Nursing abroad stirs the soul

AORN Journal,  July, 2003  by Zarina Varma

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WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES

I had to go to Gilgit to report to the health center before moving on to the town of Chitral, Pakistan, which is near the Afghanistan border. First, however, I asked the board of electricity to leave the power connected in the nurses' quarters and avoid the rolling blackouts. The lack of light at night meant that the native nurses had to lie on their beds after work for long hours. With no recreation opportunities, they were bored and depressed. Although these women are educated, cultural restrictions remain unchanged, and they cannot go out nor do anything. My request was granted. I also taught the nurses to do aerobic exercises to music. They told me that I had brought a lot of laughter and joy into their lives, and they were going to miss me.

I spent a day in Gilgit at my hotel before heading for Chitral. The hot shower and clean sheets felt so good, but at 9 PM, I turned on the television to watch CNN. The date was Sept 11, 2001. I could not believe what I was seeing. The World Trade Center was under attack, and people were screaming everywhere. I got up and turned the television down. I could not bear to hear the screams. I sat down, and then I got up again to turn up the volume. I started to walk around my room in circles. I did not know what to do, where to go, or who to call. They told us not to use international telephone lines. I wanted to be in New York helping. I wanted to go home. I kept walking in circles around my room, occasionally glancing at the television. Then I ran out of my room. I did not know where to go or with whom to speak. The hotel receptionist was not at the reception desk, so I ran upstairs to the restaurant. It was empty, except for one woman who was sitting at a table with a cup of coffee in front of her looking very sad. She looked so sad that I knew she had to be from the United States. I asked her if she was from America. She looked up at me with wet eyes and said that she was from New York. I told her I was from California. We held each other and cried on each others, shoulders until we could cry no more.

The next morning, I was told that my trip was canceled because my safety was in jeopardy. 'I was flown to Islamabad by helicopter and then to Karachi, only to find out that Los Angeles International Airport was closed. I waited in Karachi until the airport opened and boarded the last flight before my airline shut down. I arrived home safely. The next day I woke up in familiar surroundings and asked myself, "Was it a dream?"

Some of my friends in the United States donated money that I sent via my bank to four different schools in Pakistan. I keep in touch with these schools via e-mail and check on their progress. I want to do so much more, but I am grateful to these donors for helping me do what I can for the children of Pakistan.

[FIGURE 1 OMITTED]

Editor's note: The author acknowledges the support of her daughters, Saphina and Meera.

Zarina Varma, RN, CNOR, is a perioperative nurse in Newport Beach, Calif.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Association of Operating Room Nurses, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group