This past week was extremely rough. There are a million stories I'd like to share with the world, but I will leave it as a high and a low.
My ray of sunshine: Yesterday I was interpreting at our eye clinic (which only happens once a month) and one of my Puerto Rican patients noticed that my name tag says "Volunteer- Mercy." She asked me if I work, and I explained that I work full-time at Good Samaritan. Confused, she asked if they pay me. I explained that my necessities (housing, food, health insurance, and transportation) are paid for, but that I just receive a small monthly stipend for personal spending. She looked at me kindly and told me that if I ever need anything, despite the fact that she doesn't have much, she will help me out.
My bolt of lightning: Yesterday, immediately after eye clinic, we had a brief primary care clinic. I had to fill out some paperwork with the first patient, so I brought her to the triage area. When we sat down, I asked how she was doing. She looked at me and burst into tears. She told me that she has two children (ages 8 and 11) and that her husband is unemployed and that her low-paying job can barely make ends meet. She proceeded to explain that she's been so depressed that she can't sleep and that all she wants to do is be strong for her kids.
This morning when I woke up, I decided to drive to Jacksonville (which is about 2 and a half hours south) with Linda and Regina. We ate lunch along the river, walked the River Walk, walked over one of the bridges, and took a water taxi. On the way home, we stopped at 2 rest stops that advertised free samples of oranges/peach tea/pralines, got Dairy Queen, and visited the smallest church in America. It was much-needed therapy.
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