Missing my Hippie Nurse Partner

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Kindred spirits?  Like minded?  Love nursing.  Love patient care and learning.  Love remote clinics in far flung places.  Love problem solving and challenges.  Love almost no dress codes and nursing in flip flops or bare feet on cool tile.  Love bringing babies to work.  Love time for tea and a chat. Love accurate diagnosing and patients getting well.  Love applying what we have been taught.  Love sharing family values and running our ancient sterilizer.   Love giving our patients natural treatments for annoying problems like fungal ear infections.  That’s when we decided we were hippie nurses.

 

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For almost 2 years, Michelle and I nursed together here in Papua.  I remember clearly one of the first times she walked into our little clinic and she voiced, “I LOVE THIS!”  She was my Sunday evening partner and together we problem solved, diagnosed and sometimes casted or did ultrasounds on our children.  “Just for practice.”

Often it was simple stuff but in Michelle’s time here we stabilized two patients while awaiting medevac's.  I also remember not being able to get an IV in someone who needed one and driving up to Michelle’s apartment, bursting  through her door, helping her gather up her two adorable little girls and driving back to the clinic, where she successfully inserted the IV.  IMG_20141125_192522

By the end of Michelle’s stay here she was all about using Dr. Di’s “eyes” to visualize things and using our newly acquired ultrasound to problem solve.

 

 

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Michelle, her husband, Ben and girls, have now returned to the States, but they have left the fragrance of their love here.  I miss my hippie nursing buddy…..  I won’t forget when we said goodbye.  We both had to fight like crazy to not just have an all out crying session.  It is beautiful and painful to make friends in foreign lands.

In comes the new school nurse who is super sweet and I am enjoying getting to know.  We also have two TA’s (teacher assistants) this year that are coming in on Sunday night.  So when we are not busy seeing patients we are “learning”.  So far we have done vital signs, basic wound stuff, ace wraps, bed making with a patient in it and so much more is too come.  Michelle, you would LOVE it.  I miss you crazy fun girl. Happy “Mommying”.  May God lead you and Ben. Enjoy that cool weather.  And thanks for all the wonderful fun memories, bare foot hippie nursing and ALL!IMG_20150517_185413

Comments

  1. UnknownOctober 3, 2015 at 11:39 AM

    So what are your home remedies for fungal ear infections? :-) My mom has been struggling for a LONG time!!

    ReplyDelete

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