When life gets frustrating, sometimes taking a glimpse into the life of another person can help us put things into perspective.
For instance, I was recently frustrated because my “Washing Machine from the Black Lagoon” had given us years of grief when the spin cycle would not work. We decided it was time to put it out of our misery.
At that same time, our area dealt with a series of some of the most powerful and destructive snow, rain and wind storms we had seen in a long time. We endured power failures, loss of work, hazardous road conditions and digging out from several feet of snow. We also had a leaky roof and part of our fence fell down.
During that time, whenever I started to feel exasperated about the course of events we in New Jersey had to deal with, I would think about those who had to endure far worse, and realized these were relatively just a few bumps in the road.
One example is my teenage neighbor, Sarah, who has had to endure many surgeries in her 17 years.
This past month, she went through five major surgeries in the course of three weeks to keep her body functioning properly. She takes it in stride and continues to tend to all of her responsibilities with a great attitude and unwavering determination. She even volunteers at a local animal shelter. Her parents and twin sister offer constant support and say they consider themselves lucky when they look around the hospital and realize that things could be worse.
We can all only imagine what the people in Haiti and other places recently hit by devastating acts of nature or torn apart by war are going through.
A woman I met at the hair salon helped me put it into a clearer perspective when I overheard her saying she had just returned from Haiti right after the Jan. 12 earthquake hit that nation, rendering survivors homeless and injured.
As I listened to Joyce Bulger-Noto, of Freehold, I was so impressed that she took the initiative to help others directly that I had to interview her, despite the fact that we were both clad in capes with our hair slicked back.
Bulger-Noto, a registered nurse, works in the emergency room at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. She said she always wanted to help victims of disasters, and in 2009 she joined the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS), which, she said, provides medical care during disasters such as hurricanes, floods and earthquakes anywhere in the local medical infrastructure has been overwhelmed.
Bulger-Noto said Haiti, her first act of international humanitarian aid, was a phenomenal experience.
She said the team set up two large hospital tents to care for 16 patients each and brought medical supplies and emergency equipment to help the injured.
“The 82nd Airborne U.S. military was there to protect us,” said Bulger-Noto. “They escorted us to a golf course on a mountaintop where 20,000 people were living in tents of cloth and sticks. What was fascinating is these are such hardy people — they do everything. They made fires, cooked food in oil and vegetables in water. The water truck gave them 5 gallons of water every day. They filled buckets and carried them on their heads.
“Babies were washed in basins. When asked through interpreters what happened to them, they would say, ‘The block fell.’ Many of their injuries were the result of poorly constructed buildings that were not reinforced enough and the cinder blocks just fell down. Most of them needed treatment of injuries to their arms, legs, scalps, etc., from the blocks falling. They needed tetanus shots and antibiotics to reduce the risk of the injuries getting infected and extremities being lost.”
She said the people of Haiti need food, water and medical attention.
“I hope they can get back in order,” said Bulger-Noto.
She described her living conditions in a tent on a tennis court as “quite luxurious” because the team members had cots and mosquito netting, despite the fact that they had no running water and had to wash with baby wipes. The military provided them with meal rations.
“I always wanted to do something like this,” said Bulger-Noto. “The Haitian people are good people. It is my privilege to help them. What I get in return is much more than what I have given.”
Stories like Sarah’s and Bulger-Noto’s are a small example of the many ways people rise to deal with what life has dealt them or others. I may have had to deal with laundry issues, bad weather or a leaky roof, but they are mere inconveniences. There are people out there who would accept any kind of roof, and running water to wash their clothes in.
Amy Rosen is a Greater Media Newspapers staff writer. She may be reached by email at [email protected].