The Shrill of the phone broke her peaceful night dreams. It was still dark for it to be her 6 am alarm. Her hands reached out for her device . Her mobile phone was equivalently a boon and a curse. She found the damn thing and answered it just to shut it up. She was regretting the Single ladies Ringtone . Why couldn’t she have picked something more soothing. “Hello ” she said as she turned on to her back. Her Voice sounded coarse and her body was covered in sweat. The Humidity in Malaysia wasn’t something to make fun off. But she was used to it. It’s been a year since she packed her bags and headed to Asia. She had her reasons for leaving . She was a long way from home. She missed her her family. Most of all she missed her niece. But she had to get away from America . Far away to clear her mind. So she headed to the Orient on the first plane out. It was also a good excuse to travel to the other side of the world.
“You get on the next plane out , after the storm clears” said the voice. She was still buzzed from sleep. She was having trouble placing the voice. Then she remembered her conversation the day earlier. There was a huge Storm front gathering outside of Philippines. They Called it Typhoon Haiyan. According to experts, it was going to be the Strongest Storm ever to hit land. There would be a lot of Injuries and a necessity for medical personal. She wanted to volunteer with the relief efforts . She would have to bring along a couple of her med students .
I met this wonderful gal in Kuala lumpur . It was a warm summer evening . The Sun had set ,bringing an end to the punishing heat. But it was still humid enough . I was glad I wasn’t wearing a Jacket. Me and my friends were at a gathering of expatriates. This gathering usually helped us assimilate with the local populace . We got together to share tips and talk about life in this wonderful amazing country. One of my colleagues was six ft tall ,blue eyed ,blonde haired child from the Netherlands. You couldn’t miss him in crowd in Asia. Along with him came my Indian friend who was my partner in crime. They were my dynamic duo for the night. We alighted from the Taxi at a Mall . We weren’t sure about the location. This was our first time to one of these gatherings. The concierge was helpful enough to give us an accurate direction. We headed to the elevator which was located outdoors . It took us up to the Second floor of the mall and directly opened up to a Restaurant. A Room was reserved by our host Anna whom met her at the entrance . We collected our name tags and complimentary drinks. The Doctor and her companion were the first people we met that night. After a bit of small talk we went our separate ways to meet more people. Later in the evening we revisited our brief encounter when the party was winding down .
She was a wonderful dancer. She felt light in my hands cause she was nimble on her feet. Alas it was the first and last dance we ever shared. We never met in person but we did keep in touch. She’s a wonderful soul. She’s been volunteering since 2006 for the Organisation Operation Smile. So far she has been to over 25 missions to fix kids with facial deformities. She loves hearing the laughter of kids . Especially those who have recovered after being Sick for so long. When she’s not out traveling or deep sea diving or just behind the lens of a camera taking photos of Smiling Children , she’s out there in there saving lives. For her, it’s a great feeling having saved some ones life. Like the 4 month old baby with severe pneumonia and respiratory failure in Philippines after the Hurricane. But she beats herself up too, every time she loses someone. After those moments, she always wonder if she could have done it better.
For doctors, losing a patient is tragic. Losing a patient who is a child is devastating . She felt that way when she lost some one in her resident years. She could have walked away but she went on to further training in critical care for kids. She knows she can’t save them all but she would try. She tries to help the parents cope with their loss in times when the child is beyond saving.
It’s not all about money,prestige and fame. There are many people out there like Nicole who sacrifice their lives for the greater good. There are Doctors in Africa who are working with Ebola Patients . And there are Doctors working in Gaza while the bombs drop around them . They Risk harm to their Physical well being , mental health and emotional state . Nicole is back in the States and she will fly off to Africa soon. No matter where she goes, she will leave behind a trail of smiling kids.
The Narrator 