I just got back from an amazing medical mission trip! I joined a team of NDs and students from SCNM to volunteer at a health clinic in Rocky Point, Mexico. It was a one & 1/2 day, exhausting turnaround trip with a great group called Naturopaths Without Borders. It was my first time going, and hopefully not the last!!
We left on Friday night, after an already crazy-intense finals week! I probably should have taken a nap Friday afternoon, but it didn't happen. I drove an Excursion (borrowed because ours is at the mechanic shop -- Thanks, Lance & Penny!) and didn't know any of the people riding in my car, so it was great to chat and get to know them on the drive there!
Of course we got stopped at the border (with a big Excursion with dark-tinted windows, we kinda expected it) but fluent Spanish-speaker Maria was able to explain that our box of castor oil was NOT medicine, just helpful for the skin. We got to the hotel about midnight, and after Charles read a few Psalms and I warned Maria that I'm a cover-stealer, we went right to sleep!
The next morning dawned bright and beautiful. We took a quick walk on the beach, then headed to clinic. The church hosts a variety of medical / dental clinics each month, and seems to have a wonderful relationship with the community. NWB makes a trip about once every month. I started out taking patient histories -- asking why they came to see the doctors, and specific questions about all their symptoms. I had a darling teenager as a translator for part of the time, and many of the church members were there to help out as well. Many of the patients come back every month for follow-up treatment, and are so grateful for the chance to be seen by a doctor. Some have painful chronic conditions, some are just there for check-ups, some are quite serious and others are easy to treat, and I was humbled to be able to work with each of them.
I took vitals for a little while, then was back to patient histories. I made the mistake of drinking a sugar-loaded Starbucks espresso double-shot at noon. (stupid, stupid, Stupid!!!) because then I CRASHED at about 3:00. My head started pounding, I was shaky, and I didn't care about anything except finding a dark, quiet, cool place to take a nap. I couldn't quite remember WHY IN THE WORLD I had thought it would be a good idea come on this trip right after finals! Unfortunately, taking a nap just wasn't an option, so I sucked it up and just quietly observed in a patient room. After an hour or so, I felt better.
After intakes were finished, I got to sit in the patient rooms and watch the 4th year medical students assess and treat patients with the supervision physician. They did a lot of nutrition counseling, adjustments, and acupuncture, and gave out a lot of great supplements.
After dinner at The Point (fantastic guacamole!) we headed back to Tempe, feeling exhausted and grateful on so many levels. Can't wait to do it again!!
