Carmen Montano-Coronado, RN is an Ambulatory Care Nurse at Woodland Healthcare in Calif. She is a veteran nurse with 21 years experience in labor & delivery, emergency care, and ambulatory care. She shows genuine concern for every patient she sees.
I love my job as a nurse but I have to say that I have never done it in a more rewarding area. Patients in the US have high expectations. The people of Guatemala have been wonderful and very appreciative of even the most basic care.
On my third day here I met a 13-year-old teenager. He was very sick with a respiratory illness. He was also homeless, unkept, and hungry. He told me that he was from a far away village and had been living in Esquipulas for almost a year. I thought he was a runaway. Instinctively I tried to find a way to get him to go back home. When I asked about his family, he told me that his mom had a new husband and he was no longer welcomed in the house. I felt very sad for him and lost control of my emotions. I could not hold back my tears. I thought about my three sons back home and could not imagine ever turning my back on any of them for any reason. We provided him with medication, took up a collection of 200 quetzales (about $30), and made sure he had a decent lunch. I hope that somehow we made a difference in his life.
I am very grateful to have the opportunity to participate in this mission. Working with new people has been very good. We all share a common goal and jump in to help each other. We became a team very quickly and go above and beyond to get the job done.
This post broke my heart...may God bless all of you for bringing hope to so many and making a difference in this world.
Posted by: rosie arnold | October 20, 2010 at 11:10 AM
Mom I am so proud of you and thankful for everything that you do for us! You've only been gone for about a week and I miss you so much, and I am also lot older than that 13 year old boy. I can not imagine what he is going thru! I am sure you made a positive difference in his life by simply listening and taking great care of him! I am so proud to have such a caring and giving mother!!! You truly are a wonderful example of nursing from the heart!!
I love you very much!
~Crystal
Posted by: Crystal Coronado | October 20, 2010 at 12:01 PM