Seladaymat tinggal (goodbye) in Indonesian

Seladaymat tinggal (goodbye) in Indonesian

Tomorrow is the day! I will officially call the USNS Mercy or (T-AH 19) my home. It feels very surreal that this is the last time I will sleep in my childhood bed for 4 months or surf the web on my phone any time I want. Get in a car and drive somewhere, walk one flight of stairs to my bedroom, and talk on the phone!

I attempted to add World Traveler to my cell phone plan and then 50 text messages to my account… then I found out any time someone called me, left me a voicemail (even if I did not answer) I would be charged international calling! YIKES!!! So I am suspending my phone until I end the mission in Cambodia. Hopefully this will save me 100’s of dollars! And no phone bill for 3 months! My phone will be turned off after Hawaii May 12^th

So some good news for those of us attached to our phones by an electrical leash… the Mercy set up Wifi… I think with the intention of blocking it, but Apple products can’t be stopped! So my IPhone will get wifi in the hotspots. It’s still satellite so probably very slow, but better than nearly NO internet. The wifi will work when we are in ports, not under power across the Atlantic!

LOVE you all and I will try to keep you posted! 

My family will probably have to post the pictures that I e-mail them so posts and pictures may post at different times.

Preparing in calm to respond in crisis

The theme presented by the Captain for Pacific Partnership 2012 is "preparing in calm to respond in crisis"
I am learning a whole different vocabulary as i navigate the USNS mercy and move aboard! The picture I posted on facebook, I am also going to post here.

  

We may be moving beds, but for now I am on the lower bunk in the female enlisted berthing(sleeping) Racks (beds). There was some confusion as Anna and I were the first two Non-governmental Organization (NGOs) to process onto the Mercy. We got to check in and get our bed assignments, unpack our BAG and then have liberty to leave until Monday/Tuesday. 

Let me tell you... this could be the best weight loss solution for me! I will attach a map of the Ship, but you can't really tell until you go on how complicated it is! In order to get to my berthing space from entering the ship. I have to go up one  flight across the Main Deck then down the red ladderwell. Then to go the the gym which looks next door. I have to go back up the ladderwell to the Main and back down another. YES! And one of the ICUs while on a humanitarian relief like this mission. Not a disaster relief... has been converted into a Spin Room! I guess I'll take up spinning too!

Pacific Partnership 2012 Navy Viedo

I am attaching a video created by the Navy in regards to Pacific Partnership 2012. The mission I am joining this week!

Video of USNS Mercy Pacific Partnership 2012

The Great Wait

One week ago I began my road trip home and one week from tomorrow the ship will sail!
I have been blessed by so many friends and my family as I sit and wait for this journey. I am not good at sitting... but I am REALLY good at keeping busy! I hope I don't exhaust you as I share my busy week....
Meridith (friend from OK bible study) and I began the drive to CA Sunday after church. My car was packed and I saved some room for her bag! I trusted my 2010 Nissan Altima and I trusted Meridith. Now I almost lost her confidence in me as I began pulling out of her apartment complex and I drove over the curb I thought I had reversed past! Opps! Or goal was to drive to Albuquerque, NM for the night, but it was only 6pm and daylight as we approached NM. I did not sleep much the night before, but Meridith was sure we could make it to Flagstaff, AZ by 11pm PST, 1am (OK time!) Ye of little faith, Kelly! We made IT! 11:15 pm and our only bummer was a rock cracked the window. (Now named Buuddddy!) I made her get up by 7am and we ventured to Sedona, AZ. See our adventures from that day below! We hiked 7miles!

Then we ventured down to Phoenix and stayed the night with one of my friends Alison. We giggled as we looked at OLD camp pictures from 2000-2003 and the letters I mailed her while in Junior High. It's funny to see what was important to me then. Lucky me! I will be visiting Alison in China come August when she begins her teaching job and I end my commitment with Project HOPE.

Then we spend a morning with a young girl special to my heart! Miss Savannah was one of my campers as I was Alisons. She is full of life and passion that just flow out of her. Breakfast, coffee, and silly pictures around town filled our morning. There will be a picture collage below where you can see her beautiful smile! We had to leave as today was the day we would arrive at HOME!

After living in OK for 4 1/2 years the CA freeways felt very unfamiliar! It was evident as I missed the exit to not one, but two almost three freeways! We were so ready to be done driving and Meridith was a faithful co-pilot, calm and nice in our tired state! We made it home after covering 1,568 miles!

HOME has been wonderful! Some highlights, Beach, kayaking, sunburns, hot tubs, beach 2, college best friend spending the weekend with me! Pedicures, going to the Clubhouse, walking around at the Spectrum (outdoor mall/food), trying on dresses with Stacy at a real showroom! (thank you Emily!) I got to take home a dress!
NOT such a highlight... driving around the 101 freeway for 20mins and not being able to find my way on. Asking for directions in LA and no one helping...(almost made me want to go back to OK!) Instead I found my way on the freeway and came HOME!

Most everything is ready to take on the ship, but FIRST I need to pack to go to VEGAS tonight! haha. See I told you I can't sit still. It runs in the Scatton Blood!

Below is a picture of all the friends I have been blessed to spend time with this week!

Reality Week

This adventure is becoming more of a reality every day.
1. My bags are packed and my bed is being picked up tonight.
2. Last night the Hope Medical Director sent a 'Welcome' e-mail out to the volunteers about our embark date and a few things to remember regarding visas and immunizations.
3.Today I feel like I was in a fight and I became the punching bag... I got 5 immunizations and OHHH boy they feel so delightful!

Then I was blessed beyond any expectations from my co-workers at a farewell party today. I think that is when the emotions started churning and reality sunk in deep. It is weird to be leaving a job you love and enjoy. This was my first 'big girl' job and I don't know if I'll ever find a better atmosphere to work and with the great camaraderie we possess on 5 East. My friends gifted me with clever and thoughtful blessings. Below is a picture of the creativity of Kathy Scott aka "Mama Kathy"

She made a goody bag with creative snacks... Goldfish, smore adventure goldfish, Swedish fish, life savers, Chips Ahoy, Finding Nemo gummy snacks, Cap'n Crunch, Sun glasses,vsome goggles, and floaties!!

Then she crafted a box of essentials! The box top said "We love you Kelly 5 East" then on the box were stickers of fish and beach chairs. Pictures of the USNS Mercy (my future work) and Integris Baptist Medical Center (my current workplace) were visible through the sides. The girls at work have been teasing that I'll come back married after being on a boat with Sailors so one side of the box had  'here comes the bride' stickers. :) That joke tied into some fishnet stockings which may help me catch fish and if not so lucky there then maybe I can use them to catch a sailor! Hehe. The essentials which are exactly that include; Imodium, pepto bismal (avoid travelers diarrhea!) Sunblock, Aloe, Insect repellent spray and a cool Bug Band, a first aid kit, hygiene items, and a sponge bob toothbrush.

If you know me at all in my work mode I am on top of it... somehow I know what's going on all around me and with other peoples pts. But over the last week or so my co-workers have cleverly passed around a card and collected a generous 'rainy day' fund for me. I think that's when I got emotional. :)

The card was very sweet, but I don't think I can ever look at Skittles the same again. A few weeks ago Kevin gave me a very nice complement. He said "What will do when you leave? A rainbow just appears as you walk in a room!" Kevin brought two big bags of Skittles and wrote "Ain't no sunshine when she's gone..."

Thank you IBMC 5 East Family for supporting me as I became an independent nurse. You helped me as I learned how to become a tech and accomplish 10-12 baths in a day and then you welcomed me as I graduated College as an RN. You walked with me through my first medication error (lucky it was not giving a med vs. giving the wrong med) dang INR/Coumadin! (Thanks Val!) I had your support when I sang to my first patient as he took his last breath rm 952. Then somehow for the next year and a half I so happened to be assigned to every comfort care pt. ;) Thanks Lex! From that experience I will one day be a Hospice Nurse. I learned how to attune into the needs of my patients and recognize subtle changes. I also learned that I am not always right nor am I always wrong. I learned how to be a patient advocate. And I learned how to teach the next generation of nursing students! I love students!

Tomorrow is my last day of work at IBMC 5 East, but everything I have learned can be credited to you!

A new beginning, a new Journey

        The USNS Mercy will be my home from April 30-Aug 11 or if I sail home to San Diego from Cambodia the one month sail will arrive home on September 15th. The 'Mercy' is a floating Naval hospital with a 1000 bed patient capacity! The ship was converted from a tanker into a full functioning hospital with 12 operating rooms, a full laboratory,and a radiology department with an MRI and state of the art imaging. The ship travels at a whopping speed of 17.5 knots an hour! SLOW!!! If blessed I will be living in an estate room with only 5 other girls. This could change and I could live in the open bay berthing with many many girls. There is a computer room on the ship with internet access but I am not sure of the quality of the internet. I am also not sure about phone service. I am considering paying for international coverage, but I don't now how good the reception will be on land. The boat is anchored off shore a distance so I doubt their will be service on the boat. It is also a protected Naval ship so maybe the service and internet is intentionally poor to protect the security of this vessel. This is all a big mystery and adventure for me!
  
        My role on this tour will be a variety of things. I will function as a staff nurse along side other volunteers but mainly Navy Nurses on ship. I will be floating between all levels of care and have to work rotating shifts. I will be working in the ICU, Intermediate Care Unit, Light surgery care, and wound care. There will also be days or weeks that I will be working triage on land. Here the local community is evaluated for general medicine, vaccinations, and to see if they are candidates for surgery aboard the Mercy. Occasionally I will be teaching disease prevention and wellness at Universities or Community centers. Overall this is going to be a huge learning experience for me as well as a tremendous way to serve others. Please pray for strength, compassion, and a heart of service as I begin this journey.

Here is a tentative schedule of the Pacific Partnership Mission 2012

Depart San Diego April 30, 2012--> Pearl Harbor EDA May 8 then depart May 11--> Guam May 23rd

1.Guam (Westbound) to North Sulawesi, Indonesia: 24 May-16 June 2012

 2. Samar, Philippines: 16 June-5 July 2012

 3. Subic Bay, Philippines (Westbound) to Vinh City, Vietnam: 5 July-25 July 2012

 4. Sihanoukville, Cambodia: 23 July-12 August 2012 Cambodia

 Aug 12--> Pearl Harbor ETA Sept 4 then depart Sept 7 -->San Diego Sept 15th

There are many things to accomplish before I move... immunizations, malaria RX (done thanks to Dr, Ram!) medical tests, selling my belongings, changing cell phone coverage, insurance, loan deferments, the list goes on!!!
My last day of work at INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center, 5 East will be April 11th. This has been my first job as an RN and a phenomenal place to grow and learn. I have had the most supportive staff and friends work along side me and I will miss them tremendously.
My move date from Oklahoma City will be April 15th after I play and go to some concerts with some friends and then drive HOME to California!!