The time has come

Hello friends, family, and newcomers. Welcome to or welcome back to my blog where I am documenting the process leading up to and during my first humanitarian mission to Eldoret, Kenya. The day has come; tomorrow morning marks the start of my 24+ hour journey. I will arrive in Nairobi, Kenya by late Sunday morning. Can you believe it's finally happening?!

We will spend the initial two days of our trip in Nairobi, as we are arriving ahead of the rest of the group. I'm thrilled that we decided to go a few days early. Firstly, it will give us the opportunity to explore, visit a giraffe center, see elephants at an elephant sanctuary, browse markets, and sample the local cuisine. Secondly, I hope these two days will help me adjust to the climate, adapt to the high altitude, and recover from traveling.

As some of you know, I've struggled with autoimmune disease and health issues that sometimes significantly affect my life, so I've been feeling quite anxious about this. I always worry when traveling because these issues can arise unexpectedly. I want to express that preparing for this trip hasn't been easy; it's involved a lot of personal work to get ready mentally and physically, so my anxiety doesn't overwhelm me and ruin the trip. Travel anxiety is very real, so if you're someone who struggles with anxiety related to traveling and the unknown, make sure to drink plenty of fluids, eat small meals frequently, bring comfort items (like blankets, clothes, or a stuffed animal), and come up with affirmations to repeat to yourself. I'm bringing motion sickness medications, allergy medications, pain relievers, vitamins, and electrolyte packets. There's only so much I can control, and I have to accept that.

Regarding trip preparations, the time spent on packing is INCREDIBLE. I've dedicated the past two weeks to packing and unpacking repeatedly, trying to make everything fit. For the trip, I have two checked bags, a carry-on, and a personal item. Both checked bags contain 50lbs of supplies, along with some clothing, sunscreen, a pillow, etc. My carry-on and personal item hold everything else. It's been a huge game of Tetris (which I love), but this one has been particularly challenging. Ensuring everything fits and that the checked bags remain within the weight limit has been tricky. I thought I'd share some of the items I've packed for anyone considering a medical missions trip like this and wondering what to bring. (I understand that needs can vary, and the items I list are specific to our mission and requirements).

Before packing, I treated all my clothes and personal items with permethrin, a potent insect repellent. This was suggested by the pharmacist I consulted last year and the surgeons I'll be traveling with. After spraying everything, I began packing. I must also give a big thanks to my boyfriend Aaron for his help in packing my carry-on with clothes for 14 days—I'm still unsure how he managed it, but I'm impressed. Inside that carry-on bag is:

• 8 days worth of scrub pants and shirts

• Sports bras and underwear

• Compression socks and ankle socks

• A pair of jeans

• Two pairs of sahara hiking pants

• Two sahara long sleeve shirts

• 3 sleep shirts

• 3 pajama pants

• A linen set

• Scrub caps

• Safari hat

• I also put the stoma bag covers that Tayler made for the women in this bag in case anything were to happen to our checked luggage these are not lost.

  
  
  
  

In my personal item, which is my backpack, I packed everything else I will need:

• Stethoscope

• Name badge

• Protective goggles

• Bug repellent (for extra daily use)

• Toiletry bag

• Neck pillow from Cushion labs (the best neck pillow ever)

• Tampons, pads, cramp cream

• Leg hammock for the plane

• Notebook to journal

• Papers for travel, entry, etc.

• Passport and vaccine passport

• Computer and earbuds

• 2 books

• Snack packs that I put together

• Vlog camera and digital camera

• Charges and adapters for my devices

Medications that I am bringing:

• Miralax to prevent constipation

• Aspirin to prevent blood clots

• Allergy meds

• Dramamine regular and lessy drowsy

• Zofran

• Anti-diarrheals in case of travelers diarrhea

• Antibiotics in case of travelers diarrhea

• Malarone - antimalaria medication

• Ibuprofen

• Zinc

• Magnesium

• Womens multi vitamin

• Electrolyte packets

• ARMRA immune support packets

• Melatonin

As usual, I might be over-preparing and packing too much, but I prefer not to be unprepared. This ensures I have everything I might need without the stress of having to find it elsewhere. Now that packing is done, and all that's left is waiting to head to the airport, I feel like a child on Christmas Eve. There's so much happening in the next 15 days, and I can't wait to share it all with you. I've received numerous messages, cards, and even a good luck cake from my coworkers, and I am overwhelmed with emotion from all the kindness, love, and support everyone has shown. Until next time :)

All Love,

Meg