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Rachael K

Rachael K

Living in: Kansas, United States of America Read more🇺🇸Kansas
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    • Rachael KTravelerKudjip, PNG

      Miraculous recovery

      November 26, 2024 in Papua New Guinea ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

      3 nights ago, while I was on call, I was summoned to the ER for a young woman who was having trouble breathing and was very confused. I did all I could think of- putting her on oxygen by face mask and nasal cannula (to mimic a CPAP), breathing treatments, steroids, diuretics. I did an ultrasound of her heart, which didn’t look abnormal. I told her family that I wasn’t sure she would survive. We prayed together and, when I didn’t have anything more to do, I went home. After more prayers for a miracle, I went back to sleep.

      The next morning I didn’t see her on the ward. As I walked to the ER, one of the nurses rolled her by on a gurney, I thought going to the morgue as she looked lifeless. Her family trailed behind, not crying (which is very unusual). I thought she was yet one more person that we could have cared for better back in the States- she would’ve been intubated, scanned, and in an ICU.

      So imagine my surprise when I see her on the ward, sitting up and breathing ok. I had to triple check that it was her. Today I told her that I didn’t think she was going to make it that night. We praised God together that she is recovering and doing well, and that He is healing her.

      It’s so hard to understand why one person is healed and another not, at least not the way I’d like to see. As I’ve struggled through this confusion, I’ve come to the place of thinking that the Lord asks me to come in faith that he can heal, and leave it to Him. If I trust that He knows best, then I can trust that He will see them through whatever happens. Sometimes we’re not healed, and God works through the grief and confusion. But sometimes they are, like this woman.      Read more

    • Rachael KTravelerKudjip, PNG
      Nighttime at the hospital
      Cockroaches are common. This was in the staff bathroom

      A day in my life

      November 20, 2024 in Papua New Guinea ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

      I’ve been wanting to share what a typical day here is like. On any given weekday, hospital rounds start at 8 am. Monday mornings start at 7:30 with chapel, Fridays at 7:30 with a doctor’s meeting. After rounds on weekdays, generally I’m in the ER seeing patients. If it’s slow, I got across the “hall” to the clinic and help out there. Every 4 days or so, I’m on call. Usually it’s a 24 hour call, with rounds the next morning before having the rest of the day off. Call varies a lot. Sometimes it’s busy, sometimes not. Patients in the ER or those on the ward with some issue are my responsibility. As I don’t do OB care, someone else is assigned to that ward. I always have a long-term doc as backup for help.

      There’s a more or less protected lunchtime, which has been wonderful. It’s nice to have an hour for lunch and not have to eat here and there between seeing patients. After clinic ends around 4, I often go on a short walk before making (or reheating dinner). Dishes get washed and put away, water filtered, sometimes the floor swept. Some evenings there’s a Bible study or prayer meeting. Sundays the single people get together for a food swap, so they have different dishes to eat throughout the week (I go but eat my own food- the socialization is nice).

      I’ve been sick for about 2 weeks with back-to-back crud, so my time off has been less having fun or working out and more laying in bed. I’m on the upswing from a head cold and pray that it’s gone completely before I leave in a few days!      Read more

    • Rachael KTravelerKudjip, PNG

      Worlds apart

      November 13, 2024 in Papua New Guinea ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F

      My plans of writing a little blurb every few days were foiled by my GI system rebelling. I still don’t know if I accidentally ate some gluten or if I caught something. Regardless I’m feeling back to normal today, praise God!

      I wish it were easy to share life here in a few words, but when compared to the US or Europe, PNG is a world apart. I did some reading yesterday- PNG is the 29th poorest country in the world. I see the effects of this every day in the hospital and clinic. Medications we use every day aren’t available, people often come in barefoot because they can’t afford shoes.

      People often delay care. I’m not sure how much of this is due to poverty, how much is cultural and/or a sense of fatalism, and how much is the rugged terrain that impedes travel. There are probably myriad more reasons that I simply don’t know of or understand. So I see patients coming in with advanced cancer yet to be diagnosed. People with TB affecting their lungs, their brain, their spleen, their belly. Infections that we rarely see in the US are more common and often more advanced.

      And yet, I also see people who are so grateful for the care they receive, who give a deeper thank you than I hear back home. I hear children laughing outside as they play. I see families caring for their loved ones. And I hear the voices of staff, students, and families praising Jesus. The longer I’m here, the more I see what a privilege it is to be serving here.

      (I hope to share about my daily life and some stories in the coming days. Pictures are mostly devoid of people as I want to protect patient confidentiality. And I’m bad at remembering to take photos!)      Read more

    • Rachael KTravelerKudjip, PNG
      1My place1Old WW2 airplane that has been made into play equipment

      One week in

      November 6, 2024 in Papua New Guinea ⋅ ⛅ 61 °F

      Good morning from the other side of the world!

      I’ve tried several times to write a new post, but words have failed me. Probably a combination of jet lag and things being so different here. To be honest, my first week at Kudjip was very challenging. Now after one week, I’ve gotten the hang of daily life here and am getting my feet wet with the medical side of things.

      I think I’ll try giving little snapshots of life here in this next several posts- some about where they’ve put me up, what cooking/getting food here is like, work, etc. For now, I’ll leave this post saying that, despite how challenging life here is, I’m thankful to be here. My heart wasn’t at a place I could say that one month ago, but the Lord has been softening my heart. I’m thankful I can come provide some relief to the long-term missionaries and local doctors, that I can learn from locals and from people who live here, and that I am gaining eyes to see the beauty around me.

      I haven’t taken many photos, but I’ll post the few that I do have.      Read more

    • Rachael KTravelerKudjip, PNG

      Here we go!

      October 28, 2024 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 81 °F

      Today starts a month-long mission trip to Papua New Guinea. It’s a long travel day, starting in Lawrence and ending outside of Mount Hagen, PNG (technically I think it’s two days, plus one that’s missed because of time change). I’m headed to Kudjip Nazarene Hospital in the Western Highlands of PNG. Ten years ago I spent a month there on a rotation as a resident. Now I’m headed back to provide relief to local workers and maybe to reconnect with why I went into medicine. I couldn’t do this without the help of my family and friends, who are so graciously caring for my pets and lifting me up in prayer. I’m excited to learn to lean on the Lord more and see him use me as his hands and feet.Read more

    • Rachael KTravelerSpain y el Camino

      Santiago de Compostela

      May 12, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

      I made it. After 41 days of walking, resting, planning, changing said plans, worrying, hurting, meeting new friends. After restless nights, umpteen pilgrim meals, and pushing my body and mind in new way. I made it!

      With rain forecast for tomorrow and wanting to enjoy my last day, I decided to push a bit harder at the end. The casa rural where I stayed a couple nights ago gave me the best sleep I’ve had the whole Camino. So yesterday I walked 16 miles and felt good pretty much the whole time. Whenever that pesky muscle would start to flare up, I was at a spot and time for a break anyway. I found myself flying down the path and enjoying it. One last albergue stay last night, an early morning start because I always wake up earlier when I’m in a room with 16 strangers.

      Today my body forced me sometimes to go slower, which was ok for a last day. Then, after 12 miles today, nearly 500 since the start, and 41 days later I made it! I think it’ll take some time to sink in. For now I’m enjoying knowing that I don’t have to walk tomorrow, some Camino friends will arrive tomorrow and the next day, and I have time to rest.      Read more

    • Rachael KTravelerSpain y el Camino
      2
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      Portomarín-Ventas de Narón-Ponte Campañ—

      May 10, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F

      It’s hard to believe that in 2 days my Camino will be over. I feel like, just as I reach the end, I’ve learned how I enjoy this. Last night I wasn’t ready for the end to come. This morning, when I was tired and there were a lot of people, I was so ready to reach Santiago. I think there may always be the part of me that’s ready for the next thing or to finish something and have a sense of accomplishment. But I’ve learned to enjoy the journey, to slow down and watch a sunset or a river flowing. I’m so grateful that I’ve been able to come and do this. There are parts of me that can’t envision doing anything but getting up and walking all day. Then there are parts of me that are looking forward to staying in one place for more than a few days.Read more

    • Rachael KTravelerSpain y el Camino
      I've seen some agave around- pretty sure it's not native!
      1Hórreo- historically used for grain storage

      Sarria-Morgade-Portomarín

      May 6, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F

      Sarria- it was gray and rainy most of my time there. The hostal where I stayed had comfortable beds, hot water, and a blow dryer. Otherwise it was 🫤 But the rest did me good! I was able to get all my laundry washed, catch up with some friends for dinner, and stumbled on something that looked like a Spartan race happening in the pouring rain, which I enjoyed watching.

      Yesterday I walked slowly to Morgade, which is less of a village and more of a nice albergue with a restaurant attached. I had a great dinner with people from around Europe. Probably ties for the nicest albergue I’ve been in. Today was a shorter walk to Portomarín. I hit the 100km mark today! As of this afternoon, I have 91.7km left until Santiago. It’s so hard to believe that within a week, I’ll be there! My body is continuing to get better, but I’m still taking it easy for at least another day.

      The undesired injury has increased my thankfulness for being here. Yesterday I was so happy to be back walking, regardless of how slow I go. Walking slowly also enables me to notice what’s around me in ways I might otherwise miss. I think one of the biggest lessons I’m learning is to be present in the moment.      Read more

    • Rachael KTravelerSpain y el Camino

      Villafranca del Bierzo

      May 2–3, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F

      Life never goes as we plan. While life on the Camino is different, it’s still life. All this to say, my plans have been disrupted. The last few days I walked, I’d have 5-15 minutes a couple times of some intense low back/glute pain. I was a bit nervous about the 15 mile walk from Ponferrada to Villafranca having experienced this, but I already had reservations, and it was generally so short-lived that I figured I’d be ok. The first half of the walk was ok- low energy, but no pain. I was finally getting into it when the stabbing pain started back up. Fortunately I was entering a town, so I figured a little coffee break and I’d be good to go. Wrong. It was still there when I got up to keep walking, but I figured it would just take some time. I walked past a posting for a taxi, thought “I should take a photo just in case” and then forgot to do so 🤦‍♀️ The next 8+ miles were brutal. It’s been a long time since I’ve had to dig that deep to push through. Little by little, I made it to the best hostel I’ve been in. The hospitalero is wonderful. I hoped to find a physiotherapist here who could help me, but alas, there isn’t one. So today I’m catching a bus to Sarria, where the last 100km of the Camino starts. My current plan is to stay there for 3 nights before walking again, but I’m trying to not make too many plans at this point. I’m bummed about it, but hopeful that I’ll be back on the Camino in a few days.Read more

    • Rachael KTravelerSpain y el Camino

      Ponferrada- the Knights Templar

      May 1, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F

      Did you know that the Knights Templar existed? And that they were formed to protect pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago? I didn’t. The hostal I stayed at was right next to the Castle of the Knights Templar. When I think of medieval castles, THIS is what I envision- walls with slits for arrows (or maybe just for light??), toothed tops, turrets, etc. It was really neat to explore the site and learn more about the people who built it and lived here.Read more

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