How lucky am I

Day one was nothing short of pure human connection. Coming into this project, I had no idea what I was truly getting myself into. My day started in triage and happiness, gratitude, and a strong sense of community filled the air. Children played and colored together while parents helped children who weren’t even their own. Wheelchairs were shared among families so those with disabilities could get around. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before. Watching each family pass through the clinic felt like flipping through the pages of a picture book. Every family had a different condition, a different struggle, and a different story. Yet they all shared one thing in common: love and hope. The amount of love within these families outweighed any condition or challenge they were facing. In that moment, it felt like love and gratitude truly triumphed over everything else.

The afternoon was spent doing physical therapy with Dr. Deb, and it was nothing short of amazing. There was one patient in particular who deeply touched my heart. She came in with multiple contractures, no lower extremity function, and a severe case of clubfoot. She was 16 years old and wheelchair-bound. Her mom shared how much she sacrifices just to keep her alive. Her medications are expensive, and she told us, “I don’t care if I eat. All I care about is getting her medication and diapers.”

That moment put everything into perspective for me. It made me question every time I had ever complained about something insignificant. I realized that these Guatemalan mothers are truly incredible. And to top it all off, this mom and daughter arrived at and left the clinic on a motorcycle….a motorcycle. If that doesn’t scream strength and resilience, I don’t know what does.

Toward the end of the appointment, we were able to get the patient out of her wheelchair and sitting upright. She did amazing. Even though she was tired and exhausted, she was far stronger than we had expected. As she laid in my arms, I felt nothing but gratitude and humility for being where I was in that moment. All I could think was how lucky I was to care for her. Lucky to be healthy. Lucky to experience something this meaningful.

After today, I immediately realized this project was something so much bigger than myself.

-Kayla Arucan