Betty's Blog

2010-07-17T15:08:00.000-07:00

6 Months ago a 7.0 earthquake hit Haiti. When a 7.0 hits buildings are usually able to withstand the shacking, however, in Haiti, the building codes are not enforced and most people just build their homes out of whatever possible. The earthquake hit at 4:45pm... apparently it was a good time for it to hit as lots of people were between work/school to home and not actually inside their homes. Twice as many people would have been killed if the earthquake had hit at night when everyone was in their homes. No one knows how many people where killed as most people did not have birth certificates and it was nearly impossible to calculate the loss of life. Bodies are still stuck in the rubble.

I had visited Haiti around 8 years ago... I also have spent a good deal of time in poor countries. But I guess I never thought through the devastation that I was going to see as the earthquake was 6 months previously.

This is the "Hospital" where I worked! Its a tent with 6 wings.

The OR

I hit the ground running as I had not slept the entire trip out there and started working the moment I got to the Hospital. 12 hour shifts, 10 days in a row!!! Man it was exhausting and awesome. I got to suture up this kids foot when he cut it on glass.

His sweet brother washed his feet afterward. We gave him a pair of shoes so that it would not get infected. The next day I saw the boys out playing...but he had no shoes on. I am sure his mother sold them to make money for their next meal.

Malaria is very common. Especially now that most people are homeless. Even if a families home did not crumble to the ground, they live in a tent in fear of another earthquake hitting.

This little dude put a bead up his nose. I had to get creative in getting it out as I did not have the same supplies and special equipment. I ended up using a catheter and attaching it to a suction tank.

Still trying to figure out what this little girl had. She had no other symptoms but this localized inflammation of the tongue. The only thing I can figure is that it was a sign anemia and vitamin B deficiency.

Tent City.... not just one but tent city after tent city after tent city. It seemed like an entire country of refugees.

I wanted to take a lot more photos, but some days it was hard to pull out my camera and actually document another persons tragedy. Its taken several days to process all my thoughts. I actually feel like it was all a dream now. I have spent so many years preparing myself to go and do things like I was doing in Haiti. I loved it and hated it there. I will post a few more times about the trip. But for now this is a start.

Spring Break

2010-03-31T19:56:00.000-07:00

GRACE!

Gavin...Ezekiel...Violet! My niece and nephews...they are so full of life and make me laugh!

Ezekiel.... he cracks me up! Such a personality!

Uncle Dan!!!

Latest Happenings!

2009-06-28T23:12:00.000-07:00

In the last month or so we have been able to take the time to relax and focus on what we want for the next season. After applying to several relief organizations we found that obtaining a position was more difficult than we had anticipated due to the economic crisis.
After applying to a few positions in different cities Dan got an interview to become a Nursing Professor at a college in Portland. We will know for sure next week if he got the position. It's pretty exciting because it will allow him to get his Doctorate of Nurse Practitioning. I know that he will make an amazing Professor. I have been looking for jobs in Labor and Delivery or ER. I landed a position in an ER up there. I will start orienting next week. We are pretty excited about this next season. Tuesday morning we will start our journey north. Portland here we come.

The last month

2009-06-26T18:39:00.000-07:00

Its been so good to spend time with our friends Tim and Meggan. They have been more than hospitable. We have been able to take this time to rejuvenate and feel healthy again after 2 long years of working the night shift. Its been so nice to catch up on sleep and catch up on life. Meggan and I have gone on many walks with the new addition to their family... Biruk. He is such a character and constantly making me laugh.

He likes to talk about his "eyes"... whenever I take a picture of him he tries to make this face.

Biruky boy!

Fortunetly we have been able to spend time with Dan's family while down in Southern California. Dans parents safely returned from Sudan.

Carrie ran in the Rock and Roll San Diego MARATHON! She did great.

Violet

Ezekiel

Gavin

Our new neice Grace!

My new do!

Before heading down to San Diego we took a short trip to Portland. We got to see our sweet God son Paxton.

Addi and Yamil were kind enough to have us stay at their house while we finished our jobs. While there Addi planted a garden and Yamil built a chicken coup. They make a good team and they were so hospitable. They let us take over their house for several weeks. Between working and trying to get some sleep we had a lot of fun to making meals together and hanging.

5 year Anniversary

2009-06-06T22:27:00.000-07:00

Everyday I am grateful to have married such a kind man.

Birthday Suprises

2009-06-06T22:23:00.000-07:00

Paris

2009-06-06T21:07:00.000-07:00

Barcelona

2009-06-06T20:43:00.000-07:00

Morocco

2009-06-06T20:36:00.001-07:00

The Rock of Gibraltar

2009-06-06T20:01:00.001-07:00

The underground cave which is a concert hall. It was a hospital during WWII.
Gibraltarian monkey's
The Rock!

Off to Spain

2009-06-02T14:51:00.000-07:00

Off to Paris

2009-06-01T17:28:00.000-07:00

Craig and Lora happen to be some of the most hospitable people I know. Little did I know that Lora has a special gift of pouring glasses of wine perfectly even.

Our first night was spent in Paris.

moving

2009-06-01T17:22:00.001-07:00

This is what you get when you put me behind a 16 foot moving van and sleep deprovation! Thanks to Addi, Yamil, Kyle and Adam for helping us move everything!!

catching up!

2009-06-01T16:47:00.000-07:00

Well, its been awhile since I posted. So I will catch you up on a lot of what has happened recently. First of all we left San Francisco. It was a bitter sweet ending. But we are glad to be awake during the day and asleep at night. We worked the night shift for the last two and a half years. Looking back life has sort of felt like a dream. Only because I felt so tired all of the time.
We recently got a new camera and I have been enjoying taking pictures. So instead of writing a long story about what I have been up to for the last 2 months, I will paint the story with pictures. I had no idea how much I love taking pictures. So here goes...

Last days at San Francisco General

2009-04-22T22:17:00.000-07:00

last days in san francisco

2009-04-22T22:11:00.000-07:00

I will miss:
the walks
the food
the coffee shops
the activity
the friends

I will not miss:
the night shift
the parking tickets
the apartment

2009-03-06T17:26:00.000-08:00

This is an almost 5 year old picture. But I do love it.

check it out!

2009-03-04T19:17:00.000-08:00

check out this blog! This dude is working to do development work in Chajul, Guatemala. This is where I lived for one year. It doesn't look like it has changed much.

http://eltiempohavenido.blogspot.com/

Recent Happenings!

2009-03-04T18:10:00.000-08:00

Oh Man!! This is the second time I have had to have oral surgery. It is not my favorite. Now I will be eating yogurt for a week. But my sweet husband has me stocked up on ice cream and smoothies.
In the last few weeks we have been making decisions about what the next season of life will look like for us. We are making some major changes in the near future. We both put in our notice at our jobs. We are taking a trip to Europe. Working for 2 more weeks and then moving to San Diego.
In the last 2 years we finished our Masters degrees, worked in county hospitals during the night shift. We have done a lot and now we are ready for the next season. It will be nice to take a season to re-energize ourselves and be able to focus on our future rather than just function from day to day, shift to shift. I am excited about what the future holds. Nervous, but excited.

2009-02-11T17:48:00.000-08:00

Ok so technology is not my strength. But I do love this picture.

Its Started!

2009-02-05T11:32:00.000-08:00

So I got up the guts to start a blog!! I have been thinking about it for a long time. Seems like most of my friends live in different parts of the country these days and I am finding that its a great way to stay up to date in other peoples lives. I have been nervous to start blogging just because in some ways I am publicizing my life. In another sense I feel like I am at the beginning of a huge journey and I look forward to being able to have something to help document the journey and to know that my friends and love ones be able to participate in the journey with me.