November 4, 2021 Operation Walk

First Time Volunteers: Mary Perez, RN

On every OpWalk trip, we have a final team dinner where first-time volunteers say a few words about their experience on our trip. It is always a heart-warming moment, we love welcoming new team members! On this and future newsletters, we will hear from a few first-time volunteers who joined us for Guatemala in August of 2021.

Hello, I’m Mary and I’m an ER nurse from San Antonio, Texas.

I joined this mission to be a part of a group that gives back to communities unable to do it on their own. I wasn’t sure what to expect, I knew that I’d be helping where they needed me most. What I discovered is that we’re not just helping our patients, they are reaching us on a personal level as well.

This trip made a big impact on me. It renewed my purpose as a nurse and made me feel like a part of a team. I saw how every individual is bigger than themselves, that it’s necessary for each volunteer to make these missions a success.

One of the challenges I faced was a bit of a language barrier. I speak some Spanish, but a different dialect. Together, the patients and I made it work and found ways to communicate. I’d also never worked in Pre-Op, so the experience was completely different but I learned so much and I discovered that I could play a new role in patient care.

One of the most memorable moments for me was seeing the reunion of one of our former patients, Rogelio, with the team that had given him two new knees and a new chance at life. Just hearing the stories, being with them to relive the memories, and seeing the end result of a bilateral knee surgery made me very emotional.

I really enjoyed the role I played in Pre-Op, meeting the patients before surgery and sharing in their excitement. It was great to be a part of the beginning of their journey. In the future, I’d like a chance to be on the floor, see their outcomes after surgery, and be with patients during recovery.

I’d absolutely love to be a part of another OpWalk mission. I returned home feeling good about helping people and about being a nurse. This trip has given me a new sense of gratitude and being blessed to have the life I’ve been given.