By Popular Demand...

I've been procrastinating on this post. There's alot on my heart right now, and verbalizing it has gotten harder and harder. Let's start with the easy stuff. My Post-partum rotation is almost over. I got to give lots of newborn baths and ask lots of awkward questions, and learn some new assessments. Amazingly enough, after witnessing a few births, i'm not terrified into adoption territory, though it would be awesome to adopt. I also created a new bond with Melissa, i'm going to be her doula! We know this is thinking ridiculously ahead, but it's still all good.
Early last month, Kirk spoke at our little Church. He talked about his little girl, Bree, collecting beanie babies to take to Africa, for all the kids without mommies and daddies. This touched me, and i gathered all of me 'n Melissa's beanies and gave them to Kirk the following weekend. This man, this family, live with such faith, and i admire them very much. Kirk believes in his daughter, and wants to take the whole family to Rwanda next year. (whole family meaning wife and four kids!) Kirk has a friend doing missions there, working with street kids, orphans, women and refugees. I asked him "could they use a nurse?". He said of course! and he hooked me up with Jen. We've e-mailed back and forth a bit already, and i really want to go. I need to see for myself what AIDS is doing to Africa, and what politics have allowed AIDS to do to Africa. So Kirk and i have talked about me going to Rwanda at the same time as them. I could help them look out for the kids, and i could get some idea of where my place might be there. If it is there.
For any of you who know me and my family, you know my biggest concern is my parents. Last summer i got the "Over my dead body" speech. But i brought it up again, and i got the "you're an adult now, it's your life" speech. WOW. unexpected. freeing. a little scary. Basically, if i can pull it together financially myself, they won't stop me.
Another opportunity is through University. I could study for a semester in KENYA...that would be amazing! I'd pay U of C Tuition and Res fees, and study there starting January 2008. The catch is, only 2 people can go. And i don't have all my options done yet. My parents would be far more accepting of that.
The cool part of all this, my conviction to serve in Africa, is that i've been more focused on my schoolwork, because i see everything as "maybe i'll have to apply this in Africa". Especially this maternity stuff. Pediatrics is next, and i LOVE working/playing with children!
Cyler took me 'n Dani and Diana to a documentary, Uganda Rising. Ryan, you would've been really proud, it talked about the Invisible Children, and the horrible things that happened there, the horrible things that continue to happen there. I just wanted to reach inside that screen and hug each and every child on the screen, and tell them how beautiful they are, and how much God loves them.
I learned something about what it means to be an RN this week. My goal as a nurse is to look at my patient as a whole person, not a physical body sick with disease. I look at the physical in the context of the social, psychological, and spiritual. Nursing is the only profession that does this. Doctors treat you physically, psychologists - mentally, social workers - socially. Occupational therapists help you get back to work, respiratory therapists work on your lungs, the chaplain handles your spirit. Don't get me wrong, these jobs are critically important! It's just that nurses are called to identify problems in each of these areas and help the patient with them first. If the issue is too big, we refer them to the specialists. I love the fact that my job description does not end with the physical interventions, like IV's, dressing changes and hygiene.
I want to find an organization to partner where i'd be encouraged to be that kind of nurse; to treat the patient physically in the context of everything else going on in their lives.