Nicaragua Trip with the Glabal Medical Brigades and the Universit of Washington's School of Pharacy

Early in the school year, Cameron filled one of the leadership positions for the School of Pharmacy's Global Medical Brigade; a group of 40 or so students who would fund raise and collect drugs to take to a country that could benefit from the supplies and volunteers. Nicaragua was set as this year's trip. I begged him to try and keep a foot in the door for me. And it all worked out. They were thrilled to have someone come help in the clinic with a little more clinical experience then themselves as pharmacy students, and to help teach the education classes, and interpret.... well at least they pretended to be! ;-)

So Cam and I got to tackle this adventure together! It was an incredible experience to do side by side. I was really surprised how well I was able to use my Spanish, and it felt so good to immerse myself again in another culture and just absorb as much as I possible could. Cameron and the pharmacy students did an outstanding job running the pharmacy portion of our little clinic. We had three pharmacists accompany us who worked the pharmacy as well, along with native interpreters and a local Nicaraguan pharmacists.  Cameron's professor also spear headed the group, along with his wife, a physical therapist and two physicians from the Seattle area. I worked mostly triage and wound care and helped out in the children's health education "classes".

Each of us traveled with one personal suitcase and a second LARGE suitcase full of medications and medical supplies. It was INCREDIBLE what was all donated and purchased with donated funds. Thousands and thousands of dollars of medications. We were able to see almost 1,000 patients in our 3 days of clinic work. And I was really impressed with the addition of a physical therapist to our group. She was able to show so many people different stretches and exercises to help them reduce chronic pain due to repetitive work in the fields, over floor fire places, ext.... That and the addition of some of the health education classes were a nice addition to the "simple" diagnose and prescribe side of the clinic. It was a very humble area and people and they were so grateful for the medication. So many were affected with parasites and other health burdens that made life difficult and at times unbearable. I learned a great deal from just one of their simple smiles. The village put together a little fiesta our last day of clinic that I will always remember.  And the best part too, is that Cameron and I share that memory.