Why My Big Brother Is One of My Favorite People

As I come out past the security checkpoint and into the main airport and approach the chair he's seated in, all of which he fails to notice:

Me (loudly): Dude. quit texting and look around for your sister!!
BB: I'm not texting, I'm on Facebook...

and then mere moments later:

BB: Did you bring any baggage with you this time?
Me: Oh, I'm afraid so...

Let the alcohol consumption commence!!

Here and Gone

I had been looking forward to this trip for many months, one of the bright shining beacons in my current, doesn't-feel-mine-right-now life. And then I had the trip from hell in getting here. Now, just when I'm getting my Danish groove on, it's time to go.

It hasn't really felt like I've been in another country. Maybe cuz Dad's been here the whole time, translating even when there were folks around who spoke English. It hasn't felt like it's been ten years since I've been here. Even though there are a few new things, the city feels largely the same. It doesn't feel like it's time to go yet. Even though I know I have a life I need to get back to.

I need to figure out a life where I can come back here more regularly. I know, there are a million other places I need to get back to which I haven't yet, and a million more where I've never been and want to explore before I die. It's a big world out there. But family makes it a little bit smaller, and for them -- I need to get back here sooner than 2020.

Am I On Candid Camera??

It's late, it's been a hell of a journey, and I'm typing on a Danish keyboard... but there have been just too many things that have happened in the last 24 hours. At least, I think it's been about 24 hours...

The good? Well, I'm here with my dad, o'course. Will get to see the brothers and Mia and the nephews and niece tomorrow. I got a burger and shake at a McDonald's in O'Hare for about half what I should have paid, cuz the kid took my order wrong. And, I'm in Copenhagen, so how bad can it really be?

Well... this bad. My first flight from O'Hare to London was delayed, apparently because Obama came into Chicago for his birthday, which I know I'm going to have to swallow a lot of shit about from the Republican friends. That, and assorted other acts of asshattery on the part of American Airlines made me miss my connecting flight out of Heathrow, where the people sound so lovely, but then really aren't all that helpful. I had to scramble to try and figure out a way to get a message to my dad that I wasn't on the flight he was going to meet -- thank God, my stepbrother checks his e-mail!! And then, once I finally got here... yeah, apparently my bag is still in London, so I's stuck wearing the same t-shirt and jeans I've had on since after work yesterday.

Oh yeah -- and I have a zit. What is really going on, here??

Of course, there is more to tell, of a more random and ludicrous nature. But it's 10:30pm local time, so I'm going to save that for later, when I can hopefully see the humor a little better once again.

With Age Comes Wisdom

In the midst of what was, in all fairness, a very polite and reasonably rational political discussion by two people of opposite viewpoints...


He: That's just how it is for me, I'm a Republican, I've always been a Republican...

Me: You HAVE??? Really??

He: Yeah, I have. Always.

Me: And I slept with you anyhow?

He: Apparently so, yes.

Me: Wow... it's like I had some whole other set of priorities as a teenager...

What?? Already?????

The surgery days are done. There are a few kids who are spending the night in the hospital tonight, and are expected to be discharged tomorrow. Since we had a lighter schedule for the last day, we finished around 2pm and then packed up all the boxes of OR supplies that need to be sent back to the US. My work at the hospital is done. I am admittedly somewhat relieved (although that's really just my fatigue talking), and yet so totally amazed. How did these days I thought wouldn't end individually end up flying by so fast cumulatively?

But, now I get to be a tourist. A handful of us spent this evening at the happy hour on the roof of the hotel (Ladies get their first drink free, and the rest after that are $3 US till 9pm!), just relaxing and enjoying each others' company. As with any group that shares a common ground of work, of course, we ended up talking quite a bit of "shop," and... wow, people are saying some REALLY nice things about me. Saying them TO me. The clinical coordinator has already asked what I'm doing in February, because she's going to India and wants me on her team. One of the fundraising bigwigs told said coordinator that she "needs to get this one on as many missions as possible," and points at me. Aside from the obvious ego boost, that's very validating to me professionally, and comes at a time when I'm very much in need of that kind of external confirmation. I know I love what I do, and that I'm good at it. To hear somebody else say it... is like hot cocoa with marshmallows and a snuggly blanket.

On deck for tomorrow -- SHOPPING!! The local volunteers are going to take us to the Silk Village (I hear there's also a lot of shoes, silver, and baskets nearby), and then to an area outside of town where they do a lot of pottery. The plan for Saturday is an all-day trip to Halong Bay, on the Gulf of Tonkin. I'm hoping I might get to see Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum and some other sights on Sunday, we'll just have to see how that all comes together. And then... that long plane ride home. It will be hard to leave all these new friends, but good to be back home as well. Aside from the 17-hour plane ride, o'course.

I Have NO Idea What Day It Is Anymore...

In our morning meeting today, our clinical coordinator noted that today was "surgery hump day," and cautioned us about fatigue setting in for our remaining surgery days. While I understand why she needs to make this statement, all I could think was, "Wow, I can't believe this is almost over already..." Today was the third surgery day of five, which means that there will be two more surgical days, a half day of packing up, 48 hours to see the sights, and then home again, home again, jiggity jig. How does it all go by so quickly?

Today I noticed that one of the anesthesiologists in particular will always say to the parent, "I will care for him as if he were mine," as she is taking the child from their arms to go to the operating room. This is such a difficult moment for both parent and child, and her choice of words says so much about why we are here. As the parents are getting their stuff together and leaving the pre-op play area, several times I have made a point of asking our volunteers to translate this doctor's words to the parents. As much as her tone and her face convey what she hopes they understand, sometimes they need to hear the actual words, too. And after all, that's what Child Life is all about!

Of course, after three surgery days, we are now also seeing some of the results of our work -- there are those kids who have made a special impression on us at some point along the way, whether it was the baby with three nostrils, or that kid who had us going through every toy, crayon and bubble container we had. They are now becoming the post-operative patients who are getting ready to go home. To see the changes (to both the child's face and the parent's!), to hear their attempts at an English "thank you," and to know that I personally took part in that...

This is long, sweaty, and emotional work. There is a cauldron bubbling just under the surface, emotions swirling and colliding and bumping up against a crust that will, no doubt, eventually give way. I'm not sure where or when that will happen, or what it will even look like when it does. But I know it hasn't fully hit me yet, and it's still coming.

On the shits and giggles side, we finally got that team dinner tonight that they'd talked about... at last, some Vietnamese food, instead of all the westernized crap I'd been eating at the hotel!! (Really, it's been very good, and I highly recommend the spaghetti carbonara... but really, is that what I came here to eat?) A chance to relax and spend some time with my teammates was also most welcome. And for those who are keeping score (who, me??), I had another mother come to me today, translator in tow, to say thank you and goodbye before she took her baby home. That's two in two days, people! Go, me!!