¡Mission to Mexico!

From the time I first became a dental hygienist, one of the things I always said I wanted to do, was serve in dental missions. Sadly, 7 years later I realized that I've yet to fulfill this dream. I've done some small local volunteer work in the past with "Give Kid's a Smile" but I've always wanted to do more. Recently, an opportunity appeared that I just couldn't resist! I was perusing our Colorado Dental Hygienist's association page, and happened upon an advertisement seeking an experienced RDH to join a group of local dentists/hygienists who would be serving a mission to Mexico to set up a clinic for primary school children. I inquired about details, and after getting the scoop, the next day I was able to manage a great priced airline ticket and it became official! Through the beauty of my new gig as a temp hygienist, I didn't even have to request the time off of work to be able to go! This was also a great affirmation that I made the right decision in my new career direction :)

Less than two weeks later, I was off to Barron, Mexico! I was very excited to meet a whole team of strangers, who very quickly became friends for life.

Upon arrival, I was quickly greeted and welcomed by the one and only Claire Silk, who is definitely a trailblazer hygienist in Colorado! {Thanks to Claire and Deb Astroth, we have have such an independent practice act which allows us so much freedom to practice with fewer fences than most other states}

Barron

The lovely Estrella Del Mar, Compliments of the generous Friends of Barron

The team [Jeff(DDS) & Deb(RDH) Astroth, Genevieve(RDH), Yanira(RDH) Kurt(DDS) and myself] slowly trickled in on Saturday! We met at the condo's on the luxurious beach of Estrella Del Mar, where we stayed free of charge, thanks to the generosity of the owners and The Friends of Barron. We met the lovely Kris McGuire, who was such a gracious hostess by allowing us to set up camp in her condo, where we conducted all of our team meetings and met for meals and endless drinks! We spent the rest of the afternoon Saturday getting settled in and prepared for the week ahead!

OUR TEAM: "Nuevo Fantastico"

Our fearless leaders, Jeff & Deb Astroth

The one and only, Claire Silk

My Roomates, Genevieve and Yanira

Dr. Kurt Ferre, AKA "K-Uno"

Drs. Galen & Davina Detrik

Our Gracious Hostess, Kris & her awesome daughter, Kelly

Sunday, the last two members of our team, Galen(DDS) and Davina (DDS) Detrik from Albuquerque, NM. We all divided and sorted supplies and went to visit and set up the school where we would be working that day. I took an immediate liking to Davina, and felt some strange draw to her. Not only was she lovely, beautiful, and kind, but there was a strange familiarity I sensed around her, that I just couldn't quite put my finger on. We shared the backseat of the car on the way home from the school, and I nonchalantly said, "I know I can't possibly, but I really feel like I know you from somewhere!" The reason I felt it was impossible, was because this Davina was a dentist from NM, and a newlywed, there was just no place in my mind that I could figure we would have ever crossed paths before. She casually asked me where I had worked in the past...(yikes, where do I begin and end with that long list of jobs on the resume??) After each place I rattled off, she calmly asked, "Okay, where were you before that...?" until I quickly rattled off "Parker Smiles, but I was only there for just a few months...." and then the lightbulbs went off simultaneously for both of us! Six years ago, Davina was a temp hygienist for just a couple weeks in my office, and we became quick friends! We would go to lunches, and work closely with each other day after day, until our office no longer needed her. We exchanged phone numbers at that time, and swore we would hang out outside of work, but sadly, we never did....I was in such awkward transition of my early twenties, I was just about to move downtown to Denver; and she was 8 months pregnant with her baby boy, and unbeknownst to me, getting ready to begin dental school! Clearly the past 6 years led each of us into such amazing journeys of change and growth; and by God's grace and divine plan, we reconnected on this dental mission trip six years later, in the unlikeliest of places, at the most perfect times of our lives :) I know that she and I are just meant to be friends, and I am SO happy that we found each other again! We both squealed at laughed (and I'm sure I probably cried....shocking, I know...) hugged each other in the backseat, as the puzzle pieces finally fit together and were finally intact. I wish I could convey the joy I felt in that moment, and it is a moment I will always cherish and remember for the rest of my life! Ahhhh, this was going to be such a great week!!

So so thrilled to be reunited with this gorgeous soul! My heart is so full :)

Monday morning was up and at 'em bright and early! We were off for day one of Clinica De Barron! The school children were so stinkin adorable!! They gathered in the courtyard and did their Monday morning ceremonies, and then one-by-one, they began to file into the clinic!

La Escuela

Here they all are :) Such beautiful faces!

I had NO idea what I was about to face...but I learned very quickly :)
We started off with the first graders. We had a screening station, 4 hygiene stations, and 3 operative stations.  Every child needed a cleaning, and sealants. Never in my life have I worked such an exhausting day. We were bare bones, but I was so impressed with our make-shift clinic! We had no running water, but we had electricity! After placing sealants, after sealants, without suction or water, all while standing in awkward positions over plastic lawn chair, I can say that I can place a sealant like it's my job! haha (It IS my job, but I was never very good at it before, and never got comfortable doing it alone without an assistant....) I can honestly say after doing countless cleanings and sealants all day standing, I will never complain about a bad day at work ever again. I was exhausted after the first day! But also, so thrilled at such a job well done by all of us! We worked hard, and we gave so much to these beautiful children who have so very little. And their parents were so grateful and appreciative! This is what kept me going!

All the little girls loved Dr. Galen... 

Some of the kiddos weren't quite so in love with us as we were them ;)

We couldn't have made it through the first day without our little Jesus! Jesus is a 19year old from Barron, who after volunteering at the first dental clinic last year, is now in his first year of Dental School in Mazatalan! He is such an amazing young man, and I am so excited about his future in dentistry, and his local community! He was such a help interpreting, and keeping the little ones calm, and explaining over and over that our little syringes with etch and sealant material were not shots..... :)

Our adorable Jesus & Yanira made a good team!

I just can't get over how cute these little kids were! Some of them were scared, but most of them did so very well! They laughed at us gringos that didn't speak spanish very well, and I think they secretly loved us being there.  After the first day, we really got an efficient system down! We survived day one!

After-work board meeting.

After a fantastic dinner with lots of libations, we were relaxed and well rested. We were so fortunate to have Claudia y Wilma to provide such wonderful home-cooked dinners for us each night after work! They treated us to the most exquisite Mexican dinners you can imagine! I blame them for coming home with a few extra pounds.... :) After a good night's sleep, we were ready for day two.

Wilma y Claudia

Fresh tortillas every night!

This little Arturo was just SO cute! Such a smily little boy :)

The rest of the week pretty much followed suit. The kids got older and bigger as the week went on, which was a fun challenge.  Each day we would go home beyond exhausted, yet energized with knowing what a huge difference we were making in these kids' lives!

No Caries Club!!

No Caries Club!

Double Team for Sealants on 8 teeth!

This kid.... such a cutie! and No Caries Club!

It wasn't all work and no play everyday, we certainly had too much fun at the beach! Yanira and I got pretty good at boogie/body boarding! (Or so we thought....)

#beachlife

One day, Galen, Davina and I leaned the hard way about how rip tides work....Just floating along in the surf, we discovered that we got out quite a bit further than we ever imagined! We fought hard to get back to the beach, and we were pretty much done after that! We got a little tore up out there ;)

Poseidon had his way with us today

Friday was our last day, and it was just the morning. We were finished with our treatment, but we set up quick stations to give final silver-nitrate treatment applications to the kids that were treated earlier in the week.  On that last day, those sweet and beautiful children presented us with gifts of flowers and drawings, saying that they promised to brush their teeth every day :)

Last Silver Nitrate / Fluoride station!

in love with these gorgeous kiddos.

We were in the middle of eating our final lunch at the school, while the music class across the quad was playing a game of musical chairs. I thought it would be such a fun idea to join in, and when a few of us went over to join the game, the kids went nuts! I think we loved it just as much as they did :) We finally got packed up and left with many many kisses and hugs, and promises to return next year.

They sang for us such lovely songs!

Friday night was the only chance we got to go out and explore the city! We drove through a palm tree forrest to get to a dock, where we took a water taxi across the sound to Mazatlan! It was quite the journey! Once on land across the other side, we all barreled into the back of a little pick-up truck taxi to get to the town square. It was such a beautiful drive into the city! I so wish we could have had more time there! So old, and beautiful, and lovely. We enjoyed a fantastic dinner at Topolo, and got intoxicated on experience, love for new friends, and of course a libation, or two :)

I've never seen anything like this in my life!

Fun on the water taxi!

The taxi into Mazatlan

Mango Margaritas! 

Going back home was nothing short of an erm, adventure? We water taxied back to the cars on across the sound, but given that it was low tide, we decided to drive all the way back to the condos along the beach! It was SO exhilarating and amazing to be driving literally two feet from the ocean water! This was just so wonderful, until out lovely driver, Claire, decided that she no longer wanted to be right on the beach where all the crabs were running around {She didn't want to kill them} so she abruptly veered to the left up the sand bank to get off the beach. Aaaaand that's how we got stuck. For probably close to a half hour, we had to rock the SUV front to back, and dig ourselves out of the sand! It was so funny! I think a few others in the group didn't think it was as funny as I did, but hey, we finally made it out{alive}.

Oh boy...

Saturday was our last day in Mexico! I woke up early and joined Kris down by the pool for a nice yoga session. We enjoyed each other's company over hot tea and breakfast afterward. Then Kelly and I took the 4-wheeler back through the palm tree forrest and along the beach, to a lovely little spot on the beach where we had brunch with a bucket of beer and shrimp quesadillas. We enjoyed our newfound friendship and got to know each other quite well! {She lives on a ranch about a half hour NW of Fort Collins!! We will be spending lots of time together in the future!} I was so sad when we realized it was getting late and time to go. We raced back to the villas, to find out that everyone had already left for the airport! Ooops! Thankfully I had already packed everything, so I quickly loaded my bags into the car, and just like that, kris, kelly and I were off to the airport. I made it to my gate with plenty of time to spare, but I felt so bad for my seat neighbors who had to deal with a dirty, smelly, sandy, and slightly tipsy me, straight from the beach not 30 minutes before :) I went out with a bang and a hell of a good time :)

Not a bad place for lunch

Polishing off the last of our bucket of Pacificos. Salud!

Back to the good ol' USofA, where we take so much for granted. I'm thankful to be from such a beautiful and amazing land full of good fortune, but I also will take this time to give my little PSA: Please, dear friends, be grateful for all you have. Try to live with less, and give more to others. You might just be amazed at the happiness and feelings of richness you get when you give :)Ok, I'm off my soapbox now  :) Love and happiness to you all, and thanks for reading!

Adios, Mexico! Te amo!