Tuesday, May 25, 2010
"Fanhasso, Fanhita, Fanacho"
“Fanhasso, Fanhita, Fanacho”
“Remember, Come together & Stand tall”
This is the mantra for the day & perhaps an apt summary for efforts put forth throughout this trip.
Accreditation is a tedious, stressful process normally encompassing 45 days. We have completed it in 8.
We wrapped up remaining details as Dr Besachio finished interpreting the exams for submission. Naomi & I checked & re-checked them for mandated demographic & technical elements. They will go in my carry-on bag along with the stack of critical paperwork. This cargo is too precious to leave transit up to the airlines!
Dr B. bought lunch from the Jamaican grill as tangible thanks for our hard work. I had fresh-grilled yellowtail. Hard to beat the Island’s best fresh catch.
It is both a relief & odd consolation to be done. Although I am truly looking forward to my own bed & being back with loved ones, both human & 4-footed, I will miss the camaraderie & friendship extended me by the staff. After a fond farewell parting with Naomi & Marina (goodbyes to Isabel were shared over the noon hour), I headed back to the Hyatt, stopping at Alapung beach with it’s beautiful statue representing 3 Generations of Chamorro women. After a loop through the Governor Flores’ Beach Park, I hit the beach for one more ocean swim. Today’s items were added to the nearly full suitcase for my morning departure.
I leave the island with an appreciation for Guam’s contrasts & beauty. I am touched by the hard work of many to better life for themselves, their families & their patients.
“Remember, Come together & Stand tall”
This is the mantra for the day & perhaps an apt summary for efforts put forth throughout this trip.
Accreditation is a tedious, stressful process normally encompassing 45 days. We have completed it in 8.
We wrapped up remaining details as Dr Besachio finished interpreting the exams for submission. Naomi & I checked & re-checked them for mandated demographic & technical elements. They will go in my carry-on bag along with the stack of critical paperwork. This cargo is too precious to leave transit up to the airlines!
Dr B. bought lunch from the Jamaican grill as tangible thanks for our hard work. I had fresh-grilled yellowtail. Hard to beat the Island’s best fresh catch.
It is both a relief & odd consolation to be done. Although I am truly looking forward to my own bed & being back with loved ones, both human & 4-footed, I will miss the camaraderie & friendship extended me by the staff. After a fond farewell parting with Naomi & Marina (goodbyes to Isabel were shared over the noon hour), I headed back to the Hyatt, stopping at Alapung beach with it’s beautiful statue representing 3 Generations of Chamorro women. After a loop through the Governor Flores’ Beach Park, I hit the beach for one more ocean swim. Today’s items were added to the nearly full suitcase for my morning departure.
I leave the island with an appreciation for Guam’s contrasts & beauty. I am touched by the hard work of many to better life for themselves, their families & their patients.
Monday, May 24, 2010
No Turning Back now
No turning back now!
It’s the start of a new week. Monday. One more clinical day with the staff here at NMC Guam. After completing the day’s few clinical exams, Naomi & I forged ahead, completing paperwork & copying charts. We exposed the dreaded phantom image with the TLD or thermoluminescent dosimeter. This little device measures patient dosage associated with the mammography exam, and once exposed, there’s no turning back. The device gets sent to a control facility and the resultant image goes to the ACR along with all the rest of the required info. Mammography is neither for the faint of heart nor the unorganized! We were so engrossed in the work that the day flew by. 4:00 arrived & Naomi & I parted ways. She headed to her evening shift at another Mammo facility in town & I set out for a few more photographic memories.
I have driven past & around Chief Quipuha in a roundabout morning & evening these last 7 days en route to the hospital & would be remiss if he was not part of the photo journey. Haha. He is a great landmark from which to get one’s bearings when unfamiliar on the Island.
I drove to the beautiful Pigo cemetery with its statues of Christ & the apostles. A lovely, serene final resting place for loved ones with a beautiful view of the bay.
I returned to the Basilica as well for a few additional moments of contemplation, thankfulness, appreciation & gratitude in that beautiful sanctuary for all that has been fulfilled personally & professionally since my departure from San Diego. Very much looking forward to my return there to the comfort of familiar surroundings & loved ones.
It’s the start of a new week. Monday. One more clinical day with the staff here at NMC Guam. After completing the day’s few clinical exams, Naomi & I forged ahead, completing paperwork & copying charts. We exposed the dreaded phantom image with the TLD or thermoluminescent dosimeter. This little device measures patient dosage associated with the mammography exam, and once exposed, there’s no turning back. The device gets sent to a control facility and the resultant image goes to the ACR along with all the rest of the required info. Mammography is neither for the faint of heart nor the unorganized! We were so engrossed in the work that the day flew by. 4:00 arrived & Naomi & I parted ways. She headed to her evening shift at another Mammo facility in town & I set out for a few more photographic memories.
I have driven past & around Chief Quipuha in a roundabout morning & evening these last 7 days en route to the hospital & would be remiss if he was not part of the photo journey. Haha. He is a great landmark from which to get one’s bearings when unfamiliar on the Island.
I drove to the beautiful Pigo cemetery with its statues of Christ & the apostles. A lovely, serene final resting place for loved ones with a beautiful view of the bay.
I returned to the Basilica as well for a few additional moments of contemplation, thankfulness, appreciation & gratitude in that beautiful sanctuary for all that has been fulfilled personally & professionally since my departure from San Diego. Very much looking forward to my return there to the comfort of familiar surroundings & loved ones.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Life's a Beach
Sunday is a day of rest Part 2
After checking email this a.m. and updating yesterday’s events, I had a shower and my daily ration of multi-grain Cheerios and headed out to the beach. The water is an unbelievable tourmaline color and the horizon seems to go on forever. Due to the coral reef surrounding the island, the water is surprisingly shallow, even when one is hundreds of yards from the shore. So one technically sits or floats in the shallows rather than swims. The salinity is high so there’s no problem there. The Hyatt has a fleet of floating toys with which guests & families can venture forth into the Philippine Sea.
The water is blissfully warm & a welcome retreat from the day’s heat. It is hard to sit on the beach and look out towards the water, even under an umbrella with sunglasses borrowed from Naomi. It is just too bright on the horizon. While “drifting” in the water, I met 2 young shipmates also here on the Mercy; One from Long Beach & another from San Antonio,Texas. Sometimes the world can be a delightfully small place.. While I was down at the beach a Japanese wedding party came down to take some shoreline photos. I managed to unobtrusively snap a couple myself. Ahh the beauty of a long lens….
After a couple hours on the beach, I moved to a poolside Chaise lounge & umbrella, finishing my Sunday Crossword. Staving off Alzheimer’s, I hope. You know, use it or lose it!
I couldn’t sit poolside long without getting in to the water. There are several beautiful pools here. Rumor has it that the pools here are our Physicist Capt. Fong’s favorites. I used the “River pool” which passes under a grotto bridge and has 2 waterfalls. After swimming several minutes, I stood under one of them, effectively pummeling myself with the stream in massage fashion. It felt amazing! I got out, dried off and read poolside until rain showers chased me inside. It actually was a good thing because I had been out nearly half the day.
Today I managed to obtain 2 things that I wished to leave Guam without acquiring; a sunburn & mosquito bites!! Despite liberal & repeated application of my reportedly water and sweat proof 50-SPF, my forehead, back & shoulders are sporting an unflattering turista shade of pink. The brief shower brought out the mosquitoes & I have several large welts. Ugh!
The beauty of my surroundings & respite from the week’s hectic pace & stress associated with accreditation are most welcome.
This uneventful day was a precious gift.
After checking email this a.m. and updating yesterday’s events, I had a shower and my daily ration of multi-grain Cheerios and headed out to the beach. The water is an unbelievable tourmaline color and the horizon seems to go on forever. Due to the coral reef surrounding the island, the water is surprisingly shallow, even when one is hundreds of yards from the shore. So one technically sits or floats in the shallows rather than swims. The salinity is high so there’s no problem there. The Hyatt has a fleet of floating toys with which guests & families can venture forth into the Philippine Sea.
The water is blissfully warm & a welcome retreat from the day’s heat. It is hard to sit on the beach and look out towards the water, even under an umbrella with sunglasses borrowed from Naomi. It is just too bright on the horizon. While “drifting” in the water, I met 2 young shipmates also here on the Mercy; One from Long Beach & another from San Antonio,Texas. Sometimes the world can be a delightfully small place.. While I was down at the beach a Japanese wedding party came down to take some shoreline photos. I managed to unobtrusively snap a couple myself. Ahh the beauty of a long lens….
After a couple hours on the beach, I moved to a poolside Chaise lounge & umbrella, finishing my Sunday Crossword. Staving off Alzheimer’s, I hope. You know, use it or lose it!
I couldn’t sit poolside long without getting in to the water. There are several beautiful pools here. Rumor has it that the pools here are our Physicist Capt. Fong’s favorites. I used the “River pool” which passes under a grotto bridge and has 2 waterfalls. After swimming several minutes, I stood under one of them, effectively pummeling myself with the stream in massage fashion. It felt amazing! I got out, dried off and read poolside until rain showers chased me inside. It actually was a good thing because I had been out nearly half the day.
Today I managed to obtain 2 things that I wished to leave Guam without acquiring; a sunburn & mosquito bites!! Despite liberal & repeated application of my reportedly water and sweat proof 50-SPF, my forehead, back & shoulders are sporting an unflattering turista shade of pink. The brief shower brought out the mosquitoes & I have several large welts. Ugh!
The beauty of my surroundings & respite from the week’s hectic pace & stress associated with accreditation are most welcome.
This uneventful day was a precious gift.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
