2011. Benghazi, Libya. Just five months before this picture was taken, I sat in a room, pockets emptied, palms sweating, the awkward weight of headphones pressing down on a headache that came from not knowing. Seventy-five questions, all laden with a hope the answers would not lead to failure, and it was over. In July, I was still green. A new nurse, with a wide history in healthcare and an even wider pull for adventure, I received an invitation I couldnt refuse. And so began my first medical mission. With a flight to Cairo, an evening gander at the Sphinx, and an endless twisting 650 mile drive to Benghazi, I was hooked. Maybe it was the armed escort, the thrill of danger just beyond our periphery, or maybe it was the unfolding of a place I had never imagined to be in. In the company of women I grew to love, one in a band of nurses sharing more than just our profession, I found the place where I belonged. Im thankful for that place: not a place that could be found on any map, but a place that marked an intersection between where I was, and the person I would become. It was an adventure of firsts: I did things beyond what I thought myself capable of; I shared a passion and a knowledge that came from a deep and honest place. We traded smiles, gifts, and tears. We forged friendships and memories, we logged hours and miles, we gave what we could and we came back exhausted, depleted, and alive. To Jamal and his family: thank you. To our friends who remain in Benghazi: thank you. To each and every one of the nurses who taught me, cared for me, and inspired me along the way: thank you. For all that you gave during this trip, and for all that I have become since...thank you. And for all whod like a glimpse: youtu.be/vwe9d_Y-yBI
Posted on: Fri, 14 Nov 2014 03:18:50 +0000
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015