creepiest animals. Like huge birds, almost like an ostrich. When we got home it was time for play time with the kids! I feel like I havent seen them in forever so I was so excited! Exceppppppt I walk over to the park area, waiting for the little love of my life to run up and jump on me, then grab my hand to go play. I looked all over, no signs of Khartick. I was so sad because I had missed him so much and all I wanted to do was play with him! At the end of play time, he comes walking in to the park area. He sees me, and with a big smile on his face he runs up. I find out that he got in trouble so he had to run laps around the track all play time! When they get an X either in school or from their house mothers, they have to run for an hour! Well they run a lap, walk a lap; but still. He's 5! I seriously felt so sad. I'm sure thats how my mom felt when I got in trouble and had to suffer any consequences. It just broke my heart. I made him promise to do his schoolwork and not get any more X's because I missed him at play time.
The coolest thing I realized today is that we are all human, and there are certain things in the human race that never ever change. The biggest thing that I have been thinking about today is the simple smile. No matter where you go, what language you speak, what religion or race you are- a smile always means the same thing. It always relates to happiness. A smile is the most positive thing anyone can do anywhere in the entire world. It is so cool to me that even though I cannot understand these people and they cant understand me, I know when I smile or when they smile, we mean the same thing. For fun I just grabbed the definition of smile from the dictionary. It says, Smile: To express amusement, pleasure, moderate joy, or love and kindness, by the features of the face; to laugh silently. I loved this just because it is so simple and so consistent. I love that when I don't understand what someone is trying to tell me, I can smile and things are okay. I love that when I am walking down the street I can smile at someone and they will smile in return, knowing it was a positive gesture. I love the smile on these peoples faces after I wrap them up, or send them to the next station. I love the smile on the kids faces when I tell them good job on reading, or that they are beautiful or handsome. The smile is one of the greatest parts of the human being. It is one thing that is the exact same no matter where you are. Smile often, it truly is a beautiful thing.
After the church ceremony, we headed back to help those who needed medical attention. For the beginning part, my job was to take blood pressure and blood glucose level. Except there was no blood pricking device, just a needle to jab. And its especially hard for those who don't have fingers to prick, or callused fingers with low blood flow. But I had to get their blood pressure from their arm and record it and send them to see the doctor. I worked with one woman who had no legs. She had this wheel device to sit on and scoot around. All it was was a board with wheels on it, but this was basically her life. This little thing was what helped her to get around and live the best lie she could. She smiled and scooted from station to station.
"Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” -Charles Swindoll
Our attitude about things is what makes us who we are. This woman, who has no legs, could easily be mad at the world and upset with the life she has. But she is not. She is happy and strong and independent. There was a little bump to get out of the door and I saw her struggling to get over it. I asked her if she needed help and she said no and that she would do it on her own. I think it is important to ask for help when you need it and not be too independent- give others an opportunity to serve and to grow from serving you. But i thought it was so cool that this lady was so independent and so self-sufficient. She was able to get around places, and do things on her own. That 10% was that life was going to be hard. That she was given this disease that might tear apart her family, keep her sick, make it hard for her to get a job, get around, and just live a normal life. Yet that 90% that she had control over was up to her how she would live. She decided to react in a positive way and live her life the best she can. Of course she is going to get frustrated and upset. We are all human, we are all of the natural man. We are allowed to be mad and upset and sad. We are allowed to make mistakes and do things we aren't supposed to. Its okay to not be perfect. But I think it is important for everyone to be reminded every now and then that it doesn't matter the situation we are in, we control the outcome and we control our attitude. After taking pulse and such, I moved to the bandaging station. I was in charge of wrapping up the ulcers after they have been cleaning and oiled. The process of our medical clinic is we take their blood pressure and if needed we take the blood glucose level, and then they go see doctor susan. She is amazing. She is the doctor we have for all of the colonies, and every conversation you have with her she always has some sort of insight, almost always about God. After they see her, they go to the station where we unwrap the bandaged and take pictures to document any progress. Then they move down the chairs to the cleaning station to clean out their open sores. After they soak for a little, they go to the oil station. We put on this certain kind of oil mainly because it has a very bitter taste so the flies aren't as attracted to it. Because it is rotting flesh, the flies are always surrounding their ulcers. After they are oiled up, they come to the last station, where the skin around the ulcers (that they cant feel) is cut off. They get rid of this dead skin that the nerves have been damaged. It is the most gruesome thing I've ever experienced. I sit and watch that, helping with the ointment if needed. Then she puts the medicine on it, and I wrap with the gauze. Its important to wrap them and keep it tight because this is what they have on until the next time we go and see them. We almost have 50 colonies that we visit, so some have to wait a while until they receive help. The job I had today was by far the hardest. I sat and watched the nurse cut their ulcers until they bleed. she would pick at them, cut around them cut in them. Basically just cutting this raw flesh. Almost all the time they cant feel it because the disease killed those nerves, but there were a few I dealt with that definitely could feel. They would be in pain and by their face I could tell. I just wish I could make it all go away. This must be how our Heavenly Father above feels sometimes. Watching us in pain, and knowing it is just something we have to go through. Taking the easy way out in this world doesn't work and it doesn't benefit you. We need to accept our challenges and live every day to its fullest. After the clinic we drove to the catholic hospital a little ways down the street. It was soooo nice. It was just so clean and holy. It was right next to the convent so we went in and talked to a couple nuns, who gave everyone cake. The hospital was just in such good condition, and didnt feel like India at all. Im surprised though because it was empty. They had all these beds and no patients. I know if I was sick thats where I'd go- not that insane hospital I went to the other day. Literally night and day comparison. We also got to see some emus! Apparently if you have emus here- you are well off. They were the creepiest animals. Like huge birds, almost like an ostrich. When we got home it was time for play time with the kids! I feel like I havent seen them in forever so I was so excited! Exceppppppt I walk over to the park area, waiting for the little love of my life to run up and jump on me, then grab my hand to go play. I looked all over, no signs of Khartick. I was so sad because I had missed him so much and all I wanted to do was play with him! At the end of play time, he comes walking in to the park area. He sees me, and with a big smile on his face he runs up. I find out that he got in trouble so he had to run laps around the track all play time! When they get an X either in school or from their house mothers, they have to run for an hour! Well they run a lap, walk a lap; but still. He's 5! I seriously felt so sad. I'm sure thats how my mom felt when I got in trouble and had to suffer any consequences. It just broke my heart. I made him promise to do his schoolwork and not get any more X's because I missed him at play time.
The coolest thing I realized today is that we are all human, and there are certain things in the human race that never ever change. The biggest thing that I have been thinking about today is the simple smile. No matter where you go, what language you speak, what religion or race you are- a smile always means the same thing. It always relates to happiness. A smile is the most positive thing anyone can do anywhere in the entire world. It is so cool to me that even though I cannot understand these people and they cant understand me, I know when I smile or when they smile, we mean the same thing. For fun I just grabbed the definition of smile from the dictionary. It says, Smile: To express amusement, pleasure, moderate joy, or love and kindness, by the features of the face; to laugh silently. I loved this just because it is so simple and so consistent. I love that when I don't understand what someone is trying to tell me, I can smile and things are okay. I love that when I am walking down the street I can smile at someone and they will smile in return, knowing it was a positive gesture. I love the smile on these peoples faces after I wrap them up, or send them to the next station. I love the smile on the kids faces when I tell them good job on reading, or that they are beautiful or handsome. The smile is one of the greatest parts of the human being. It is one thing that is the exact same no matter where you are. Smile often, it truly is a beautiful thing.
This will be my last comment on this blog as I am going to spend the day in the temple tomorrow in honor of Katie's birthday. I think it is a wonderful way to celebrate her life. So I may not get to "talk to you" until you return to the States. God bless you dear Carlee. I hope you know how I feel about you and how grateful I am for your influence in my life. It is an honor to be your grandmother. Travel safe!
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