Uganda Eve

I leave tomorrow! I'm totally not freaking out or at a panic.

If you know me at all, you know that I'm a big fan of doing random things that I probably have no business doing.  I have a lot of "There was this one time I did this..." stories.  They usually start off innocently enough and end up involving flying an airplane or leading an anti-war protest in Europe.  I was able to pick up another one of these stories since I've been back in New Jersey.

I am a big believer in being prepared for terrible situations.  Past work experience has showed me the value of knowing CPR and First Aid.  Since I knew there was a clinic with not a lot of staff at the orphanage, I thought it would be a good idea to learn how to take blood pressure as well.  Not that I thought I would necessarily use this skill, but I think it's a good thing to know how to do in general. What started off as a request to learn how to do this ended up in riding on a 12-hour shift with Paramedics.

I wanted to say a huge THANK YOU to Sean and Jim for letting me ride with them.  I had no idea what this shift would be like other than me trying to get out of the way.  I was able to get up close and personal with real people in need, digested lots of medical terms, and learned some more about the ins and outs of first response. You guys are awesome, and I know all 'no big deal' about what you do, but please know it was very much appreciated.  Also, a thanks to St. Joseph's Healthcare System and to Sonia S. for making this happen.

Also thank yous are in order for: Kim S., Sonia F., Dianne F., Jodie J.,  The Bickmore family, the Santos family and my brother for making some in-kind donations to the orphanage.  The kids are getting some school supplies and the orphanage is getting some working laptops and a camera because of them.  Thanks again!