Chasing Waterfalls

This is written by

Jan McClintock, OR Charge nurse

What an honor and a privilege to be back in Ethiopia among these beautiful people and to work with such a dedicated team. I thank God for our safe arrival and his faithfulness in allowing us to do this work here.  My job on our team is to coordinate the operating room. Every year we are presented with new and challenging cases. We’ve learned to not assume that we know what our time here will be like. The case load is lighter this year which enabled me to take a Saturday off and “hike to the falls”. I’ve heard about this hike over the years and have never had the time to participate but with only one case on the schedule, I joined a team of other adventurers and we were off to an early start. Let me just say that Ethiopia’s has too many rocks! If you’re not climbing over them or around them, you’re slipping on them as they cover the paths up and down the steep inclines! We crossed many streams, traversed up and down hills for hours, passed through yards full of cows, chickens, dogs and children. The falls were beautiful, as is most of this country, but all too soon it was time to head home. By the time we got home, we had hiked 7 miles, climbed a 700 ft incline, covered 18,000 steps and fallen down several times, especially me!! I found it necessary to humble my independent spirit and accept the help of 2 teenage boys that were very willing to help me by offering their hands over the most difficult areas of the climb. I think they were worried about me! I thanked them and they graciously said, “my pleasure”. Not bad for 14 year old boys!!

By Monday it was back to work in the OR. We always bring our own scrub attire, that way we can be sure we have what we need. But imagine my surprise when we received our first patient of the day and she was wearing my OR hat! I must have left it out when I changed clothes earlier.  Everything here gets reused and my hat was no exception. I’m more than happy to leave it behind and I hope to see someone else using it when I come next time.

 My OR hat on me.

 My OR hat on patient.

Waterfall Pictures

Rest stop half way up.

Our valiant heros!

Surrounding us at the falls.

Meg at the falls.

To the falls past the honeycomb farm.

Jan, Laura and Meg.

 

On the way to the falls. 

Jan at the summit.