Here we are two years later, and I'm going back to Cambodia! Firstly, let me apologize for being a very crappy blogger the first time; blogging ended up being one of our assignments, but we had a group blog on which two students posted every night while we were in country. The experience was unbelievable, beautiful, heart-breaking, and life-changing all at once.
Q: Who are you going with this time, Kati?
A: I am going with an organization called International Medical Relief (IMR) which has been actively organizing medical missions for 10 years now. Our team has not been introduced yet, but I do know I'm traveling with medical doctors, nurses, dentists, dental assistants, etc.; I will be the ONLY pharmacist on this trip.
Q: How did you discover this wonderful opportunity?
A: In all honesty I have been looking for a way to get back to this amazing country since the day I left in June of 2011. I've considered vacationing in Cambodia, but my heart was never completely satisfied with that idea; it would be too hard to be in the midst of a people still so full of need and not be able to do anything for them. SO I couldn't sleep one night, got desperate, and googled "medical mission trips." When I came across the IMR website I was overjoyed to see not one but TWO trips to Cambodia departing this year. The only one that seemed like a feasible option with my schedule would be departing on September 7th and only staying until September 15th... for those of you who aren't aware of the time it takes to get there, that's two 20 hours flights (there and back) and only 6-7 days in country. I e-mailed the woman for more information, got a response in less than 24 hours, and quickly decided that this would be the trip for me IF I could find a friend to go with me so we could remain in country for a few days following the mission. Sidenote: there were several deadlines for the trip that were literally set for two days after I found it online! Is that a sign I was meant to go or what?
Q: So which friend is going with you?
A: Let me start by saying that one of my VERY best friends from pharmacy school, Alison Warren, is the one who made me realize how possible this trip really was. She simply posted on my facebook status saying she wanted to go, and from then on I was determined to find someone to be my travel buddy. Unfortunately, Alison wasn't able to make the deadlines because of her job, so I contacted a few other people before it hit and I found her, my partner in crime! My childhood friend/roommate for 2 years, Sarah Gay, has always wanted to do Doctors Without Borders and was the perfect person to accompany me on this adventure. Our conversation went something like this:
K: "Come to Cambodia with me!"
S: "Excuse me, what?"
K: "No really... here's the info... come with me!"
S: *the next morning "I sent in my application last night. Let's go!"
Sarah is a Nurse Practitioner, and I can not wait for her to experience this life-changing country for the first time! I've promised her that she will get to pick the country next time - perhaps a French colony so she can use her language skills. :) We've been through it all together, and this will definitely be one crazy, awesome experience to add to the list.
So that's that for now. Here's a little timeline info (it has all happened SO fast):
6/13/12: Found IMR and sent a request for more info
6/14/13: Got a response and started looking for my travel buddy
6/16/13: Found out Sarah sent in her application/sent mine in
6/17/13: ACCEPTANCE LETTER!!!
6/20/13: Finalized/posted T-Shirt Design (took the man all of a day to make it)
6/27/13: Bracelets came in/paid deposit
And to close it out is a fundraising hard count:
T-Shirts: $1190.00 - still have a few weeks to go and money to collect
Donations: $1160.00 (GoFundMe, Paypal, Cash/Check)
Bracelets: $152.50 (plus that's $152.50 for the Philippine families that made them... TOO COOL!)
That is a total of $2502.50 raised in literally NINE days! How amazing are you guys?! We are HALF WAY THERE!!! I hope you all realize that what you're doing to get me there is just as important as what I'll do when I get there.
Thanks for all the support so far!! "Unity is strength. When there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved." -Mattie Stepanek
<3 <3 <3
Kati
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Thursday, January 6, 2011
You Gotta Start Somewhere
Firstly, let me apologize that it has been so long since my last post. I know my followers are few and far between at this point in time, but I apologize to those few nonetheless. Before Christmas Break I was bogged down with end-of-the-semester stress. I've been on break since December 13th, but I have been mostly away from my computer not doing a darn thing. It's been so good to be home and happy, and I've been working on the beginning of plans to move home in May. We also submitted preferences for our other rotations over the break. I'm hoping I will get Critical Care (working with ICU patients), Medicine (rounding with a medicine team so I'll get a lot of patient interaction which is what I'm passionate about), and Nutritional Support (which will benefit me even if I don't work in a hospital ever again). I'll keep you posted on what I get as soon as I find out.
Today I received an e-mail from the people in charge of Mercer on Mission confirming that I have been chosen to go on the mission. The first notification I got was from the woman in charge of my rotations telling us that we were Mercer Atlanta's choices for pharmacy students and that Mercer Macon would pretty much approve their choices as long as nothing went horribly wrong. Well, nothing went horribly wrong, and I am going. The e-mail I got today included a study abroad data form, a deposit payment ticket, and a student travel checklist of things that must be completed before we leave the country. I also went to the post office today to start getting things ready to apply for my passport and will hopefully finish the application process tomorrow.
Q&A Time!
In August/September of 2009, we suffered a HUGE loss - our building that had stood in the same spot for what seems like forever was burnt to the ground. I was away at school at the time, and my heart broke into a thousand pieces for J, my co-workers, and most importantly our patients. They reopened in a temporary location practically next door to the old building within a week, and out of the tragedy we realized just how special our situation is. Our patients were so understanding, and you know you have a good thing going when your patients are just as broken-hearted about your tragedy as you are. I was able to work at the temporary location this summer, and it was... one heck of an experience. The building was TINY, and with 8-10 people working at a time we got to know each other VERY well. A bigger, better, even more beautiful store was in the process of being built in the original stores' location, but it didn't open until the week after I had to leave to go back to school (in late August 2010). I only worked in the temp store for 2 months, but everyone else had a solid year in the tiny building, and they were absolutely thrilled to tell the little thing goodbye. A lot of good came out of the fire in terms of the support we received and the amazing new building we have now, but I know it was a rough time - especially for J. I can't even begin to imagine the emotional impact the entire situation had on him, but he kept an amazingly positive attitude throughout the experience.
I know this is a long post, but I absolutely can't end it without saying how special my boss is to me. He has done and would do anything in the world for me. I tried to work for someone else this summer and just couldn't do it for longer than a month - THAT is how good of a person and boss J is. He knows every patient by name, the name of their children, the name of their pets, what was going on the last time they came into the pharmacy, etc. etc. etc. Equally as important, he goes way, way above and beyond on behalf of these patients, and I think that's one of the most important things a pharmacist can do. If there is a way to help them, J will find it. If there's not a way to help them, chances are he'll make one somehow or another. One of the things I learned to appreciate about him when I had my other job this summer is that he may get grumpy sometimes, he may hurt your feelings, and he may even make you cry every now and then if you're super sensitive, but he will ALWAYS tell you he's sorry with his deepest sincerity and a hug. His employees are part of his family, and I think a boss who makes you feel like that is a boss who is doing his job well.
That's all for now, folks. Sorry again about the absence and the long post. Hopefully once school starts back on Monday I'll be able to update more regularly.
Thanks for reading. It really means the world to me.
<3 <3 <3
Kati
Today I received an e-mail from the people in charge of Mercer on Mission confirming that I have been chosen to go on the mission. The first notification I got was from the woman in charge of my rotations telling us that we were Mercer Atlanta's choices for pharmacy students and that Mercer Macon would pretty much approve their choices as long as nothing went horribly wrong. Well, nothing went horribly wrong, and I am going. The e-mail I got today included a study abroad data form, a deposit payment ticket, and a student travel checklist of things that must be completed before we leave the country. I also went to the post office today to start getting things ready to apply for my passport and will hopefully finish the application process tomorrow.
Q&A Time!
Q: Tell me about your first pharmacy job.
A: My first and current job is pretty much what I hope to do for the rest of my life. I started working for my boss, J, around the time I started college. At that time, he owned 3 independent pharmacies in the Columbus area. I started working at the pharmacy that was right next to the government housing facilities ("the projects" is what they're called just about everywhere). People think that the area is a scary place, but my customers were more crazy-off-their-rockers than scary. I absolutely adored the job because you just never knew what to expect to happen on any given day. My very favorite thing about the job though was that I was able to get to know my patients and help the people who REALLY need it. I love taking care of people that others either look down on or may overlook all together; it's the most rewarding thing in the world. Watching our customers interact with our pharmacist just confirmed that I want to be in independent pharmacy for as long as possible; those people trust our pharmacists more than they trust their doctors. Some of our customers would bring us lunch or snacks or vegetables from their home gardens - they would stop by just to say hello or to update J on their latest hunting excursion. Unfortunately, this pharmacy eventually closed because my boss owned another pharmacy just up the road. I was transferred to working at that pharmacy and love it just as much. We were able to retain all of our customers, and now there's a fun gift shop for me to peruse when I have some downtime. (Don't tell J!! :P)In August/September of 2009, we suffered a HUGE loss - our building that had stood in the same spot for what seems like forever was burnt to the ground. I was away at school at the time, and my heart broke into a thousand pieces for J, my co-workers, and most importantly our patients. They reopened in a temporary location practically next door to the old building within a week, and out of the tragedy we realized just how special our situation is. Our patients were so understanding, and you know you have a good thing going when your patients are just as broken-hearted about your tragedy as you are. I was able to work at the temporary location this summer, and it was... one heck of an experience. The building was TINY, and with 8-10 people working at a time we got to know each other VERY well. A bigger, better, even more beautiful store was in the process of being built in the original stores' location, but it didn't open until the week after I had to leave to go back to school (in late August 2010). I only worked in the temp store for 2 months, but everyone else had a solid year in the tiny building, and they were absolutely thrilled to tell the little thing goodbye. A lot of good came out of the fire in terms of the support we received and the amazing new building we have now, but I know it was a rough time - especially for J. I can't even begin to imagine the emotional impact the entire situation had on him, but he kept an amazingly positive attitude throughout the experience.
I know this is a long post, but I absolutely can't end it without saying how special my boss is to me. He has done and would do anything in the world for me. I tried to work for someone else this summer and just couldn't do it for longer than a month - THAT is how good of a person and boss J is. He knows every patient by name, the name of their children, the name of their pets, what was going on the last time they came into the pharmacy, etc. etc. etc. Equally as important, he goes way, way above and beyond on behalf of these patients, and I think that's one of the most important things a pharmacist can do. If there is a way to help them, J will find it. If there's not a way to help them, chances are he'll make one somehow or another. One of the things I learned to appreciate about him when I had my other job this summer is that he may get grumpy sometimes, he may hurt your feelings, and he may even make you cry every now and then if you're super sensitive, but he will ALWAYS tell you he's sorry with his deepest sincerity and a hug. His employees are part of his family, and I think a boss who makes you feel like that is a boss who is doing his job well.
That's all for now, folks. Sorry again about the absence and the long post. Hopefully once school starts back on Monday I'll be able to update more regularly.
Thanks for reading. It really means the world to me.
<3 <3 <3
Kati
Saturday, December 4, 2010
An introduction
I've been trying to think of the best starting point for this blog, and I'm having a really hard time doing so. There's so much background that should probably be included, but there's also so much to be said about the here & now, and I don't want my first real post to be a million miles long. I think I'll just have to split the introduction posts between a few days.
"Let's start at the very beginning - a very good place to start..."
In my next post, I'll tell you about my first (and still current) job in a pharmacy. Also to come, Teen Advisors, Jonathan Hatcher, Mercer CoPHS, and finally the mission. If you guys have any questions that you want to know the answer to, I'll be more than happy to answer each and every one of them. In fact, they'd be very helpful to the direction of this blog. (So leave some comments with questions, pleeease!!)
Thank you so much for reading!
<3 <3 <3
"Let's start at the very beginning - a very good place to start..."
Q: Why do you want to be a pharmacist in the first place?
A: I can't tell you how many times I've been asked that since I made the decision 5 or so years ago. I quite literally woke up one day and decided I'd be a pharmacist. For my entire life I've only been "above and beyond good" at one thing - being smart. My sister is artsy, my friends have musical talent, some of my other friends were just born to teach - I'm smart, and I understand math and science. I truly believe we should each recognize the talents we're given and do something with them lest we're denying the world of something great. My biggest passion is people - specifically, making a difference in people's lives. Combine my passion for people with the scientific brain I've been given, and the medical field is quite obviously the place for me. I knew I couldn't be a doctor or nurse because I don't deal well with blood and other nasty stuff. I had absolutely no desire to do all of my work inside people's nasty mouths all day. Pharmacy was the next thing that came to mind, thus it's what stuck. Then I realized pharmacists make a ridiculous amount of money, and that was a plus because it will completely change my life. I wouldn't say I have ever been poor because I've seen poor, and poor breaks my heart. I was a blessed child. My parents never let us want for much of anything, but we were introduced to "money problems" at far too young an age. Knowing that we "didn't have enough money" made me feel bad for everything I ever wanted or needed to ask for. Scholarships and loans (I like to think of loans as "future Kati" - thank you, future me) have paid my way through college and grad school. The money I will make isn't #1 on my list, but it will allow me to live the life I've always dreamed of - not an extravagant life but one without "money troubles" where I feel secure and can travel or have season tickets to the Fox Theatre and the Falcon's games if I so choose. More importantly, I'll be able to donate to organizations such as Teen Advisors (to be introduced in the near future) that have donated to my life and growth and have helped make me the person you know today. Add all of those reasons together + many, many more, and that's why I want to be a pharmacist.
In my next post, I'll tell you about my first (and still current) job in a pharmacy. Also to come, Teen Advisors, Jonathan Hatcher, Mercer CoPHS, and finally the mission. If you guys have any questions that you want to know the answer to, I'll be more than happy to answer each and every one of them. In fact, they'd be very helpful to the direction of this blog. (So leave some comments with questions, pleeease!!)
Thank you so much for reading!
<3 <3 <3
Thursday, December 2, 2010
This is the start of something amazing..
The beginning of an end
The beginning of a beginning
Another milestone in my favorite chapter of my life thus far
I've started this blog because I found out yesterday (12/01/10) that I got a spot on the medical mission rotation I applied for only a month ago, and I want to document my experience.
This first blog won't be much of anything; really I'm just posting it so that I can test out the blogger design settings and get everything looking the way I want it to before I share the link to my blog with the internet world. With my next blog I hope to start sharing everything - what I'm thinking, how I'm feeling, new and old information and updates about the mission, etc. - as it comes up. I intend to share, at the very least, some highlights of the essay that I submitted with my application; I hope it will help you understand a little more about the way my heart thinks, how much this trip means to me, and some of the who's, what's and when's of all the why's. I'm sure there will be a few posts that don't pertain to the mission in any way at all, but I hope that'll be okay with all of you. :)
Hopefully I can, more often than not, leave you with a few quotes that are relevant to the mood of the blog post. I like quotes.
"What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from."
-T.S. Eliot
"There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth: not going all the way and not starting."
-Buddha
[I find this one is especially appropriate since, chances are, I'll be going to a country whose major religion by a whopping 96% majority is Buddhism.]
<3 <3 <3
Kati
The beginning of a beginning
Another milestone in my favorite chapter of my life thus far
I've started this blog because I found out yesterday (12/01/10) that I got a spot on the medical mission rotation I applied for only a month ago, and I want to document my experience.
This first blog won't be much of anything; really I'm just posting it so that I can test out the blogger design settings and get everything looking the way I want it to before I share the link to my blog with the internet world. With my next blog I hope to start sharing everything - what I'm thinking, how I'm feeling, new and old information and updates about the mission, etc. - as it comes up. I intend to share, at the very least, some highlights of the essay that I submitted with my application; I hope it will help you understand a little more about the way my heart thinks, how much this trip means to me, and some of the who's, what's and when's of all the why's. I'm sure there will be a few posts that don't pertain to the mission in any way at all, but I hope that'll be okay with all of you. :)
Hopefully I can, more often than not, leave you with a few quotes that are relevant to the mood of the blog post. I like quotes.
"What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from."
-T.S. Eliot
"There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth: not going all the way and not starting."
-Buddha
[I find this one is especially appropriate since, chances are, I'll be going to a country whose major religion by a whopping 96% majority is Buddhism.]
<3 <3 <3
Kati
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