Lucky Girl

Today back at work. What went through my office? Tears were shed and I laughed with some patients. I met nervous parents and carefree elderly. I had to listen to bitter complaints and I spotted an old friend at the waiting room.

I've wanted to be a doctor since I was ten. Don't know why. My parents aren't. But the idea of helping others was so intriguing it guided me all the way to med school. And now I'm living my dream.

Sometimes I need a reminder of how cool this profession is. How unbelievable it still feels to realize I made it.

These pics are from Nepal and the Philippines. What I learned back there was that high quality medicine is not dependent of fancy buildup, but qualified professionals.

GPH

Remember the scene from Diarios de motocicleta where young Ernesto "Che" Guevara chooses to treat patients with leprosy in an unorthodox way - as humans. A similar story can be told from Nepal. But to appreciate it you must understand what it means to be stigmatized.

A rural society is based on some ground rules. You're all more or less dependent on eachother. Weakest link easily weakens the whole surrounding. Add to that the caste system which states that people are unequal, no questions asked.

Leprosy is a communicable disease with a terrible echo. It was already mentioned in the Old Testament. Getting it pretty much meant sure but slow death. And because most people don't want that, the easiest way to prevent it is to get rid of the guy with leprosy. This is not purely an act of mean individuals it is also a survival method. So practically anyone carrying it are excluded from the society, forgotten and left on their own.

Nepal has a special place in my heart and any news from there is welcomed. Green Pastures Hospital in Pokhara, Nepal, treats leprosy patients. Or as one of the staff members told me they serve the patients. These outcasts get cured not only physically but also to some extent spiritually as well. Questions of self respect, zest for life and meaning to it all are frequently faced inside those hospital walls.

The news I received were mainly positive. Hospital is up and running. The patient influx has increased and some renovation has been finished. Although there's much to do the original spirit is still there.

Green Pastures Hospital is run by INF. (The virtual tour is much cooled than my picks.)

Top of the world or very very close

I'm not much of a traveller, but I believe good tips are meant to be shared.

Mountains and trekking. It's either that or the birthplace of Buddha that brings people to Nepal. Numerous companies offer treks to witness some of the most amazing places in the world. The hard part is to pick one.

Folk at Holy Sherpa Vision are friendly and trustworthy plus their food is excellent. The director Caleb has wonderful stories, one about his name. Their office is kinda hard to find, but that's the case with pretty much everything in Kathmandu. The website helps to start.

http://www.holysherpavisiontreks.com/

I was surprised that Pakistan was on the menu aswell.