Family Time
I went home to Michigan for three weeks in August to spend time with my family! It was wonderful! For one week, we were at a cottage on Birch Lake relaxing and simply enjoying being together. My sister also graduated from Physicians Assistant school!!! I am so beyond proud of her and very thankful I was able to be home for her graduation!
Cami
I flew back to the Dominican at the end of August. While I was in the states, Cami, one of Jessica and Adam's children, had a bowel obstruction and was rushed to surgery. A few days after surgery, she got sent to Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic capital, for a second emergency surgery. Jessica and I spent two weeks in the hospital with her. During this whole process, I have learned even more about the medical system here in the country and have conquered my fear of driving in the capital. Praise God Cami is doing great. She will have one more surgery in the future to reverse her colostomy, which will be done in Michigan.
October
I flew home at the end of October for the wedding of my good friend Cassie! It was a very special and beautiful ceremony with perfect weather. When I returned back to the Dominican Republic a group of us from Building Bridges of Hope, which included Jess and Adam's family, Olivia, one of our good friends Maritza and I went on a team bonding excursion to Las Terrenas. It was a great time to get away and to spend this quality time together. We live on an Island but very rarely see a beach!
Volunteer Visit
This past fall, we had a volunteer come down to serve with us for three weeks! It was wonderful because we were able to provide health care at our other mobile clinic sites. He was able to help us complete other tasks that we have not had time to do. One thing I have been wanting to do since we started building the clinic in the mountain was to walk from the base of the mountain up to the clinic. The people that live in this area do this on a daily basis, and I wanted to be able to understand what it takes to walk it. Well, I can finally check that off my list! It was great but I was exhausted and had sore legs for the next couple of days!
Baby Girl
We are so excited that we had our first birth at the clinic! We were already packed up ready to go after a long day, when a lady walked in and sat down in our waiting room. She looked very uncomfortable, so we immediately took her into an examination room. We discovered she was just about ready to deliver her baby! Dr. Angel and I talked about bringing her down the mountain to the hospital, but before we could make any plans she was already pushing. A sweet beautiful baby girl was born 5 minutes later. Mom and baby are doing wonderful. Her parents named her “Kailey Angelica Petitom”
Holidays
Even though I have started spending the majority of holidays here in the Dominican, it is still hard being away from my family. I miss being with my whole family, and the traditions that we have during the holidays! This year for Thanksgiving we had a big celebration with our Dominican friends and family. This is a tradition that we started here a few years back but has increased in size! This year we had over 35 people! In the Dominican, Christmas Eve is celebrated more than Christmas day. We had a big dinner at Dr. Angel and Yudys house and then went to Christmas Eve mass! It was a wonderful day! Christmas day I spent at Jessica and Adam’s house!
What's up next
I will be going on a long weekend over New Years with some of my good friends here. We are taking our dogs to a cabin in Constanza! I have never been there before, and I am looking forward to the adventure!
Clinic Update
Our clinic is doing well! We will finish the cement driveway and ramp, stairway railing, set up the dental unit in the basement, and paint!
In January we have a team from California coming. They are a team of doctors and dentists! We are very excited to have them come serve with us and have been making preparations for their team! In February, we will have a team from Saint Mary’s in Pinckney come down again!
Prayers:
For a successful surgery for Cami in the spring
For the mission teams coming this winter
For more mission teams to come help serve with us in 2023
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