Ahh Zurich....You are so welcoming

lArrived in Zurich after a 10 hour flight ( 4 hours on the ground in Boston) stiff and tired.  Linda was so warm and welcoming and made us comfortable with a bath/shower,  homemade chicken soup and the most delicious truffle cheese.   i was a bore and went to bed at 8 pm but Kevin, Suellen and Linda stayed up to the wee hours of the night laughting and enjoying wine.  

Today was like spring in Zurich.   The flowers are blooming and the temperture was in 50's.   We enjoyed a nice walk on lake Zurich and a lunch at the most wonderful restaurant in Zuriberg on the top of a hill overlooking the Swiss Alps.  Bernadette, a friend of Team Heart, enjoyed the day with us and enjoyed the pictures of our patients from our 2013 trip.  She is a nurse who would love to join our mission someday.   Tonight we walk into town for somemore fun, food and memories....This is a special place and i am really enjoying myself!

Suellen, Bernadette, Kevin and Linda on Lake Zurich

pansies in Feburary

Cousins!

Linda's Kitchen

sunset on the lake

I return to Rwanda with Team Heart for my 7th mission

Well today is the day we leave for our 7th trip to Rwanda to do life saving heart surgery on 14-16 fortunate young people over the next week.   I do a short 3 day stop over in Zurich to visit my favorite cousin Linda with Kevin and Suellen.   This is to help with the jetlag and treat ourselves to the wonderful fun and cuisine only Zurich can offer.   We are looking forward to this very much.

Kevin McWha and Suellen Breakey have made multiple trips with Team Heart also,  using vacation time from work and raising money for plane tickets .   It seems like a big sacrifice ( and it is) but it is so exciting to be able to renew a professional practice that can sometimes get stale.   It is during these two weeks that i realize why i became a nurse.  Working in Rwanda is compassionate caring at it's best;   knowing that every person who is working with you is sacrificing their vacation time, family time and physical strength working many, many hours in the name of Team Heart and it's mission to give someone a second chance at life.  We all care deeply about this mission.   The fruit of this mission is realized when you see patients from previous years' healthy, happy and LIVING a good life.   Many of our former patients have returned to school and started businesses.  Some have given back and assisted new patients in follow up care and pre op teaching.  One has even named a child after the surgeon who saved his life!

  I think anyone who has had a " second chance" appreciates the gift that it is;  to be healthy and live a productive life is a gift.   May i alway continue to realize how blessed i am to be healthy and how fortunate i am to be able to give to those who are not.

                                                Team Heart patients of 2013

Note:  last year the internet connection was poor and blog time was limited.   i will try to blog at least 4-5 times to help you to understand how special this mission really is.

2012 patients at reunion

Arrive in Kilgali...getting ready for year 6

Team Heart patient Erneste and Team Heart member Sarah greet us at Kilgali airport

Well we arrived in Kilgali Rwanda on Feb 2 tired but excited to see our friends and collegues.   Lots of hugs to go around as we join others new and old for Team Heart 2013.   I think the best part was the strong, loving hug from Erneste and Jean Paul ( both Team Heart patients of 2008).    This is why i come here and this is why i love our patients so much.                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Last minute check off to do....and leaving to the airport at 2pm.  My daughter Kristin will drive me and i am grateful for this as she is in between classes and taking the time to help her mom.
I am excited to go back to Rwanda this year.   I think it is anticipating seeing my Rwandan friends and collegues and spending time working ( and rooming) with my great friend Ellen.   Ellen is a bit nervous about the trip.   She has been away from the bedside for a number of years ( she is a manager now).   It is also the anxiety of going to a new enviroment and not being able to cope.   I know she will be fine.  She is a low maintence kind of gal and she is a fine nurse...like riding a bike, your skills come back to you and our basic assessment skills of feel, look and listen come to the forfront as technolgy is secondary....we listen to lungs, feel extremeties for warmth and observe mentation/alertness to check for cardiac output....no special monitoring devices...we trust our skills and our collegues to make a diagnosis.  
I sometimes wonder why i get so excited to spend my vacation time working so hard....I think it's like having a baby...you forget the pain of labor and remember the joy of your new child's face.   It renews my practice and in many ways has become my " sabatical".    It also bonds you in a special way to your comrades you work with....we work so hard but get so much joy from the smile of a 12 year old or the touch of a hand with a soulful eye contact that expresses gratefulness as i have never experienced it.    So I return for my 6th trip with Team Heart and i do hope you follow my trip and help encourage me....as the days wear on sometimes my enthusiasm wanes....it is always nice to hear from home.  

Emmanuel ( our 2011 miracle patient) with Dr Dave

Home at last....some parting thoughts

I arrive to Boston at 2pm on Sunday after almost 24 hr of travel.   I was both tired and happy to be home.   I was picked up by my daughter Kristin who filled me in on all the news i missed for the last 3 weeks.   She did a wonderful job of keeping my plants watered and cats happy and it was nice to walk into my home and relax.   Kristin wanted to know if i wanted anything to eat and i told her a steak would be nice and in no time i had a greek salad with med rare steak tip delivered (  she had gone to work across the street at the Greek pizza company);   all the flavors i had been missing....thank you.. a hot bath,  warm PJ's and my bed welcomed me to a long 10 hr sleep.....today i feel wonderful!

My Team Heart mission was very rewarding this year.   Our team worked very well together and did what it took to get the job done.  ICU nurses worked in the ward and the ward nurses worked in the ICU;  some volunteering extra shifts and all of us doing 12 hr shifts ; an average of 7 out of 9 days.   No one complained ( at least not much) as we were there for our beautiful patients;  most adolescents from 14-20 yo.  The staff of King Faisal Hospital was tremendous and helpful and will keep us updated on our patients progress.  Thank you to all the great team members i work with for the first time and the others that have been part our this project for years.   5 year team members Chip and Ceeya Bolman and Suelleen Breakey;   Our ICU resource nurse Connie ;   My "work wife" Alysia who shared most of my shifts with me and my roomate for the second year,  Michelle, who's generous spirit was felt by all;  not to mention she is a lot of fun.   Kevin McWha, who's passion for this mission has been renewed in a big way;   your the best!   

I love this work as it renews my soul and confirms why i love nursing.   The patients of Rwanda are so grateful for a chance at life;   they understand it is a gift.    They recover from surgery in a most miraculous way;   within a day they were all off  IV heart medicine, out of bed and eating.  This  would take days and weeks at home to accomplish with our patients. 

   They bless your work with prayer. Their eyes are soulful and honest.  There is a spirituality felt working with them that transends anything else i have ever done .  

 I love Rwanda and it's people and i will return;  God willing. 

 Thanks for following my 2012 trip.   Love ,  Susan

Our Rwandan patients have huge hearts both literally and figuratively

Dr Pat Come and Diondonne our triple valve pt.   She worked hard to have him placed on the list

Celestine and Jean De Dieu;   a beautiful pair of boys

My five year relationship with Clementine has seen lots of changes;   She is now engaged to be married to Afrodes .
 A beautiful couple;   they will marry in August 2012

Emmanuel has been our respiratory therapist for the 5 years i have been coming to Rwanda.
  He works hard and is so gentle and kind.

Alysia having some fun 

Leslie working in the ward with our Rwandan colleague and pt. Diodonne

combo of MGH and BWH  staff at our thank you party at the roof of the Top Tower hotel.  Most of our team are from these 2 Boston hospitals but we also have team members from many states.
  We sure do clean up good!

Felicity and Placid at the thank you party;  Both King Fisal Hospital nurses did a fantastic job in the ICU

Everyone  knows i love to dance.    This is me and Dr Joseph " getting down" at the party
note Kevin McWha and Clemantine and Bonnie in the back.   we had a great time!

Last day and at the airport

I can not believe we will be boarding in less than 30 min and my trip is over.   I will be back in Boston in 24 hrs at 2pm Sunday and return to work at the BWH on wednesday.    It was a great time and lots of hard work but for the first time i know i will be back without reservations ( God willing).   I want to thank all who have followed this blog and supported my trip.    I truely appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.     Take care.    Susan

Rwandan Market place

relaxing and blogging in the VIP lounge in Kilgali airport;   for $12.50 it was well worth it!

Michelle my roomate, enjoying the lounge and catching up on mail