Tour of the Global Mercy

Here is a very brief tour of the vessel that I have called home for the past 3 weeks and that I will be leaving entirely too soon.  

First things first, where I work.  The primary mission of the GLM is surgical care.  We have 6 operating rooms, full radiology including CT, a 4 bed PACU, 4 bed holding area, 5 nursing wards, and a low care unit for those needing a little more time before they go home.  

OR Hallway

PACU

The cabins on the GLM are significantly larger than the sister ship, Africa Mercy.  I have one cabinmate and we each have our own section of the room and we share a bathroom and small area with a mini fridge.  

My cabin is on Deck 6 which is one of the few places where you can see the entire length of the ship.  The photos doesn't do the size justice.  The ship is enormous

With 12 decks come a LOT of stairs.  

There are a few recreational areas including a the Cafe which is a common area to socialize, play games, and rest.  Outside on the upper deck is a court that can be used for basketball, pickle ball, badminton, or whatever you can think of, a play ground, a pool, and a large open area for children to ride scooters and ride on toys.  There are over 70 children on the ship so having a place for them to be children is such a wonderful inclusion.

There is also a school onboard called "The Academy"with fully qualified teachers and staff to ensure that the children accompanying their parents are being prepared for life off the ship.

The dining room serves all of the crew, families, and day crew aboard full meals several times a day.  It is also a place to gather, chat, rest, and enjoy the company of your crewmates.

The ship is a fully functioning operation with a Crew Bank, Ship Shop for incidentals and items made by local artisans to purchase, meeting rooms, chaplaincy, and even a coffee shop.  This is a photo of Deck 8 where most of those area located (many to the back of this photo)

With the constant turnover of staff, good signage is very helpful to find your way.  It is very easy to get turned around or end up somewhere you didn't intend.

The crew on board are an amazing, selfless, and devoted group of people from all over the world.  I am honored to serve beside them. (OR crew below)

Week 3

We are continuing this week with more maxillofacial and general surgeries.  Watching life trajectories change is humbling.  I got to see babies who are able to nurse for the first time as their cleft lips are repaired, huge lipomas (fatty tumor) on every surface of the body removed allowing normal clothing, sleeping, and way of life, amongst others.  Snuggling sweet little ones who are waking up frightened in a strange place with strange looking people is the best part of my day.  

Sunday night we had a Team USA get together!  Just a fun opportunity to have some snacks and connect with those who come from your same homeland. It's amazing how many Americans are on board! 

The riots in Senegal were intense with many fatalities.  The chaos started to subside and on Tuesday we were let off of the ship.  I nearly ran for the door. (I have learned I would do terribly in prison.)  After 10 days on the ship, I was ready to get off! A group headed out to Goree Island.  Senegal is in the western most portion of Africa and Dakar was one of the primary locations for the shipment of indigenous African people during the slave trade.  

We visited the House of Slaves museum where thousands of humans were trafficked to the Americas and Europe.  It is a hugely emotional experience knowing that my nation was a part of this atrocity. Below is one of the whipping posts where "troublemakers" were beaten into submission.

The door of no return.  Those who walked through this door never saw their homeland, their families, friends, or anything they had known again.

The island of Goree is a stunning place.  It is a small town with no motorized vehicles.  There is a ferry that runs multiple times daily that allows for visitors and transport of locals on and off the island.  The architecture is stunning and the flowers that seem to come from not where are covering the island.

Week 2

 My second week on board the Global Mercy has been just as rewarding as the first.  We said goodbye to 3 amazing PACU nurses and said hello to 3 new faces.  I now work in a department with 3 Americans, 2 Aussies, 1Dutchie, and 1Swisse.  Our entire surgical team spans the far reaches of the globe.  Being a part of the experience where all of these nations come together for the good of God's people is the opportunity of a lifetime.  The magnitude is not at all lost on me.

This week we did about 65 surgeries including general surgery and maxillofacial reconstruction.  Multiple cleft lip and palate, tumor removals, hernia repairs, skin grafts, wound revisions, lipoma removals, and many more.  The public ostracization of many will be at an end.  I am forever grateful to be a part of this team.

Senegal is unsettled.  A political opposition leader was sentenced on Thursday to two years in jail causing civil unrest in the country.  We have all been confined to the ship for the weekend in order to ensure our safety.  Some of our Day Crew workers have been unable to get home as a result of the riots and are being safely housed on board.  Please pray for peace in Senegal.

In the meantime, I have been enjoying some quiet time on the upper deck getting to chat with crew mates and enjoy the sunshine.