Psychiatric
Reflection from Bambi Carkey on the 2010 Mission
Last Updated on Tuesday, 22 June 2010 12:49 Written by Administrator Tuesday, 22 June 2010 12:45
Mission of Miracles 2010 has been accomplished! For me it was a banner year in that I was privileged to bring two of our Graduate students, Amy Mayer and Mike Perry with me on the psychiatric team. Both Amy and Mike will be graduating in May as Family Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioners. Also I was honored that my colleague Joyce Scarpinato MS,, aPNP/FNP @ the College of Nursing, Upstate Medical University joined us on the medical team. Also, I am so pleased that my son Ben joined the mission for a second time. Two clinical situations stand out in my mind. They both took place in Las Bromas. The 1st was a 64yr, old woman who came in with her developmentally impaired 24 yr. old daughter. The young woman could not speak, but smiled and had a giggle that was infectious.
Psychiatric Mission, El Savador Overview
Last Updated on Tuesday, 22 June 2010 12:47 Written by Administrator Tuesday, 22 June 2010 12:45
While we were working in El Congo (last day) of our 2009 medical mission, I saw a woman, age 35, who needed psychiatric help. She was in tears for most of our interview. Her story unfolded like this: Her grandmother remarried a man who had a terrible impact on the family. He raped his wife's daughter, the mother of the woman who came to see me. The product of this act of violence was the woman in front of me. At the age of seven, this woman was also raped by the same man, her step grandfather. "He turned into a pig and was frightening like a pig." He was alcoholic. My client had a difficult childhood, obviously, and she married at a young age. She has three children now and continues to live with her husband who is disabled and can't work. He had an accident several years ago and became paraplegic for a while, then began to regain some use of his limbs. Then he was hit by a motorcycle and lost half of one foot. They are penniless and can't pay their bills. Sometimes the church gives them a little aid and they can buy some food. But life looks bleak to her and she wonders why so many ills have befallen her. Her friends come to her and unload their problems. She has a strong faith and attends church regularly.
