Cynthia Kleinen's Blog
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Cynthia Kleinen is a graduate of Northwestern University School of Nursing. From 1999 to 2003, she competed in “Adventure Racing” and was a member of three teams. Her work experience includes ICU, cath lab, research (primarily in cardiology). The last 19 months, has managed the home care office at The University of Chicago, where she gained considerable experience in traumatic and surgical wound care. Daily activities include patient teaching to support the patient's transition to home with diverse diagnoses and applications. |
January 2006
We were just lucky!
It was not because our employer, Dyna Care Home Health, had agreed to pay all our expenses and salary to help in the follow-up relief of October 8, 2005 earthquake victims in Pakistan . Oddly enough, our advantage came disguised as our contact with one of the NGOs fell through. Information had filtered back through Kashmiri relations, that a group called AAI was having a very positive impact in Kashmir . Australia Aid International asked us to join them.
Five airplanes, one UN helicopter and a six hour hair raising car ride later four volunteers arrived in Kahuta. This is not Pakistan , it is Kashmir . Don't let any Kahmiris hear you referring to them as Pakistanis. It is said that Kashmir is the most beautiful place in the world. Well, now I know, it is.
To go along with the incredulous beauty of the area surrounded by snow capped mountains, the people are amazingly outgoing, friendly, curious, intelligent, giving and surprisingly well educated even in the remote areas. Before October 8, no foreigners were allowed in Kashmir . That is a very important factor in how AAI has been so sensitive to the historical background and culture here. The Kashmiris have embraced AAI and given them their full support by opening their homes, their workforce and even by providing military protection, so that AAI can provide a service that no other organization has even attempted to provide here.
Oh, AAI was a presence in the emergent state immediately following the earthquake, but who else stayed to help pick up the pieces in the long run? It was at this juncture, that Glenn, Jo-Ann, Denise and I (all nurses) arrived in Kahuta. We were greeted with great enthusiasm by Sasha Poll, Anna Dyer, both nurses, and Dr. Neena Rohs, the Medical Director. Bill Rohs, Field Site Manager, was in Bagh on business. We were put to work immediately.
Glenn Cooper and I are on the field team, which also includes a driver, an interpreter and a military escort. Our job is to visit as many out lying clinics as possible. We are collecting data as we interview dispensers and vaccinators, so that needs can be analyzed. Also, we are bringing needed medical supplies that have been donated. The term out lying is no exaggeration. As we travel narrow one lane roads with shear drop offs down the mountain side, we have come upon rock slides that make the road impassible. Has that stopped us? Of course, not. When the car could go no further, we hiked in. On the way to one of our destinations, we were led by a guide who asked us if we wanted to take the shortcut. As we agreed, he simply waved for us to follow him, as he disappeared down the mountain edge. What ensued was a very physical hike up and down the mountainous terrain that delivered us directly into the clinic that was our destination. On the way back to the car, we took the road that was blocked by three rock slides, one of which will take months to clear, we were informed. Everywhere we have journeyed, the Kashmiris have come out of their homes to greet us and if walking on the road to stop and shake our hands. Now we know how the movie stars feel.
I should say except for a very few, the men shook only Glenn's hand and the women shook my hand. It is not the practice here for a woman to go out alone, to first acknowledge a man or to shake his hand, or even to sit next to him, unless he is her father or brother. To put it rather simply, the women are well protected here. The briefing that was provided to us so that we could follow the customs, with respect to the culture has had a positive influence on our reception. Women wear head scarfs, whenever they leave their homes, that vary from the face exposed to only the eyes showing. In some area in Pakistan , even the eyes are covered with a net.
Meanwhile, in Kahuta, lots of things are happening. Anna and Sasha are organizing and implementing seminars for lady health workers that practice out of the individual clinics. The enthusiasm to take advantage of opportunities to learn, from every health worker in which we have come in contact, has been unparalleled in my experience. Denise Elzinga has been taking the school system by storm with focus on health hygiene. Jo-Ann Harper is supervising the interpreters as we have printed educational material for the seminars, schools and for the dispensers to hand out at the clinics. Over seeing all these activities is Dr. Neena, and quite obviously loved by the entire community here.
We wouldn't have had the opportunity to be a part of this team if it hadn't been for Marc Preston, CEO and Frank Tyler, Director of Operations. They had the insight and commitment to identify and provide services that were better than anyone else was doing. It's quite obvious in working closely with them that they are not lining their own pockets, but actually giving the bounty to those who need it. Now, that is a concept!