Jackie is one of my squad leaders. Today is her birthday so I thought I’d share a fun little story that shows a unique medical technique used in Ecuador and how Jackie is always there for me when I need her.
So the plot begins. I had been sick for a week with something along the lines of a lung infection and when I went to the clinic they sent me on my way with an inhaler and new allergy medicine. No surprise, a few days later I was still very sick. So, Jackie took a few of us racers to the hospital. We were told that some people at the hospital would be able to speak English. Plot twist- they didn’t. I got settled into my room (which I ended up being in for many many hours). After I got settled, the doctor came in and told us that I would be getting blood drawn and tested for the flu. Jackie and I both assumed that it would be a simple flu test like you would get in America. So, we were slightly confused when the doc emphasized it so much. Jackie kindly held my hand through the blood test and then went to check on the other racers in the hospital. She came back to check on me a few times, but there had been no word from the nurses. Jackie left one last time, and a nice lady named Daniella came through the curtain. She was holding a three foot tube and started to flip a switch on and off that controlled suction to the tube. I start to panic a little bit. Considering that the walls of my room are curtains, of course, my first instinct was to start yelling Jackie’s name through the whole hospital. I tell the nurse that I need mi amiga Jackie and she kindly went out looking for her. When she couldn’t find her, she came back in. When the nurse saw the increasing panic on my face, she went back out and thankfully found Jackie. We were both very confused since neither of us speak Spanish. The nurse laid me back while holding the tube in one hand, and (of course) I start to cry uncontrollably. Jackie is so quick on her feet. She FaceTimed her mom (who is Spanish) to interpret for us. Her mom tells me that the nurse is going to stick a suctioned tube through my nose and down my throat. Well, at that point, I just lost it. But, the show must go on, so that’s what happened. Tube down my throat. In the middle of the whole process, I was told to breath and I could not. There was an awful sound that came out of me and I actually thought that I was done for. It was a uniquely terrible experience, but after it was over, I looked at Jackie and we both started cracking up. It was very uncomfortable and sad for the both of us, but when we thought about what had just occurred it was quite funny. I am so thankful to have had Jackie at the hospital that day and to have her with me every day this year. I could not have gone through that alone and I definitely would not have been able to laugh about it.
P.S. Jackie, you are kind, funny, compassionate, comforting, and loving. Thanks for everything you do!
