The Long Road Ahead – Travel and Flight to PNG

04-May-2011, 0445 AM

The last weekend I spent in CT felt as if the world was closing in on me all of a sudden as the time crunch and countdown really started ticking.  For a person who is really somewhat organized, and I would surmise that my co-workers and even my family will vouch for that fact, I have never ever felt so disorganized.  Very early Monday morning—0200, as my brothers and I went back home to get some sleep, I thought at one point that I forgot the Canon digital camera that I must bring with me to PNG since my brother mentioned seeing  it on the countertop and wondered if I was going to be needing it.  In the end, he figured that I will be since I must have packed it, but, my mind was already wandering in all different angles that I didn’t even remember packing it in my carry-on.  When I finally went to sleep that morning, the little 3 hours that I managed to squeeze in, only then did I remember not enabling my Outlook out-of-office assistant.  I don’t know how I was still able to get some sleep that night because I was still thinking of many other things that I could have potentially forgot to do. 

I really do give thanks and credit to my youngest brother since he will be doing most of my business affairs while I am away, with some help and assistance from the rest of my core family.  We were still doing some last minute preparations when we got up that morning.  Choosing Theodore F. Green International Airport in Providence, RI as the start of my trip proved to be a wise decision since the travel on I-95 North was a very smooth and unencumbered ride.  I could only imagine what the ride and traffic would’ve been like had I flown from John F. Kennedy Airport in NYC.  The ride was fairly unremarkable since my mother managed to hold the tears back at this point.  After checking in at Delta Airlines, I spent a good hour with them still before finally checking in.  It is during this time when I said “I have to go” that I felt really sad and anxious inside because I am separating myself from them.  One can really picture the surface value of our close and tight family bond because we generally tend to consult with one another on big decisions and items on the table.  My PNG trip was laid upon my entire family on December 27^th, 2010, when the entire clan went to my house as I hosted our annual Holiday Event.  At the plane, just before I turned my Blackberry off, my sister sent me a text message about Mom finally breaking into tears as I walked away.  She actually had a picture of her wiping her tears and posted it in Facebook.  I know that my mother loves me very dearly and that she supports my work and professional decision to do this Fellowship for 6 months even though it pains her to think that I am actually going to be gone for that prolonged amount of time – and to that I thank her, and all of my clan for doing the same.

Arrival at Detroit MI was rather unremarkable.  By the time that I got off the plane, it was already time to check in on the next one.  I was somewhat taken aback when I found out that the longest leg of the flight will be on a Boeing 777 carrier.  Not that it matters, as long as I get to Hong Kong safely, but I thought that it was going to be on a Boeing 747, or maybe even an Airbus A380.  So much for that, eh?  The accommodations of the business class in this flight were rather nice I must say.  Spacious private pod, complementary beer, wine, cocktails, comforters, feather pillow, entertainment center—all of these provisions made for the grueling 15-hour flight much easier to tolerate.  I was able to catch up on my show The Tudors, the medieval England where Kings and Queens and Bishops, and peasants, embodied life, peppered with greetings such as “Your Majesty”, “Your Highness”, “Your Grace”, and “My Lady”. 

I arrived at Macau International Airport safely and I went through Immigration without problems.  2 large size and 1 medium size luggages were somewhat much for one person to carry but I managed through.  When I checked in at the Ticketing Agent for Air Niugini, I found out that I have to pay for the extra weight of my luggage since they only allowed up to 35 kilograms each.  So it was 4,200 Hong Kong Dollars, or $522 to be exact!  Totally unforeseen and unbeknownst to me that I will be paying for this much that I immediately thought about all the extra provisions that I brought and should have not , but I was prepared nonetheless.  I channeled my thoughts on the fact that this won’t be the problem focus of my trip.  The problems will be at the health centers where I will be working, and those are the things that I need to think and focus on.  The flight to PNG was turbulent at times and totaled approximately 5 or 6 hours.  But we landed at Jackson International Airport in Port Moresby without any problems.  (To be continued…)

Pre-Deployment Preparations to Papua New Guinea

          Well, the time has finally come for me to deploy abroad and venture into a Global Health Fellowship program.  I will be traveling to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea on May 2 as part of Pfizer Inc's GHF, the flagship of the company's corporate and social responsibility effort and mission worldwide.  It will be a grueling and challenging six months mission overseas as a Clinic Management Fellow as I am anticipating new cultures, values, and philosophies in a territory that is obviously unknown to me.  I say, bring on the challenge, I welcome them whole-heartedly!  It will be time to put the turkey in the oven and roast by the time that I come back to mainland US. 
          I have known about the Global Health Fellows program at Pfizer since 2005 when I first got hired at the New Haven Clinical Research Unit.  I read about the program mission statement, various positions open, eligibility criteria, and applications process early on, and I must say that my interest  had been keen since then.  I tucked it in the back of my mind and told myself that I will try to apply as soon as I am personally and professionally ready.  Fast-forward to now, my house is literally a mess because I am in the middle of setting-up a blog spot in cyberspace while trying to systematically arrange the personal items I will be packing and bringing with me overseas. 
          Before I go any further, allow me to at least introduce myself briefly.  My name is Mark Anthony Gregorio and I am an adult nurse practitioner by trade.  I have been a registered nurse since 2003 and held various nursing positions here in Connecticut - hospital staff/charge nurse, nursing home staff/nursing supervisor, clinical instructor, adjunct faculty, and clinical research nurse - Phase I.  My love of the "patient" grew more and more as I delved myself into the nursing profession within these past 8 years that I have been practicing.  True, one might still call and identify me as a novice or green horn, comparing to the many decades some people I know have been practicing nursing.  However, I find that I am almost always in the hunt to learn more and apply these pearls at the bedside.  Pathophysiology and pharmacology are two core materials that I have a keen interest in, hence, my current tenure at Pfizer as a Clinical Research Nurse / Adult Nurse Practitioner.  This is also one of the primary reasons why I chose to pursue and advance nursing knowledge by attending Quinnipiac University's Master of Science in Nursing degree program and graduate as a Nurse Practitioner.
          I strongly believe the GHF program at Pfizer will be culturally, professionally, and personally rewarding experience for me.  When I learned that a "Nurse / Physician" post is needed at Papua New Guinea, I immediately remembered 2005 and that little tidbit of information I tucked in my head.  The decision was made last year for me to apply and my inner-self chorused and rejoiced telling me "it is time".  It was not an easy process to apply.  The application form in and out of itself was a very long and tedious form to fill out, not including two-long essays I had to pen.  Most, if not all, of my friends know how verbose I can be, so even though the application took me two weeks to do, I really had no complaints.  There were numerous applicants worldwide vying for the selected few spots open for GHF.  I must say that I was really happy to learn when Stella Carolan, my manager at Pfizer, printed the e-mail two months later and told me "You are going to Papua New Guinea.  Congratulations!". 
          The preparatory process took longer for me since I will be the very first Pfizer fellow to deploy there.  The visa acquisition was the most tedious process and it took nearly four months to do.  Almost all of my fellow Round 14 Global Health Fellows are in the middle of their deployment already in the various host countries around the world and I am still at home packing!  But now that my "Business, Short-Term, Multiple Entry visa" has been approved, the proverbial "butterflies in the stomach" started settling in and I am finding myself saying out loud often "I am really going!".  And to that, again, I say "Let's do it!!!".  The job description is very fluid, and I was repeatedly told it will change as soon as I get in the host country.  But the overall thematic focus of the position is to manage the present community health centers (or lack thereof) in order to bring and provide necessary and effective healthcare in the communities.  I am anticipating hands-on primary care, health screenings, diagnostic and physical examinations, vaccinations, medical management, on top of policies and procedures, standard operating procedures, interviewing, and educational mentoring, advisement, and clinical preceptorships.  But understand that my primary objective is to form alliance and bridge partnership in strengthening the current healthcare infrastructure over there.  Under no circumstances do I plan on infringing Western medicine and direct actions, inputs, and interventions.  My job is to assess, understand, provide recommendation, assist in interventions and inputs, and analyze outcomes in order for THEM to have a sustainable framework even when I leave. 
          This is my first blog entry, serving as a prologue to what has yet to come as I immerse myself to the culturally enriching experience I will be having in the Pacific.  Before I end this, I personally want to thank my core and extended family first and foremost for being so understanding and accepting of my professional decision to deploy.  Their unconditional love for me personally and for what I do as a healthcare provider is so physically and emotionally palpable that I am so deeply moved and immensely appreciative of their total support.  Special shout-outs to my Dad, Mom, and younger brother and sister for taking turns and helping to watch my house during my leave.  Special shout outs to my youngest brother who will be assuming the lead role in taking care of my business matters, budgets, and economy in the household.  My professional colleagues in and out of work, including my professors and course coordinators at Quinnipiac University, have also been a tremendous source of positive inputs and advice, and for that I am thankful as well.  My research comrades at the New Haven Clinical Research Unit have shown nothing but full pledged support as they cheered me today on my very last day to "Go forth and make a difference in the world"!  Some of my collegaues had some to-go care package for me that include Purell, wipes, tylenol, flashlights, and batteries.  All are appreciated and I am so thankful for!!!  We of course celebrated the afternoon with cookies, cake, and some afternoon chat. 
          Now, in the late hours of the night I am drafting the final words of this prologue.  I am ready now.  This is it...  Papua New Guinea, here I come!!!