Sweet Little Abraham

Wow. What an incredible three days. Between traveling to a brand new part of the world, with some amazing friends, to finding my sea legs in a small clinic in a new language, I’m exhausted. But a good, tired to my bones after three long hard days of work, tired.  I wouldn’t change this feeling for the world. In fact, I’d give anything to always feel this way.

Today went so smoothly for me in my little pharmacy corner and triage spot. Want to know why it went so smoothly for me? Because I have the best team in the world. I did not have to worry about trying to communicate medication instructions, because I have friends who actually studied Spanish (minorly regretting my choice to study French) and a pharmacist who might not know a lot of Spanish, but he knows the Spanish he needs. And yesterday, one of the best people on this planet stopped me and told me to essentially buck up, because I am a FREAKING NURSE. And you know what? I am. I’m this close “ “ to being a nurse. THIS CLOSE. I am a freaking nurse. And I might not know how to speak Spanish, but I know how to point, and they know what to do. And I have scripts, (which today I realized, I do not even need anymore.) I adapted. And I learned what I needed to learn to do what I needed to do. That moment yesterday of I have no idea how to say what I want to say and I want so badly to communicate with you almost paralyzed me. I could not have done it without the most blessed Stephanie Ibemere. What a super woman. Words cannot describe how much I appreciate the confidence boost that was. I will always remember that moment and that little baby who I was then able to triage. Sweet little Abraham. He might have spat up on me, but he never once stopped smiling at me, never knowing that he almost paralyzed me.

The love and the grace that I’ve experienced in the community astounds me. From my team, to my patients, I couldn’t do it without you. I am incredibly grateful to those patients who patiently waited for me point and scrape together words. To those patients who have given me hugs throughout the days, know that I will never forget those hugs. I love you Guatemala. God Bless you.

Michelle Indelicato