Even Closer to Home

Sadly after my last post, there was a recent incident that was even closer to home. Last week I was awoken at 3am to learn that my Country Director was in a coma and in critical condition. I worked for the next fourteen hours to get him med-evaced to another neighboring country.

In the end my colleague sadly didn’t make it. While I worked tirelessly to get him to better medical care, there really wasn’t anything that I could have actually done by that point; not that it stopped me from trying my hardest. He was a really excellent man.

The reality is that if he had been in the US he would likely be back to the office already. It is a real risk that we take in the business of international development. We work in places where if something happens, your chances of surviving without proper medical care are diminished significantly.

No matter how messed up our medical system in the US is today, you are still certainly much more likely to live longer here than in many other places in the world.

Like I said in my last post, it is still worth it at the end of the day. I won’t stop doing what I do, but I will stay as safe as possible and take every precaution necessary to stay well.

Miel

Leave a Comment